Today, coworker Craig and I welcomed Kenan to Israel. A routine echo and ECG were on the schedule. After we had fought our way through the Israeli rush-hour traffic, and made our way to Sheba Hospital, we could finally start the procedure.

Kenan did not like it at all and cried profusely during the ECG and echo. Nevertheless, in the end, the doctors were able to get enough clear results to get a picture of the situation. Kenan’s doctor decided to give Kenan another two months of Clexane medication along with aspirin. At the next follow-up in two months, the treatment should then be changed to Coumadin. Until then, we wish Kenan and his family God’s blessings.

When I visited Kenan in Sheba Hospital today, he was sitting in his room eating his lunch like a big boy. How great to see him laughing after being a bit shy just a few days ago. He’s much more confident now and we played with his toys in the hospital corridor.

A nurse also had good news. Kenan is no longer on antibiotics for his throat infection and his mother is very good at self-administering his Clexane medicine. A blood test tomorrow will determine when Kenan can be discharged. Tomorrow we will ask how the blood test went and keep you informed about the further procedure.

When I see him playing so happily, I’m very optimistic. Thank the Lord! Please pray for Kenan and his mother who takes such good care of him.

Today I got to meet little Kenan from Gaza. A bit shy at first, we were soon able to play with his toys. How nice to see him laughing.

Before he was admitted due to thrombosis. Today the doctors examined him more closely to discuss how to proceed. His doctor explained to me that he’s not in danger but needs treatment. Tomorrow they will do more blood tests to get a better database.

In addition, the doctors found out that he has an infection in his neck. Now he gets antibiotics as a treatment. Lord, please protect little Kenan as he adjusts to his new surroundings. Show him and his mother that you are there for them.

What we thought was supposed to be simply a quick check up involving an echocardiogram and EKG ended up being another example of God knowing better. Kenan underwent multiple procedures at Sheba in 2021 and his mother assumed all was well as he is now active and thriving. He and his mother had a difficult time getting through the Gaza checkpoint. In fact, we were worried they may miss the window of time needed in order to make it to Sheba. However, after a two hour wait and multiple prayers, they were through, and we were on our way!

Coworker Joanne and I picked up sweet little Kenan and his mother at the Erez Border Crossing today.

Then we drove to Sheba hospital and Kenan had some usual assessments required for the admission ahead of the cath tomorrow.

The doctors did an echo and an ECG and we went downstairs for Kenan’s x-ray.

One doctor explained everything for the cath very carefully and I thought it was very nice to see how much time the doctor took with Kenan’s mother.

We were told that the room for Kenan would be ready at 4 pm, but there was a miss communication which resulted in our having to wait until the nurses arranged something. After a while, a room was ready for mother and son.

In the meantime, we took a walk with Kenan’s mom and sat on a bench outside. I enjoyed the time with them.

Please pray for a good catheterization tomorrow and recovery afterwards.

Kenan has been recovering well from his surgery last week. Therefore, he has been discharged from the hospital. His mother is very happy about this. He has to continue with some of his medicine but is doing well for now.

We enjoyed them staying with us in Jaffa, but as a request from Kenan’s mother, they have been discharged to some extended family living near the hospital. It is very nice that she and Kenan can stay with them for a bit of time, because they don’t see their family living here often.

Erez border is remaining closed for now, so please pray for Kenan’s lovely mother and for Kenan himself to have a nice time with their family here, but also that they can return soon to their family back in Gaza. Especially to his grandmother, whom we all know is missing them a lot. Thank you for your prayers.

This past weekend, Sheba hospital decided to move the whole ICU and some of the other wards to an underground parking garage because of the given circumstances in Israel. One of the children that I visited today is the handsome Kenan.

After his surgery, he was intubated and it was quite difficult for his lovely young mother to see her cute son in this condition. Intubated and sleeping.

When I saw them today she was very happy because Kenan is already extubated and doing very well. He was crying a bit, but of course his lovely mother took loving care of him, holding him in her arms.

When I went to the underground ICU today, I didn’t expect it to be so nice. I am thankful to know that even if it’s not nice, the hospital has to be prepared for situations like this. You could definitely tell that they have been prepared for this, which is good. We have a few families from Gaza in the ICU at the moment, and all of them are happy to have each other and to spend time with each other because it makes their time in the hospital easier and also the whole situation.

When I asked Kenan’s mother how her husband is doing back in Gaza, she said he is ok. I’m glad to hear that, but he and all the people and families that we know back in Gaza need our prayers for this whole situation, as do the people of Israel. Please join me in prayer for both these things, and also for a continuing recovery for little Kenan.

Kenan and his lovely mother spent a nice time at our community home in Jaffa with us and our other Kurdish families. Today, Kenan and his mom had to come to Sheba hospital to do a Corona test because of a possible surgery tomorrow.

Only Kenan had to have the Corona test, during which he was a brave little boy. He only cried a little bit. After the test, we waited for their hospital room to be made ready. We spent the waiting time together taking turns holding little Kenan.

In the time in between, he was also sleeping and hungry. His lovely mother of course took care of him. After a few hours, they finally were admitted to the ICU of the hospital and the surgery is scheduled for tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers.

Kenan underwent a successful catheterization today at Sheba hospital. His mother told me he’d already eaten after the procedure, so he’s doing very well.

Doctors want to do a surgery next for him but they have to discuss this with each other and schedule it.

Kenan’s mother is a very friendly person, She expressed to me that she is glad she has accompanied Kenan this time to hospital because she wants to be with Kenan on his upcoming surgery day. His grandmother had come with Kenan last time he needed to come to Sheba.

Thank you for your prayers for little Kenan and his mother.

The two previous times Kenan was in Israel for cardiac treatment, he was with his grandmother. When Kenan came to Sheba today, I went to look for his grandmother’s familiar face but was surprised to find a young woman holding him in her arms; it was his mother!

Often times when a newborn comes urgently from Gaza, it is a grandmother who is the accompanying guardian, but as in many cases now, after a child comes many times to Sheba, we get to meet the child’s mother. With every urgent newborn, and Kenan was one of them, my mind goes to the mother. I wonder what it must have been like to have her baby, then find out he needs urgent surgery and within a few days, have to give them up to a different and even an enemy country for treatment. We see many urgent children and yet they remain individuals. Still, the reality is, for each of these babies, there is a mother somewhere in Gaza who is agonizing over the fate of her own little one. So, like I said, the joyful occasion of these returning Gaza babies is that you meet more of their families, particularly the mothers whom we think so much about.

This time, Kenan was hospitalized for a catheterization tomorrow, they will be able to gauge when he will be ready for the next step in his treatment of open-heart surgery. Up until now, his heart was treated with a stent placed in a catheterization, so they will also be able to check how this is functioning tomorrow.

Basically everyone who saw Kenan today at Sheba hospital thought he was adorable. His mother has never been to Sheba hospital before and yet was poised and confident. As we waited for his room to be made ready, she video-called Kenan’s grandmother who was his previous guardian both times Kenan came to Sheba, and she is always a good one to talk to, encouraging Kenan’s mum and doting on her grandson.

Getting to know these families is truly a joy. Please pray for them as catheterizations are not new for Kenan, but this will be the first one his mum will be here for.

Step by step, our little friend gets better. This was confirmed by the results of Kenan’s Echo-cardiogram given today at Sheba Medical Center.

Today’s Echo also shows that his heart is working well.  In addition, I discovered his antibiotics-therapy is completed.  He is still receiving some fluid via vein. Nutrition for Kenan also goes slowly forward.

Kenan’s very lovely grandmother is so skilled with her grandson! She is caring well about the cute baby boy. She also takes time to help her neighbor in the room. So nice to see!

Thank you so much for all your prayers!

The small Kenan looks so cute in his sleep! When I came to Sheba Hospital today to visit him, he was sleeping so peacefully. His grandmother was so pleased about that, but then last night was difficult for both of them.

We discovered that little Kenan was fasting over the weekend because it was discovered that he has an abdominal infection. He was receiving nutrition via his vein.

Starting today, he can again receive milk but in small quantities. Also he is receiving an antibiotics-therapy for a while to combat the infection. We hope it will help him.

Our Lord is with peaceful little Kenan und his grandmother. Thank you so much for blessing him with your prayers.

I met Kenan and his wonderful Grandmother at the Secondary Pediatric ICU  in Sheba Hospital. Both of them were doing pretty well.  Kenan’s Grandmother was very open and pleased. Vital signs on the monitor above Kenan were good. But as I approached his bed, I woke him and he wasn’t too happy about that. Grandmother knew what she needed to do for her lovely grandson however. She had a syringe with glucose in it so she gave him a little bit to help him stop crying.

His doctors believe that Kenan has an abdominal infection and that it is better if he stays in hospital and be supervised

A discharge date for our little boy has to wait. Please pray for this blessed boy, that he will soon be reunited with his family in Gaza.

As I was in the Sheba Medical Center Pediatric Secondary ICU, I was delighted to see Kenan’s grandmother. She ushered me into her hospital room which she had been transferred to late last night. As we spoke about Kenan and the possibility of him returning to Gaza tomorrow or early next week, she repeated many times in Arabic that the most important thing is Kenan’s health.

“Two months… [I am here now],” she said. “As long as he goes back healthy.”

The same tender love that I saw in her expression while talking with her yesterday, is present whenever she is speaking about her grandson. She also expressed her gratitude for the excellent care of the doctors at Sheba.

Please pray for their road ahead, that in God’s timing, Kenan would be healthy enough to return to his family in Gaza.

As I left them for the evening, I thought about all the circumstances that must be just right in the order of the work of Shevet, not just on our part, but on the part of the doctors who are among the best in the world. They daily take incredible care of their patients, devote countless hours to their health, often sacrificing their own comforts to conduct surgeries and give the care their patients need.

I’m also touched by the willingness of each appointed guardian, chaperone or parent, who sacrifices much of their life and time, sometimes expense, for an unknown period of time so that a child in their family might live.

God bless the family of Kenan, his grandmother, and those waiting for their return to their home in Gaza.