A big smile, a weak heart

We have a little friend who goes by the name of DiDi in our Roma community who needs your prayer. He was born with a heart condition and had surgery as an infant but still needs at least a total of 3 more. Unfortunately he needs to be 100% healthy before he can receive the next surgery and he has struggled to stay healthy. DiDi is 3 years old and wears a huge smile on his face but his heart is weak. You can see him in the above picture sitting in my lap in during our Bible study and also with his mother in the other picture. (pictures used above were given permission to by used on this website by the mother of Didi in order to generate prayer support for his health needs)

On Sunday, the leader of the Roma group informed us that Didi has been unable to breathe well and had grown significantly more ill and asked if Beth and I could drive his mother and him to the hospital. When we arrived to pick them up, we noticed the shade of blue on his face and our hearts were heavy with concern. At the hospital the doctor said that she believed 100% without an x-ray that he had pneumonia and needed to be hospitalized however he would need a hospital that had a cardiology department. Unfortunately they could not help him and referred him to a different hospital. The problem is that Didi's mother had previously sought help from this particular hospital and stated that the hospital they referred us to had threaten to call social services and take away her son if they returned because she lived in a tent and not a home. I can say that I would prefer to see them living in a house somewhere too but that's not the case and since we are in their homes each week I can vouch that their homes are clean and warm on the inside. She lives differently than I do but we love our children just the same and I understood her fear of possibly losing him. We talked over different options and she decided to visit an urgent care center in a different area of town. The doctor there did not X-rays and very quickly diagnosed him with a sore throat and prescribed some medicines. I asked three or four times if his lungs were okay and every time I was told there was no problem with his lungs but only that his throat was swollen and was the cause for the breathing trouble and wet cough. Our heart is heavy tonight for Didi because we don't want an incorrect diagnosis to cause him further complications but also relieved that if it is only a throat infection then we should see our friend with a smile back on his face and healthy. Please pray for our little warrior Didi and for is heart to stay strong until his next surgery. Pray that the sweet hand of our Lord lay across his chest and help him breath tonight and that he would regain his health, especially in these unbelievably cold times across Europe.

Praise God for those who helped us collect some blankets for this sweet group of brothers and sisters in Christ. Praise God that we found three snow suits for three of our smallest kids in the community at a very cheap second hand store. Praise God for the honor we have to call the people of this group our friends and work beside them each week as they learn of the unending love of their Savior. Praise God for placing friends like Justin and Beth in our life to help with every daily task needed in this ministry. Our God is faithful and our God is good!