A Jon Post
In April, last year, I got a phone call from the doctor who leads up the Social Services department of the hospital. We had spent years submitting papers, meeting with hospital doctors/leaders/administrators. We wanted to do it right, we wanted to wait for timing and favor to come together so that we could know, know, that it was ready. Last year in April my phone rang. It was a short conversation, by I hung up with a shaking hand. The director of the largest hospital in the country had approved us to partner with the Oncology ward at his hospital and house some of his patients. We called this fledgling project, Casa Ahavá.
It’s been a little over a year since our first patient came to stay with us. We’ve had 7 more since. Each has stayed at least 3 months, some up to 6. Each has become an intimate part of our family for the short time they are here.
Zacarias
Eliza
Tomás
Filomena
Anita
Inês
Pedro
Rosa
And more to come.
I was looking back over our blog and wanted to share something with you… mostly just a bunch of names. I’ve listed these names once or twice before but I wanted to give some scope to what we feel God gave us to do. We arrived here and felt God stir our hearts to minister in this way back in 2009. It’s been almost 5 years since that time and we’ve chronicled a lot of stories we’ve been privileged to know. Most of them are filled with pain. Most, but not all, ended in death.
I know I’ve asked you to pray with us before and I’m asking again. My faith has been growing in regards to prayer recently and I know I don’t do it enough. So I need help. Would you pray with me? Would you pray that we continue to be given the strength to serve?
Below is a list of names of people we’ve met and told a personal story about here on this blog. Don’t go reading all of them. But if you recognize one or two, would you open that story and read it again and pray. Pray that God gives what is needed to invite any future stories like it to share in the story of Casa Ahavá.
Pray with us please.
Thank you, Jon. Thank you, Layne. Re-reading these stories, remembering these amazing and unique men and women, little boys and little girls, … they remind us of the things that are important, … the Matthew 25 things. I cannot read of your friends without picturing the face of Jesus very, very close to them. Very close. Right there.
I am envious of the God-depth, the God-life in your vocation.
And, yes, of course I am praying with you for the loved ones left behind by your friends who have died, and for the ones you currently host at Casa Ahava.
May they recognize the ahava-love in what Jesus does through you.
I see God showering you and your family and touch lives there and here. The Lord gives us all one or many gifts we can share helping others. Yes it is a list of names but once you learn a little about them then the face or name has a story. Going through D day yesterday, the stories gave us in site.
Wow Jon, thanks for taking us down memory lane w/ you guys. So many ..so many precious each one… some we were blessed to meet, all we were asked to pray for, all made a mark on our lives by theirs. May God surely STRENGTHEN you both for continued service for His Kingdom, Amen.