Isaiah update

Keep up the prayers for Isaiah. He is no longer fighting for his life, but has suffered some brain damage. The good news is that the spots were small, much smaller than the doctors had expected. Also with Isaiah being so young, and the brain still forming and with it being a most remarkable organism, it can reroute itself around the damaged areas to recover full functioning. It can also suffer further damage. Isaiah is scheduled for another CAT scan Monday to make sure the spots are not getting worse- so pray for that. And of course pray for encouragement and peace for Tighe and Greg. There are moments when it seems very overwhelming to them and other times when they are more positive. Isaiah said a few words the first night, but nothing the next day or night. He did move his head though and reach for his mom and in the middle of the night sat up in bed. One doctor told them that Isaiah just needs some time and told them of a former patient of his who got meningitis and whose CAT scan looked like cottage cheese mush, yet she grew up and graduated from school and entered the ministry. Of course allowing time is difficult as they anticipate their second child's immanent arrival. The social worker at Cook's children's Medical hospital found Tighe a doctor there who will in all probability deliver her 2nd baby there in Fort Worth, TX.

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My apologies to those of you who are reading this in double- with it being on my real blog. Yes, I have a real blog. Sorry if you are not privy to it, but that would not make this one anonymous would it? As for those who leaked through the disguisement- it's all Agent B's fault.

Prayers needed

Please pray for our friends Tighe, Greg, Lily and Isaiah. Isaiah got meningitis and was just flown to Cook's hospital in Ft. Worth. They are expecting Lily's birth in the next couple of weeks. Isaiah is in critical condition. Please pray for peace for all of them and that the CEO will intervene, completely healing Isaiah.

Injustice

I felt yucky most of the day, dirty, sad, disappointed and angry- and all because of a phone call. Mbamie is expecting, which is so exciting and amazing. Her first child in America. A physical presence reaffirming the reunification of husband and wife after many horrid years of separation due to war. They have been through so much and it's exciting that God is not done with them yet. When I think of all they have lived through, I am very much in awe and think of what an honor it is to be able to help even in the smallest way.

Mbamie nearly died giving birth to her first child. The baby did die and she would have if it wasn't for an off-duty doctor stopping by the clinic where she was, recognizing her family name and taking it upon himself with much risk to transport her to a hospital (several of which refused to take her due to her great risk of death). He took her to his hospital in a taxi while she went into a coma like state and did an emergency c-section, saving her life.

She lived and had two other children, the second of which is now 5 years old and just met her dad for the first time. The other pregnancies also had complications.

Mbamie and her husband are understandably anxious to see the doctor. We jumped through all the hoops and placed numerous phone calls to finally get her on medicaid. Today I called the doctor I had in hopes of getting her in, and she is all filled up.

So I tried my second pick. The receptionist was more than leery of taking on Mbamie. I said I was her translator and she was really lippy saying that they had to talk to her and what language did she speak and did she know ANY English and she would have to check with the nurse and doctor about it. I felt so horrid after that call. This can't be possible. I called the International Rescue Committee (the program that is bringing over refugees here) to make sure- "discriminating due to language is illegal right? I mean more than just nasty, rude, insensitive and heartless- it's illegal too right?" Yep, they said it is, but doctors can quite easily jump around who they want and don't want by saying that they are all filled up or can not take any new patients at this time.

I called back to the doctor to find out if the doctor or nurse had an answer yet and the receptionist very smartly told me that I needed to wait for them to call me back. I did say that I was just trying to figure out what exactly the problem was.

Agent B was off half the day, so I got him to go get Mbamie from work and got her on the phone to make the call. The thing is, I've met this doctor and he seemed really good. I've had lots of ladies go to him and loved him. I wanted her with a good caring doctor, even if the receptionist needs a new heart. I coached Mbamie through her answers. She really can understand quite a bit, but like many new language speakers is shy about speaking it, then with her heavy accent, it's really hard for people to understand what she says. She repeated her name spelling about 3 times and they still don't have it right. The lady kept saying- ok, is that right and Mbamie kept saying the correct spelling until we both giggled and she said- sure that's right. They'll get it fixed when we come in.

The good news is that they are taking her. The bad news is that the appointment is a month away. Mbamie will be into her 2nd trimester by then, but I hated to try for something better after we finally got an affirmative on something.

CEO, please watch over this child and Mbamie. May this office and all the staff be warm, welcoming, considerate and loving toward Mbamie, her husband and baby. Keep them safe in your care, and give them peace especially as they continue to wait to see a doctor.

Why friendship is important

He's 1 week shy of his 91st birthday. A steady stream of people come into his home everyday, but he feels like he's all alone if our car so much as leaves the street. The people who come are nurses, a cleaning lady, meals-on-wheels delivery person and while most are kind and genuine, they are there because of a program and Obiwan's emotional needs are not met through them.

He said tonight: "you make me feel like I'm wanted in this world. Some people walk by and never look at you, like you're not even there. Others come to get something from you. Some come so that they can go gossip about everything- that's bad. You're like my children. I call you my chilluns and if I see any movement at your place I feel like I'm not alone."

Back in the saddle

Yesterday I had one of those CEO orchestrated moments. I was trying to get the kids out of agent B's hair and thought of taking them to the park. As I drove out of the driveway, I thought of how I should have called a friend to join us, but then many of the friends I thought of would be having family time. I thought of pulling into one park, but we ended up passing it, then as I turned toward the first park I'd thought of, which would take me past Meshell's house, I thought of stopping to see if she and her son wanted to come along. When I stopped the car, I landed in a melting pot of frustration, tears, hurt and pain. Meshell was a couple of houses away and while I waved at her, she acted like she didn't know me. Her mom was at the door and proceeded to tell me that her daughter (25/30 years old) was running away, that all she asked her to do was to take care of her by making her some tea, that it was the least she could do after everything she's ever done for her... (blah, blah, blah) and can you talk to her?

By this time Meshell had put a block or two between us, so I got back in the car and drove to catch her. When I pulled over, she came to the car and I asked her if she was OK. She just burst into tears-- "I just stay in the house all day, every day, no one wants to help us, we can't get rides to go pay bills or get anything done..." (blah, blah, blah). Basically she was just really stressed and freaking out. Her brothers and their girlfriends had just moved out that weekend. Meshell, her son and mom are the only ones who are left in the house, with no phone, no transportation and little gumption or imagination (I don't say that to be mean or belittling, but they just don't have the resources, financial, emotional, physical to get a lot of basic things done).

So we got to go to the park. It was just so cool that the Lover would see her tears, hear her cries and hook us up at just the perfect time. I didn't hear a big voice or anything, I didn't know if it was my thinking or His doing until I'd stopped and saw that this was where we were supposed to be. A physical touch to show that the Lover sees, He knows and to turn to Him because He has ways and solutions we can not even dream of.

Then tonight, Meshell called (from the neighbor's) to see if I could take her to the grocery store. I had time and a car, so AO#1 and I went to get them. The store she shops at caters to the down and out. It was like walking back in time, into our former life with the Izzy group. Before I got out of the car, Juliette called out to me. She and her boyfriend were getting their beverages before heading home (a 2 liter soda for her and a 40 oz for him). They were genuinely pleased to see us and wanted to know how we were doing. They were so happy for me and my life, even as they admitted and confessed to drowning out theirs. They are so real, confessing this addiction or that problem and saying how they just cling to hope, hope for each other and their lives. Juliette once told me to cherish my family, that it was so precious and it brings tears to my heart whenever I think of her telling me that. Juliette has lived on and off the streets for a very long time, but she is a mom too and has never been able to live it. Her kids are never far from her thoughts, but she doesn't get to mother them, to hold them or talk to them or play a real part in their lives. Schizophrenia and street life has stolen all that from her and so much more.

The store's entire stash of milk had gone bad, so we had one more stop to make. I took Meshell to the grocery store I usually go to. It was a bit shocking to drive back into "suburbia". It was truly a different world. I am so privileged. I am so thankful for our phone, for our car, for the freedom and opportunities to go places, for the many friends I have, for my sanity and mental stability and for this strange life we are in that allows us to walk in both worlds- at least to some degree. And even with all our stuff and freedoms, I too have felt that strain, that pressure, that sense of being lost and alone at times and I'm most thankful that the Lover is always there to open my eyes to the truth that His love never fails.

new kids on the block

I'm a lot like the Israelites- I grumble. I find myself feeling sad when we are not actively involved in some sort of ministry situation and feel like we are just living for ourselves- thus sense my spirit grumbling with the CEO over it. Then He'll send someone our way and I'll grumble about the time, effort and stretching it involves on our part. I am trying to change this and sometimes I recognize that He gives us seasons of interaction and seasons of rest and can thus actually appreciate the rhythm of it.

Our street has been interesting. It is not the "inner city", nor is it the "suburbs". It's just people with all sorts of needs and levels of need. Where the CEO seems to have directed us most has been to Obiwan and to the children of the neighborhood. Children are so open and friendly. While we may not know all the adults on our street, the kids have no problem with stopping over and asking if we can play or if they can come in our house (even before we had kids). To miss these opportunities would truly be foolishness, because I am learning they do not last long and it goes in waves.

When we first landed here, it was Freida's preteens who came over regularly, but in 5 short years, they are too cool for that and it has become much harder to connect with them. There were other kids down the street who lived without utilities who we were able to connect with quite a bit after the teens stopped coming by as much. Then they moved on and it has been Jenny and Sebastien that came a lot. These two now have a new baby brother and come as good friends, but not as often as before. I am seeing that now it may be time to invest in a brother and sister who are frequenting our neighborhood more and more. They hang out with their grandpa in the day during the summer and came once to color with us. We've seen them quite a bit on the street lately. Their parents are going through a divorce and they are obviously looking for friends and love.

I need to kill my flesh in this. The other day, they were trying to hang out and I was just enjoying peace without the 4some I had had all day. I was surfing the net and I heard them outside begging for attention. I have to get over wanting "my time" and get over the little quirks that irk me in them. Sometimes I find these two annoying. Stupid things like littering on the street or in the house (seen that before), trying to run over others during play, being ungrateful and bossy. The thing is it's not their fault they are like that and these aren't the important matters. The important thing is that they are here, they are calling out for love and the CEO has called us to love others. It would be easier and not as messy if we just shut our door and our hearts, but we would be missing out on a most great opportunity that will not come by again- at least not with them at this time and place. Each day is unique and we have to capture both the times of rest and the times of planting, watering and allowing the CEO to work through us. It's critical for us and for them.

The I am statements

The "I am" statements of Jesus are all found in the book of John and carry such depth. It's great to read them in context, but they can also just be delved into on their own. I'll post the ideas I had with them and maybe even the song I made up. I have found songs as a great way to learn things, so I've made songs to sing with the kids for the fruit of the spirit and for the I am statements. They are so easy to remember that way and when we sing them, they help us to refocus on the important things. This week we will do the last I am statement and move on to something else- I'm not sure what yet.

I am the bread of life. (John 6:35)
I am the light of the world. (John 8:12)
I am the gate. (John 10:7)
I am the good shepherd. (John 10:11)
I am the resurrection and the life. (John 11:25)
I am the way, the truth and the life. (John 14:6)
I am the vine, you are the branches. (John 15:5)

We also made a poster where we can see pictures of each statement. A friend gave me this hint for helping them recall scriptures, since they can't read yet, pictures are great cues.

(Thanks to Sara for the question and interest).