Elijah Update (July 31)

For new readers to this blog, the following update is about a strong and brave little guy named Elijah, born February 6, 2007. His mom and I worked together at Rift Valley Academy in 1996-1999. Elijah has Hemophilia B, but more importantly, he has a worldwide prayer support team! Since my initial post about Elijah and his mom's initial update the very next day, posting updates from Elijah's parents on this blog is a small way I can give support from far away and generate much-needed prayer for Elijah's continued growth and healing. So please, join the praying!


Dear Elijah Warriors,

We wanted to start out our email to you with a reminder. Just three months ago our doctors were up against a wall. Just three months ago we were in the midst of a battle for Elijah's life. Last week Elijah went to see his Pediatric Surgeon, the one who was very worried and sad just three months ago. At first he cried when he heard her voice, but once he realized she was not going to do anything, he listened intently to her instructions and smiled. We are excited to start weaning Elijah off of his meds and his special formula. We have a three week plan, and so far Elijah is handling it well. Peas and green beans have been attempted, and I think that green beans must be better. :) Rejoice with us in the improvement in Elijah and his wonderful doctors visits.

Every night we line up all of his medicines for the night, make his formula with all the additions and get things in order for the night and next day. Pray with us that Elijah is able to come off of all these meds and special formula creations.

We are so sorry that we've taken so long to get back with everyone. We've had many people write us in "Elijah Withdrawal" wondering what is happening in his life. Our time at home has been great. He continues to get stronger and build up his muscle control. He is eating very well and gaining weight. Our neurosurgeon was very happy with the way Elijah's brain hemorrhage is healing and does not need to see him again for several months.

On the 4th of July when others were celebrating the freedoms we have in our nation, Joel and I were learning how to give Elijah his infusions. A nurse came to Ness City from the company we get our Factor IX from, and she gave us our lessons. We practiced on her and then practiced on each other. She kept telling us that we're going to be great giving Elijah his infusions. Confidence! That is exactly what we need! We felt 100% better after the meeting with her and our County Health Nurse. God keeps putting people into our path who share our faith and know the only way to explain Elijah being alive is the Power of God. What a blessing.

Judy's mom, dad, sister, niece and nephew drove all the way from the east coast to spend some time with us. Elijah had so much fun laughing and smiling at his cousins and his Mimi and Pop-Pop. It was a great week, but it went by too quickly for us. We also had visits from one of Judy's dorm girls and her family and some RVA staff members, Steve and Nancy Peiffer and family. Steve said that back in March when we asked for people to pray that God would take Elijah quickly and without much pain, he felt he could not pray that for us. He prayed that God would allow him to meet Elijah one day. There were tears as they looked at him and realized this was an answer to that prayer. They got to see Elijah.

During our journey there have been times that we have wanted to "get out". We no longer wanted to be a part of this "story". It has been wearing, tiring and just plain overwhelming. And we didn't know why God wasn't more visible to us.

Once again I'm reminded of a portion of CS Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian. The four children (Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy) have been called back to Narnia They've been traveling all day finding their own path, and they are just worn out. They don’t know how to get where they are going, they don’t know what they will find when they get there and they don’t understand why Aslan hasn’t appeared yet. At this point of the story only Lucy has seen Aslan, and the others don’t believe her. Finally Susan is the last to see Aslan, and this is where we pick up the story.

“Lucy,” said Susan in a very small voice.
“Yes!” said Lucy.
“I see him how. I’m sorry.”
“That’s all right.”
“But I’ve been far worse than you know. I really believed it was him – he, I mean – yesterday. When he warned us not to go down to the fir wood. And I really believed it was him tonight, when you woke us up. I mean, deep down inside. Or I could have, if I’d let myself. But I just wanted to get out of the woods and – Oh, I don’t know. And what ever am I going to say to him?”

Judy and I wanted to be out of the “woods” so badly, and we wanted to see God, not just believe He was present. But you know what? God was present. He was with Judy, Elijah and me all the way during this six month journey. Even people who weren’t interested in looking for God were able to see His hand in Elijah’s life.

When the children were willing to follow Lucy and Aslan (who they couldn’t see), Aslan led the children to safety. When we, Judy and I and everyone else reading this e-mail, are willing to follow God, He will lead us through our journey in life. We don’t know where He will lead us and we aren’t assured that the journey will be easy, but we know He is with us, and at the end of the journey we will still be with God.

We are so thankful that God is allowing us to continue our journey with Elijah. We pray that the journey will be a long one, and we pray that the rest of the journey will be easier than the last six months have been. But with God leading, we will accept whatever He leads us through. And we pray that God will give us the strength to accept everything with thanksgiving and joy.

In Christ,
Joel, Judy and Elijah