Please Pray!!

When we went to South Africa in 2008, Tim and Angie Sliedrecht, who are missionaries in Uganda, stayed in our house. You might remember I had posted about their nephew Luka when he was having major health issues. Now it is Tim who needs our prayers. He has an infection that started from a thorn that stuck him in the elbow. He and Angie are currently in Kenya and the doctors there are having a hard time figuring out what is wrong with Tim. Here is a recent post that Mandy Shaarda (Angie's sister/Luka's mom) wrote:

Hi everyone, I just wanted to update all of you about Tim. (For some of you this is the first email I have included you in so if you want to read the old ones they are on the blog - address below.) I am so thankful so many people are praying because things have not gotten better. I talked to Luka's doctor on Tuesday about Tim's condition and he immedately said he had to come to Kenya and preceeded to call the doctor he needed and told him to prepare for his arrival. Tim, Angie, Zulea, and Jennifer (our team mate who is a nurse) all flew to Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday after a very frustrating and disappointing experience at a Kampala Hospital. Tim's infection has moved to his knee and he cannot walk well (or at all at times) so we arranged for a wheelchair, got the tickets (thanks to another missionaries help), parked their van at another missionary, got them what they needed...and got them out of here - actually they just caught their plane in time! We are so thankful they are in Kenya and under better care. The doctor met them at the ER door. Since then a team of doctor has been working on Tim and can not figure out what is wrong. The blood work has come back with an infection but not too bad, yet Tim continues to not feel well then does better, then worse, then better... They are now waiting for an MRI which didn't happen yesterday - rrrr! We are praying it shows what is wrong. The doctors told Angie it is a puzzle and they need to put all the pieces together before they will know what they are deal with.

Wow, it has now been a week and a half of dealing with this infection and I think everyone especially those in Kenya are really tired and stressed and emotionally drained and confussed and worried and... We all simply can't believe this is happening to our team again. We are holding on to God. Is this an attack from the evil one or a refining fire from our Lord? How good it is to look back at God's hand of love and healing with Luka and know that same hand is on Tim and Angie.

A couple other things. Luka's urine is completely normal! He is healed! Thank you Lord! His doctor would like his urine tested again in three months from Kampala and would like to see him again around June. Thanks for all your prayers. Also, Josh's parents arrived! We are so happy to have them here (feel bad it is a bit crazy with everything with Tim and Angie but what can you do). We are also caring for Avalien and Moses for a couple days too. I just pray they feel God's peace with all that is happening. Our team is also expecting the arrival of new team members on Monday. With Tim and Angie gone and with us having Josh's parents we need to make some adjustments and new plans. Please pray for all of us through this difficult time. But above all pray for the doctors to figure out what Tim has and for his healing.

If you would like to read more about what's been going on, I have a link to Mandy's blog on the right side of my blog (Shaarda News) and a link to Angie's blog as well (Beyond News). Please be praying for healing for Tim, peace and rest for the whole family and wisdom for the doctors.