Persevering and Prayer

First, I must tell you that this didn’t get posted sooner because of some events that curtailed my blogging for a few days. However, I want to post a little out of sequence to make sure prayer partners know what has been happening.

Here is what the Silverbergs wrote:

Dear Praying Family,
 
Thank you again for your Love and prayers on our behalf.
 
Jonah was taken off the ventilator last night. He couldn’t breathe on his own. He was put back on the ventilator. Please pray for him to be able to breathe on his own soon. We disagree w/ the decision to pull out his breathing tube so soon after a major surgery.
We wish the doctors didn’t do this. Taking out the tube and the putting back in was very stressful for Jonah. We think this will set back the recovery.
Jonah also has an infection in the stomach wound. Any infection for this little baby is extremely dangerous. Please keep praying for Jonah.
 
Naomi Rider, our friend and helper form Indian Lake NY will be leaving early Wed. morning. She has been a huge blessing.
Val is very concerned w/ leaving Jonah all alone every nite. We have someone we can pay a few times a week, for a little while.
 
Please pray for me. I have been in massive pain. I believe it is from not being able to do my rehab exercises even once a week.
Also sleep deprivation and being on my feet for so many hours every day these past 8 weeks.
 
Val was kind to allow me to do a quick 1 1/2 hour rehab session in the makeshift gym I set up in the basement. I usually hurt pretty bad afterward. However, I followed the workout w/ 1 1/2 hours of snow shoveling today. I did the sidewalk, the driveway, dug out our vehicles, the sidesteps for the dogs, then redug out the vehicles from ice that the plows plowed them in with, twice. Also, the neighbors put 4 foot of snow in front of my car, which must move for alternate side tomorrow, so I had to long toss that. I hurt. I believe Jonah hurts a lot worse.
Thanks so much for your prayers.
 
Jonah will be 8 weeks old on the 22nd.
 
In Christ’s Love,
Marty for Val

Looking for Breath

I just received another update on Baby Jonah Silverberg, who is the critically ill infant (less than 2 months old) son of missionaries in the Bronx. Jonah is STILL having difficulty breathing so they will be doing a procedure today.

Here is the update:

Dear Praying Family,

Thank you again for your prayers, they mean so very much to us.

Today, Jonah is supposed to undergo a procedure. He will have a catheter inserted into a vein in his leg and a camera will go up to look inside his heart.

The Doctors find nothing wrong with Jonah’s lungs, therefore they think something may be wrong in the heart. They are looking for a cause as to why Jonah cannot breathe on his own.

We are grateful to the Lord for your prayers and support.

In Christ’s Love,

Marty

Prayer & Encouragement Needed Here

Wow! I just received the update on Baby Jonah Silverburg’s

Big Hug - c C.Schultz

exploratory surgery of yesterday. Remember, this little baby is only 52 days old!  I was shocked to hear of all the findings, but relieved that they were able to address specific needs with immediate surgical intervention.

Here is what the Silverbergs wrote:

Dear Praying Family,

Jonah is recovering from his surgery yesterday.

Two sections of his large intestine had to be removed.

These sections had been destroyed because of oxygen

depletion probably during the last episode of cardiac arrest.

The intestine was resectioned.

Also, his appendix was removed as it had attached to the large intestine at a wrong location.

Also, the small intestine had become attached to the liver, and it was separated.

The Liver is in the wrong place, as are his intestines.

The spleen was searched for, and it indeed is missing. This means Jonah will be on antibiotics for the rest of his life.

Thank you for your continued prayers.

In Christ’s Love,

Marty for Val

As I read the above news I could not help but recall Psalm 139:14 that says,

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

As mixed-up as this little boys insides would appear to us in relation to what should be where and how it should function … Jonah has been knit together in this unique way. God knows it all!  Despite what seems like impossible odds of living with such variations to his body, little Jonah is being a living testimony to what God can do in even the darkest-appearing circumstances.

It never ceases to amaze me; our Sovereign God chooses to use the weak and frail things to show His greatest glory. Surely, little Jonah, and his missionary family with their own challenges are being used greatly!

Especially with the abundance of discoveries made in this last surgery, I am praising God for His provision of good surgeons and hospital care for little Jonah. God has placed him in a hospital where these specific needs can be addressed. Do you know how amazing that alone is? However, this also shows a great deal of struggle in the future for this family who is already so worn down. May God’s love and peace flood their spirit. We pray not because we intend to “change God’s mind,” but as we love our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ, we hurt when they hurt and we rejoice when they rejoice. We are called as a loving body to uphold one another in Christian love, and how it pleases God that we prayer for one another.

It would mean a lot to them if you could leave them some encouragement. Even to just let them know that you are praying for them. Please leave a comment below and I will make sure it’s attached for them. Rather than flood their email, I will attach it to the posts.

Exploring for Answers

There has been an important change regarding Baby Jonah’s surgery today. His operation is going to be much more invasive as the surgeons are going to explore his insides to assess his organs while also getting a method established for his food to stay down.

Here is the note from the Silverbergs:

Thu, 17 Feb 2011
Dear Praying Family,
The situation has changed. Jonah will be having exploratory surgery today. They will open up the stomach area to see what is causing the problem as he cannot eat and keep the food down. They will look for constrictions and obstructions. They will look to see where his liver is and search again for his spleen.If all goes well, they will insert a feeding tube in his stomach.That means an opening in the abdomen and in the stomach. We are very concerned for bleeding, infection, and overall stress. Please pray that he will not have another cardiac arrest. This is a lot for this little baby. Jonah is 51 days old today. We are all not doing that well.  Thank you for your prayers.
In Christ’s Love,
Marty for Val

This poor baby; His tiny little body has already been through so much. Let us pray that this surgery will yield a better undrstanding of his needs as well as be successful in establishing a good method of nourishment. May the stress of the surgery & risk of infection be kept from impacting his recovery, all to God’s glory!

This dear family; they’ve had there heart’s torn as they watch their baby suffer such major trials. Torn between their children at home who want their baby brother home and well. The uncertainties of what will be discovered by today’s operation probably weighs very heavily on them right now!

So I ask you to join me in entering into this situation through prayer. That there is great hope beyond the trials. That we together may enter into the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings as brothers and sisters who are drawn more intimately into relationship with our Lord and Savior and His Body. Knowing that James 1:12 is true; there is a crown set aside in the future for those who endure.

Finally, may the peace that surpasses all we can even ask for be upon this dear family as we surround them with our prayers with the heart of God.

Feeding Tube Move

I just received this update from the Silverbergs regarding Baby Jonah who remains in critical care.

Dear Praying Family,

Jonah will be undergoing a procedure tomorrow [Feb. 17] to insert a feeding tube into his intestine and remove the tube from his stomach.

Doctors believe this may help w/ breathing problem.

Thank you again for your continued prayers.

In Christ’s Love,

Marty for Val

Needing to Breathe

Hello friends, I just received word from the Silverburgs that baby Jonah is having difficulties breathing. Here is their update:

Dear Praying Family,   Thank you again so very much for your faithful prayers on this long and difficult journey.  Jonah could not breathe sufficiently on his own yesterday, so he was not taken off the ventilator. When it was turned off, his CO2 levels rose significantly, so he was left on the machine. He was also throwing up. There is now some question as to whether he will ever be able to breathe on his own.Talk of a tracheotomy as well. Please pray that he will be able to breathe without the aid of a machine.Overall, we are thankful he is alive. We hope and pray for things to get easier for him soon. Thank you again.

In Christ’s love,
Marty for Val

I am praying that this little fellows lungs will grow strong enough to get off of the machine for good and that his vomiting subsides quickly. The longer he is tied to the machine, the harder it will be to wean him off of it.

Also, I am praying for Baby Jonah’s family… they have been on this long roller-coaster of ups and downs, the siblings and the parents having to be separated from him in these early weeks of his life is a great burden on them all.

It would be especially beneficial if you would take a moment and “comment” encouragement to them. We are the Body of Christ and called to love one another. If there is a word that you feel lead to give them, this would be a good place to do so.

For me… I tend to draw my strength from music and especially Christian music. And as a visual artist I also think in pictures. Right now, Dear Marty and Val… I visualize little Baby Jonah being held close by Jesus  and you with Him at his side singing “Jesus, Jesus, Lord to me; Master, Savior, Prince of Peace; Ruler of my heart today, Jesus Lord to Me”. . .” and “Draw Me Close to You; never let me go…”. These two songs are some of my favorite to sing like a lullaby while rocking with a baby.

Although I wouldn’t wish such heartache through these trials, I do know that God is there with all of you. I just pray that you are comforted by His presence.

God is the Air that I breathe… and over the next few days, as I draw my breaths, I will be reminded to think of little Baby Jonah and ask God’s grace to show unto you.