God Hears

After worship on the ward today, Samuel came over and sat with Sam and together they looked at Sam's Bible in order to find out what the name "Samuel" means.  Samuel was the first child I met on the ward.  I immediately enjoyed him so much because he had the same name as my husband and was one year younger than our daughter.  Every time we're at the ward, I try to spend time with Samuel.  I learned a lot about him this week and today, I'd like to share some of Samuel's story.  Samuel was orphaned during the war, but has a very loving and devoted uncle (Allen) who has been looking after him for the past four years.  Allen said Samuel has had a neurofibroma growing slowly since he was a small baby.  If he had had it operated on right at the beginning, he would look perfectly fine now.  But because it was left for so long, it was too involved for the surgeons to do more than what they did - a very complicated procedure involving 2 surgeons working simultaneously.  They had 6 units of "blood" - i.e. crew members - on hold for him because they anticipated so much bleeding.  Originally, they thought it would take all day, and that  he would need to remain ventilated overnight.  In the end, it went very well and he only needed 2 units of blood and was back in the ICU by about 2 p.m., and off the ventilator about half an hour later.  One of the nurses told us it was so wonderful to see the relationships he has built with the other patients and with the crew.  Apparently, he had to sit by himself in a corner at school because the other children were scared of him.  His transformation is remarkable from what he looked like pre-op.  Unfortunately, we thought he was a burn patient still waiting for surgery.  We didn't realize that this is all that can be done for now.  In a few years time, when Samuel is done growing and it is determined his neurofibroma is not coming back, he may be able to have more reconstructive surgery . . . if the ship is in Sierra Leone or he is able to travel to a nearby country where the ship is docked.  It is important is to remember what Samuel's name means, "God hears."  May He hear our prayers for this little boy . . . that man would not look at his outward appearance, but at his heart.  Margo

Samuel pre-op

Samuel working on an art project with me

Samuel's on the left

Asking me for another art project!