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Thank you so much for praying for Thapelo! Globally, we know the extended MCV/Iris family is interceding for our little miracle! Locally, we have been so touched by the passionate intercession going forth at local prayer meetings!

Within hours of the request going out, Thapelo stabilized. The doctors put him on oxygen to strengthen blood/lungs and then sent him home! After a good night sleep, Thapelo woke up like nothing happened the day before. He was laughing and playing with the other kids all weekend.

During the ultrasound today, the doctors were surprised and amazed to find Thapelo’s kidneys completely normal size! And there was no blockage in the bile ducts!!! GLORY!!! No surprise here. We know our Heavenly Daddy’s promise and plan is just beginning…

Please keep praying! Thapelo’s liver is still oversized and causing stress on his small body. Pray against some other causes like cirrhosis or Hepatitis. Also pray with us for Thapelo’s new liver friendly diet. He can be quite emotional when we deny him some of his favorite fatty foods. Pray he can embrace and love the diet changes! And pray for his little heart as he says goodbye to one of favorite people….

Jean and I (and the MCV family) want to send out a huge thank you to Catherine Restiu, our medical intern, who leaves us this week to serve in Madagascar. Catherine was scheduled to leave a few days after Thapelo arrived, but the Holy Spirit led her to stay on to help assist in his medical care. I honesty do not know what we would have done without her…Day after day, she was at the hospital (it would have been me without her!) She has been huge a huge blessing to us and especially little Thapelo. Catherine has truly stopped for the one and we are praying God’s best blessings for her.

Last week I received the most amazing gift on my birthday…..I was told that the newest MCV princess (lets call her Princess P) tested HIV-!!!!  Gloriously, this is the third time God has wondrously healed HIV at MCV.  So today I wanted to take a little walk back in time and reflect on each precious miracle.

We begin with Baby J.  The day he was born at a local government hospital, his young mother refused to nurse him. After receiving some bad news (Baby J tested HIV+), the mother darted out with her/baby’s medical files…maybe trying to erase her connection to him?  The nurses waited for days hoping she would return….one week turned into one month.  Nothing.  Social workers were called in and we were alerted.  Staff went to the hospital the next day to visit.  Baby J had the most striking face- an old man face.  He looked like he felt. Alone.  Sad.  Forgotten.

But Jesus never forgot Baby J.  He was quite busy working out the most precious plan for him.  He was welcomed home at MCV by quite dotting houseparetns.  God even provided breast milk for him!  A staff member had just given birth and was able to pump extra milk after every feed of her newborn….and the milk flowed in abundance.  Within the first month, Baby J began looking like a baby.  Cutesy smiles.  Cuddly kisses.  Giddy gurgles.  He bloomed in the amazing safety of love.  And after months of prayer for healing, he tested HIV-!  To this day- Baby J is a treasured son and beautiful example of God’s glory.

We shall call the second precious healing- Baby P.  Also born in the same local hospital, Baby P’s mother died during childbirth.    Very small (less than 2 kg) and testing HIV+, the father asked the social workers to find a suitable family for him.   So Baby P came to MCV, but did not stay long.  It was love at first sight for our wonderful Mama Tryphina and Pastor Surprise.  So Baby P went home with them that day and remains a beloved son years later. And also tested HIV- after months of love and prayer!

Back to Princess P☺  Left for dead in a trash heap in a local township on the day she was born.  Wrapped in a bloody skirt…barely 1kg….with the umbilical cord still attached and not even tied…the baby should have bleed out.  Police got the tip and rescued her by rushing her to the hospital.  She almost died in those first hours of medical care (one nurses says she did die and came back!).  The police named her “Princess” and the name stuck.  The nurses began praying for her and doing their best to hold/feed her every two hours.  One of the head nurses would even visit the hospital on days off to make sure the staff was properly feeding her Princess!  She slowly began to gain weight.  Social workers gave us the call.  Once we found out which hospital she was at, we went to visit the same day.  

I could hardly contain the joy…maybe  God would bless our family with this princess? A few close friends also expressed their desire to care/adopt her. However the Khozas, our MCV house parents, had received very strong words from God that this baby was their daughter! So that settled it:) And once again, after much prayer and love, Princess P tested HIV-!  From the trash heap to treasured daughter… Jesus reminds us that He is indeed the God of miracles and that nothing is impossible in HIM!