Pray for Bill

This is Bill. Bill is meek and shy and he's just a super good kid. Last year, he started complaining of "bone pain." We asked alot of questions, trying to better understand what exactly he meant. But Bill was in serious pain from time to time. One day, I showed up at his orphanage and he was in tears--he was in alot of pain and he couldn't move his arms. Without knowing what else to do, I loaded him in the truck and took him to the hospital. He silently cried the whole ride there, and was released that night without any kind of diagnosis.

Deb and Elena, who are currently in Liberia, told us this past week that Bill has been diagnosed with sickle cell disease. As soon as I heard the news, my mind went back to that afternoon that I took him to the hospital--making guests ride in the bed of the truck through the worst downpour of rainy season, but all to get a child in extreme pain to the hospital. My heart broke.

I don't know too much about the disease, but know that living with it in Liberia is going to make life very difficult for Bill. Standard treatments available in the first-world will not be an option and poor healthcare make the possibility of serious complications scary.

I'm asking you to pray for Bill. Pray that the pain would subside. Pray for healing and comfort. Pray that treatments would be made available, and the there would be no complications. Pray for patience and endurance and perseverance--living in an orphanage in Liberia with any disease has to be difficult. Pray for wisdom for doctors and for us, as decisions are made regarding treatment. Lift Bill up to the throne and pray for healing!