Early this morning Musa had a CT scan at Sheba Hospital. Because of this appointment, he and his mother had come already yesterday from Gaza to our house in Ashdod to spend the night there before leaving early this morning to the hospital. Since the CT scan required anesthesia Musa wasn’t allowed to eat or drink anything since 2 am.

While waiting he practiced his new walking skills. His mom told us yesterday proudly that he started walking by himself about a week ago. He’s pretty good at it already! But as we waited longer and longer, he became more upset and wasn’t in such a good mood after waiting for about one and a half hours.

The CT didn’t take long and soon afterwards Musa was already awake, allowed to drink and eat again and by early afternoon we were back on our way to Gaza. We still have to wait for the results of the CT, but hopefully we’ll know more soon, and Musa might need further treatment. Our prayers are with him.

“Akhi” is Arabic and means brother. That’s what I’ve called Musa since I first met him at the end of August. At that time, he had traveled to Israel for a lip and palate surgery, and we got along really well right away. I was even more pleased to accompany him to Sheba Hospital for his echo today. Amazing to see how Musa has grown in the meantime. Thank God for that boy!

The echo also showed good results today, so the doctor decided to stop giving a drug. However, since the doctor was not able to see all the details of his heart during the echo, a CT scan will be necessary in the coming months. For now, however, everything looks well. Musa’s next echo will take place in April next year. But before that, Musa comes again to have the still visible traces on the lips operated on with a laser.

God willing, we’ll see each other in January then. We’re looking forward to seeing you Musa!

At Sheba Hospital today, Musa’s stitches were removed. The doctor was satisfied. There is a new appointment in December and it looks like every year, they need Musa to return so that they can monitor his progress.

If necessary, there is still a possibility Musa will need a new operation. If he speaks well, it will not be necessary. When he is grown to about 17 years, he many need an operation on his nose.

For now, he is back home in Gaza. His mother was very happy for this outcome and that she and Musa are returned to their family.

Our lovely Musa  has been waiting in our house for the next follow up appointment at Sheba Medical, scheduled for next week. Doctors plan to remove Musa’s stitches. During this week, he didn’t need to use the bandage anymore, he is only having a little sensitive reaction because of the bandages on his cheeks.

We had a few guests who came to share and bring some toys and food to our families. Musa and his Mom were very excited to meet new friends. This has been a busy week in our family house, new families arrived for one day or two, special guests  and new volunteers coming to the house.

Musa’s Mom is happy to spend time together with us, to talk and know each other more.  And Musa brings some extra joy to the house, he is always smiling, and enjoying every moment.

We pray for his full recovery and success in the balance of all necessary procedures.

The last hours until the important cleft lip and palate surgery have begun. Still, Musa and his mother seemed relaxed as we made our way to Sheba Medical Center from Ashdod this morning. Like last time, Musa endured the last preparations today bravely too. For example, a test in which the existence of multi-resistant germs can be ruled out.

The friendly doctor then invited Musa’s mother and me for coffee and confirmed that he was optimistic about the surgery. It turned out that he had studied very close to my home and we were able to communicate in German. I was happy to be able to speak German so far away from home and he was happy about the good practice.

Please pray for Musa that God will be with him during the surgery tomorrow morning and that he will be safe.

A number of preparations for Musa’s second clef lip and palate operation lay ahead, and coworker Tatiana and I collected both Musa and his mother from the Erez border crossing.  Musa’s mother spoke Arabic well, and  was able to help us with everything and we were able to be finished quickly.

After a corona test, which little Musa endured bravely, we made our way to the blood test department. Despite some tears, Musa also mastered this and the following ECG.

Musa will then go through the final preparations on Tuesday before his operation will take place on Wednesday. For this time, he and his mother are accommodated in our family-house in Ashdod. Musa, we wish you God’s blessings and support during the operation!

Today Musa had an echo at Sheba Hospital. He is doing very well – he has gained a lot of weight, and he is happily learning to stand by holding onto his mom’s hands.

During the echo, the doctor wasn’t able to clearly see the stent that had been placed in Musa’s left pulmonary artery, so he sent Musa to have an X-ray to make sure there was no blockage.

Thank God, the X-ray showed good blood flow to the left lung, so Musa has been sent to our community home in Ashdod. He will have a plastic surgery in a couple weeks to continue repairing his cleft lip and palate.

Please pray that God will give this adorable boy a safe and successful surgery!

Today, we picked up Musa at Erez. He had an appointment for his echo at Sheba Hospital.

While we were in the waiting area of the hospital, Musa started to smile and play with a Jewish women who also had to wait for an echo for her son; our little Musa was so smiley and friendly.

During Musa’s echo, the doctors decided to make an ECG also, so the procedure took more time than usual, Musa enjoyed seeing his heart beating on the monitor, he was very interested in what the doctors were trying to look at with this ultrasound scan.

For now, pray for Musa, pray for his recovery. In three months, he will have a follow up appointment.

Today I met the little Musa, having picked him up at the Gaza border. I and my coworker brought him to Sheba Hospital for his follow-up appointment.

Spending time with both Musa and his mother, was incredible.  it’s so nice to see how carefully Musa’s mom treated Musa and how lovingly she played with him while we were waiting for the surgeon.

Musa’s cleft lip surgery after these past six months, have been a complete success. The surgeon recognized Musa, and was to happy to see how much he has been growing up.

The surgeon’s recommendations were to remove the plastic tube in Musa’s nose first of all. Then, to include in Musa’s routine a massage for his scar, at least twice a day. The scar is now a little thick. The surgeon said for Musa’s next appointment, with a disciplined adherence to twice daily messaging the scar, he expects to see the scar tissue to be more thinned out.

We’ll see little Musa in ten day’s time for a newly-scheduled echo appointment at Sheba. Also, with the help of God, in three month’s time, Musa will be ready for his cleft lip surgery – part II.

Praise God! Our cute little Musa can eat on his own and is discharged to his home in Gaza. Coworker Doro and I collected Musa and his mother from Sheba Medical Center and brought them to the Erez Border crossing.

Musa was smiling all the time and said goodbye with a big perfect smile on his face. The time with his lovely mother was very nice. She taught us a lot of Arabic words on our way to Erez.

Musa will return in one month for an appointment with his plastic surgeon. In two months, he will also have an echo. So, we will see beautiful Musa again.

We can say goodbye with a big smile like Musa, because God brought him so far and created and loves every child and human on this earth so much!

Thank you all for praying with us for Musa.

Today I visited cute little Musa and his lovely mother at Sheba Medical Center. The doctors removed the surgical threads or his cleft palette and lip repair and he looks so beautiful now.

So he can start to learn how to eat. They have to teach him slowly and don’t know how long it will take until he is going to eat everything that he should eat. Tomorrow, doctors may change Musa’s medication, if he gained some weight.

Please pray that he learns fast how to eat on his own.
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When we visited Musa this morning, he was awake, smiling at us and his happy mother was beside him. They are planning to move him today to the Pediatric Ward of Sheba Hospital. 

Everyone in the ICU keeps saying how beautiful he looks now and it is very true. If everything is fine, Musa will already be discharged on Sunday and can go home to his family.

Let’s thank God for the life of this beautiful little boy!

Musa had surgery on his cleft lip today at Sheba Medical Center’s Children’s Hospital.

Coworker Hanna and I found him starting to wake up. He was blinking very slowly and listening to our voices. One of the doctors said that the surgery went very well, and that Musa is such a beautiful little boy.

We are so thankful to see him so well. Please be praying for a smooth recovery for him.

Today Musa was discharged from Sheba Medical Center.  Coworker Doro and I brought him and his lovely grandmother to the Erez crossing point to Gaza.

Musa and his grandmother have to return to Israel in three weeks’ time so mosa can have the surgery to repair his lip. Until then, I’m very excited that they have the opportunity to see their loved ones back home in Gaza.

Please give thanks to the Lord that Mosa and his grandmother are able to see their family and can come back to Israel safely.

The doctors in the pediatric ward of Sheba Hospital have been trying to teach Musa to eat through his mouth so he can go home to Gaza, but so far he is not learning.

His doctor explained to me today that he needs the surgery to correct his cleft lip before he will begin eating. Musa’s family needs to decide if they want to do a one-stage repair when he is six months old, or a two-stage repair with the first surgery in one month.

In the meantime, the doctor thinks it’s alright for him to go home to Gaza with a feeding pump. He will likely be discharged soon to await a surgery date while at home.

Sweet little Musa was sleeping peacefully when I found him in the secondary Pediatric ICU of Sheba hospital. This is good news because his condition is continuing to improve.

His grandmother was very friendly and said that they were both doing well.

There are no plans of discharge in the foreseeable future for Musa due to his not eating well. Please continue in prayer for him, that God would continue to heal him.

At Sheba Medical Center today, the unexpected right ventricle surgery for Musa was a success. We praise God the doctors found out about the need for this surgery before Musa and his grandmother left for Gaza.

Musa’s grandmother was very worried during the surgery, but after the surgeon told us everything was fine, she cried over the good outcome. She said her concern for Musa is as though he were her own child, and it really touched my heart to see her caring so much for precious Musa.

Please pray for good recovery.

We thought Musa was on the cusp of going home to Gaza, but this week his cardiologist ordered a CT scan, and yesterday after it was done, the doctors decided he would need a second heart surgery.

When I learned this today his grandma was very anxious that he would again go to the OR, but at the same time I couldn’t help but appreciate and admire God’s sovereignty in delaying Musa’s return to Gaza such that he could have this CT scan and have the doctors see the need for another operation.

He currently has a fever, but once this has passed he will be able to go to surgery.

Musa was scheduled for surgery at Sheba Medical Center yesterday, but he had another fever, so it is postponed now until Wednesday.

Please pray that his fever would not come back and further delay his surgery. His grandmother is with him and she is faithfully by his side, even when he has sleepless nights.