Thanks for your continued prayers for Rachida. I heard more news today, though when I tried to call and talk to Rachida’s mom, grandma, or great-aunt, I wasn’t able to get through to any of them. But I heard that it looks like the cancer has metastasized to her brain and she is in pain. Her mom has been in tears since the visit to the eye doctor recently (maybe on Saturday?). Pray for grace and also for the Body of Christ to surround them with love at this hard point. And that somehow, in the brokenness and pain, Jesus can still be making Himself known to a family who hasn’t chosen Him yet.
I’m not a doctor by any stretch of the imagination, but the missionary doctor we’ve been working with said that Fadel, the last child she walked through this journey of hereditary retinoblastoma with, had less than a month left when things took a dramatic turn for the worse like this. If I remember correctly from that time, it was actually more like two weeks or so.
I don’t have answers, but I know that we serve a God Who knows what He’s doing even if we don’t understand. Thanks for praying as you feel led.
(The picture is from February, the last time I saw Rachida. Rachida and I are joined by her mom in the yellow shirt and her grandma in the white shirt.)
May our gracious LORD take this time of suffering to reveal Himself to them in His love and kindness with His nearness, giving them strength and courage to face each day as His special gift to them. May their hearts be opened to embrace His love and wisdom though they don’t understand it all right now. May this trial serve to draw many to Him as they see His love at work through his Body on earth. May His Spirit fill and stir their hearts to prove His love and presence as they learn to serve unselfishly led by His Spirit of truth and love. May He graciously work a miracle amongst them and reveal His awesome power to heal, to forgive, to renew and to draw all men unto Himself.
So sorry Susie to hear of this news. We were definitely praying for a different outcome as well, but as you said, “He knows what He’s doing” and on that truth we can depend. We will continue to hold the family up and that this might be used in some way to bring the family to Christ!
O Lord, we know that this little one will be with You either here or There at Your time! please heal her and her family with Your presence. We don’t want her to suffer and we want them to trust in You. We pray for Your best for all of them.
I’m so sorry to read this. I will certainly keep Rachida and her mom in my prayers. And you too….may God’s love be evident to them in ways we can’t even understand.
Lord Jesus we are crying out to you now to take the pain from this sweet child. She has suffered so much.
Praying for this sweet family Susie, and for you as I know she had a sweet place in your heart.