Dear friends,
This just in from Brian in our Jerusalem office:
Brief Update on Majid Mahmud's Arrival to Israel, 6/7 Jan 2005 (Epiphany)
Twenty-seven year-old Majid from Iraq made it to the hospital in Tel Aviv, Israel about 1 AM Friday. Yesterday morning Majid's father (Rauf) spent five hours with the Jordanian secret police and then Majid, Rauf and Amy made the arduous journey from Amman across the Israeli border to the Tel Aviv hospital, a journey that proved to be 10 hours long. But Majid stayed warm with the help of blankets and Amy's care.
Rauf was thrilled to see a familiar face waiting for him in Israel: he joyously showered kisses on Brian [who first met Majid on a trip to Iraq last year]. At the hospital in Tel Aviv, we were welcomed with outstretched arms and a Middle-Eastern type of hospitality: eat, eat, eat and do you want some more tea? :-) At first Majid’s roommate was an orthodox Jewish woman from the Habad (Lubavitcher) movement. She was very curious about what we were doing and had a long conversation with us. Later she moved so Majid could have a private room, and left us with her blessing and wishing the best for Majid and for us. We then had a "midnight snack" while one of the two Arabic-speaking nurses asked us questions concerning Majid's condition and history.
This morning Dr. Yaron checked Majid briefly but reported that only on Sunday would they give him a full echocardiogram. In the meantime he is stable and warm. Majid will be likely hospitalized for weeks on end, but we are thankful for there are at least three Arabic speaking staff in the "Heart Operations" ward.
Majid is by nature cheerful although he seems a bit nervous about the
upcoming surgery. We prayed with him briefly and the nurse said after
watching this prayerful time in English and Hebrew that it warms the heart
see what we are doing.
All of this coordination and transportation was done while Phil Berg was also coordinating/transporting a child from Gaza to the airport to fly to Germany for heart surgery. These simultaneous "hospital runs" were only made possible at the last minute with two loaned cars by fellow Christians, since our van was stolen about six weeks ago. Thanks be to God for his provision.
