Anticipating Jonathan’s surgery on October 21!
By Naomi Corera, September 29, 2015
I first met three year old Jonathan while handing out balloons at the Children’s Home (for children with disabilities) run by the Good Samaritan Sisters in Kampala, Uganda. The large tumor draped around his neck caught my eye and so I inquired from Sr. Josephine about Jonathan. She told me that they had just been informed by the doctors in Uganda that they were too afraid to operate the large tumor, fearing for his life. Hence, Jonathan and his parents were to return back to the village the next day without having received surgery to remove the tumor. I felt very sad upon hearing the story and so I brought back with me all the x-rays and reports that Sister had with her from the doctors in Uganda.
Back in the U.S., I showed the x-rays to my two friends, one a radiologist and another an ENT surgeon. Both agreed that it looked like a benign tumor that could easily be removed before it continued to grow even larger. So with their help, we made a formal request to the U of M Hospital to use the facilities free of charge for Jonathan’s surgery. After a couple of months of waiting in anticipation, we received the good news that from among many other requests to UMHS Children’s Hospital, Jonathan’s request was the one granted. Praise God for that! It truly was a miracle!
Now, my next challenge was finding the funds for three airplane tickets: one for Jonathan, one for his mother, and one for Sister Josephine. That too was taken care of by the Blessed Mother and Mother Teresa, with whom we prayed and received such a generous gift from a family to pay for the tickets. Trusting in God’s providence, all our needs are met.
So now we excitedly await Jonathan’s arrival in Michigan, together with his mother and Sister Josephine, on Thursday, October 8. Many friends have offered to keep the family and others have given us invitations for supper! We continue to pray for his surgery on Wednesday, October 21, and his full recovery afterwards!
Thank you Lord for your Marvelous deeds!
