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Author: Layne

New Patients at Casa Ahavá

A Layne Post

Casa Ahavá currently has two patients – Anita and Inês. Just typing their names and thinking about them gives me a warm feeling in my heart. I am really enjoying these two ladies. So here is a little about them:

Anita is the Mama of 4 girls. She is very active in a Baptist church in Beira, Mozambique. She loves the Lord and the members of her church with a passion. Sometimes when I knock on her door to give her some news or information about doctor appointments, I find her sitting on the floor reading her Bible. Back home she worked for a day-care/preschool at her church and had begun learning sign language to work with deaf students. Lord willing she regains her health, she would like to continue studying sign and have the ability to teach others. She is wonderful with my girls! I love hearing her call them into her kitchen and my girls run in and out giggling. Anita is extremely responsible and independent, an absolute joy to have here at our home. She is currently at the hospital receiving a Chemo treatment and then, so long as her tests come out clean, she only has one more chemo course next month before returning to her family.

Inês is a great-grandma! You would not believe it seeing her because she is so lovely and still strong and lively. Her family is her pride and joy. She loves to talk about them, and I am often confused as she tells of so many members – I get lost! As soon as she arrived at our house, she took Karasi out of my arms and placed her on her hip. Karasi was at ease with this well experienced avó (grandma). She speaks Portuguese, but definitely as a second language so I feel like we are often losing some things in translation, both ways! But she is gracious and has an awesome smile and laugh that just makes it all okay. Her family has a large dog at home, so she surprised me when she had no fear of Gasher. I often see her roll her eyes at his annoying ways and pat his head. Because she has only been here a week, we are still getting to know her, but she is already well loved. She should start her second of six rounds of Chemo next week.

Our family had the most wonderful time camping. It was refreshing and rejuvenating, making us well prepared and ready for this new season and community at Casa Ahavá. Jon’s weeks have been full of early mornings and lots of time in traffic to and from the hospital. The staff have been so helpful in our partnership, and we continue to stand in awe of the Lord’s favor He grants to us as doctors and nurses shift schedules and fit our patients in, making appointments happen.

On my drive home from the hospital yesterday I was reflecting on my girls and their adjustment to new people in their space. They don’t skip a beat. It is normal and natural for them to have new Tias and Tios come stay in the rooms at the back of our house and to play in the afternoons. I am so grateful they get to grow up this way. My heart just melts when I hear Anaya tell me her stuffed duck Katy is a little sick and at the hospital, but that she is going to go visit her and make her smile. May the Lord have my sweet girls’ hearts and may He always mend them when they break on His behalf – loving the sick and dying alongside their Mama and Dada.

Family
Sisters
Morning Smile
Nature Walk
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Going on a Date
Love Under Water

March 27, 2014
Around the house, Casa Ahava
5 comments

Update on Zakarias

A Layne Post

I’ve wondered what to say. I keep thinking, “I’ll write after his doctor’s appointment.” Now that doctor’s appointment has moved two times, thanks to Dr. travels, and I have decided to delay no longer. It is time for an update!

Papa Zakarias, his wife Theresa, and his 2 year old daughter Maria have been living with us for a month now. He has 4 other children at home, 14 years old and younger, whom his mother-in-law and sister-in-law are caring for as the children continue their school studies.

Before he came, we communicated multiple times with Papa Zakarias about expectations for why he would come back to Casa Ahavá. We understood and he indicated that he understood that he was coming for hospice care and that the hospital could only provide pain management, something that is not offered in Beira, the city where he lives.

The first week he was here we had lots of conversations about the future to make sure we were all on the same page. Turns out we weren’t. Papa Zakarias hopes that chemo treatment would be beneficial and wants to ask an oncologist again if that is possible. Jon has had personal conversations with 3 oncologists at the hospital who have all indicated that chemotherapy could no longer help him but Zakarias wants to hear it for himself.

This change in his outlook did take Jon and I by surprise and we have had to make a bit of a mental shift to know how to best support and love him. A decision about treatment is not something Jon and I have control over. Jon helped Papa Zakarias make an appointment with one of oncologists at the hospital and hopefully on Monday he will have a meeting with him. If he does not begin treatment, as of now, we believe he will return home to be with the rest of his children. If the oncologist believes it beneficial, he would stay here during treatment. Theresa and Maria would stay during the first few cycles to see how he managed.

If the oncologist reconfirms that chemotherapy is not an option, before going home, they have a few decisions to make – if his wife will have the time, strength and resources to care for him in their home as his health deteriorates and if he will be able to manage his pain with only Tylenol. Hard decisions! Pray for them!

We are sure that his time here with us has not been in vain. We have been trying to help him get his affairs in order before his time comes. Papa Zakarias is a veteran of Mozambique’s War for Independence and he has access to some monthly income and benefits (ex: transport and medical discounts and free school fees for his children). He also qualifies for a monthly income for his age and years of work. He and Jon have been down at government offices filling out the proper paperwork making sure everything will continue to go to his wife and children.

We also continue to address their spiritual health. I want so badly for them to know and understand the Lord’s deep love for them and the sacrifice that was made on their behalf. Pray with us. I keep praying that the Lord would use dreams and visions and meet Papa Zakarias right where he is – in such a bold manner it would be undeniable. It is our desire for Papa Zakarias that he would come to the end of his life full of peace and full of hope for the next life.

How is his current health?

He is weak. He is unable to eat much. If he walks around and does too much in a day, his whole body feels the consequences with aches and exhaustion. He has had a secondary infection that he is treating now. He struggles a lot at night, unable to sleep and sometimes experiences body tremors. The tumor on his liver is growing and protruding, causes great pain and discomfort.

Pray with us that we would love him and his family well.

February 16, 2014
Casa Ahava
6 comments

Come Meet Eliza

A Layne Post

I knew Eliza a long time. She had a big personality, one you could not miss. She was full of faith and had a love for God’s word, despite the fact she was unable to read. All day long you could catch her singing songs to her Lord. She was a prayer. When she felt pain, her response was to cry out to God. One weekend Jon was quite sick and I remember her knocking on the door, walking into the living and passionately praying to the Lord for his healing.

She loved her family. She spoke with her mother and sister daily. Her daughter, son, and grandchildren were her pride and joy. It was difficult for her to spend so much time away from them. We were honored to have her come and stay with us, to become a Grandma around here.

She loved to cook and thought her cooking was some of the best in the country – no one else could get it quite right. She had all the tricks to the perfect this or that. She served people through her cooking – Jon and I as well.

When Jon traveled, she would come in to play with the girls, feed Jovie, and just sit with me. She helped teach Jovie to walk and patiently chatted with Anaya, even when Anaya would only speak of Katy Duck (her stuffed animal).

Eliza knew she didn’t have long. She was confident in her Savior, and last week she was redeemed, saved from this life with all its sorrows and pain, and she is living in freedom with Him.

We interviewed Eliza and asked a few questions about her family and her sickness. This was to send to her family on a DVD so that they could see her talking about them and about her life while she still had strength and life. She gave us permission to share it here as well. We hope you have the time to honor her and remember her by watching this video.

December 15, 2013
Casa Ahava
2 comments

A Thrill of Hope

a thrill of hope

Thanks Tara Craver for sharing

We are home. The trip was long and our girls are still not recovered – struggling with night and morning coughs and jet lag. I keep asking Jon to reassure me that it will get better… and it will, though it seems like it is dragging. I caught the bug before leaving the States and was determined to get home and get our house ready for Christmas. So before all of our bags were unpacked and laundry was done the tree, garland, and lights went up. This year I am enjoying a little Advent calendar with the girls, and while they may not understand it all, perhaps little bits and pieces will stick.

On Thanksgiving day we received a heavy email with a health update from our dear Eliza. She left for South Africa to start radiation the day we went on furlough to the States. The treatment has not gone well. Her throat has swollen and she is unable to eat food. She has stopped talking and can only use gestures to communicate. Her brother came by our home a couple of days ago to ask for help to get her home. We are so very blessed by our supporters in that the financial side of that is not a problem – Thank you! What we need from you is prayer. Pray that Eliza, who is currently on breathing tubes, will improve and stabilize enough to get on an airplane and make it back to Mozambique, her home country, where  she can be around family and those that love her.

Yesterday we were able to make our first visit back to Oncology! We wanted to arrive as a family and introduce ourselves to all the new patients. Our girls are such a blessing there. It was fun to watch our Karasi being toted around, chill as could be. Anaya is becoming more and more comfortable, and we are able to talk with her more about our “job” there. It is sweet when she suggests that we pray for people. We saw two patients that we knew and the rest were all new! Pray with us as we develop new relationships and ask the Lord to guide us in the selection of 4 new patients for Casa Ahavá.

This holiday season, surrounded and so very aware of this weary world, we feel the thrill of hope, and we rejoice! Christ our Savior has come.

December 9, 2013
Personal, Travel
5 comments

Partnerships and More – Layne’s Thoughts on Casa Ahavá

A Layne Post

Last weekend we hosted an afternoon get together with the Doctors of Oncology. All but one were in attendance, and the one that was unable to come had planned on it, but there was a family emergency. What a blessing to have their interest and partnership! We praise the Lord for His favor. It was a sweet time of them becoming better acquainted with Casa Ahavá, our vision, and our family.

 

Now that we’ve shared with you our growing vision for Casa Ahavá, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts and feelings about it all. (If you aren’t sure what I am talking about, check the previous post and the pdf included and the video.)

Thinking about the ability to offer a place of comfort and a feeling of home and community to more patients is exciting. Jon and I are consistently approached by patients eager to leave the hospital, wearied by months in the same bed and lack of visitors. With hope in their voices they ask about our project, and Jon and I have to tell them we are sorry but the space is currently filled, though we will keep them in mind if a space opens up. Then when space opens does up, we still have make hard decisions as to who to invite to our home. It is never easy. If we expand we still may not be able to accommodate all that have need, but I would still love to offer more.

I’ve been thinking about managing more patients, their appointments and medications. That seems a little overwhelming; it would require some good organization! We do well enough right now with four, but 10 would be a big increase. Often times their appointments and needs to be at the hospital would overlap so we could transport many patients there at once. That would be nice, but without doubt it would increase our trips back and forth from the hospital, which can feel taxing in the crazy traffic, especially during rush hour. Often it can be 45 minutes or more in the car just one way (More often than not, this is Jon’s responsibility as I stay home with the girls to get them out of bed and get the day started). When feeling well, the patients can take public transport, so that may have to happen a little more frequently depending on schedules.

Then there is thinking about our need for a bigger place and all that is involved with that. The money seems near impossible. Typing all the zeros in $500,000 just makes me want to give up. However, on the other hand, it is so big that I know if it happens it was an act of God alone. There is a certain peace in that. The idea of a bigger place comes with the work of moving and making a new place home with 3 babies, which sounds exhausting, and then maintaining that new bigger place – more work – more money. I really have to turn it all over to the Lord, trusting one step at a time. Deep in my soul, I am at complete peace – something only possible supernaturally.

Dreaming of space for a fitness/wellness room, a garden area, a learning room/library, and chapel area is all rather exciting. Sometimes I get sad seeing our patients with little to do during their time at our home. While rest and recuperation are important, too much down time can lead to too many negative thoughts and discouragement can settle in – I have seen it. Casa Ahavá needs improvement in this way.

Jon and I have talked multiple times about the Lord and His timing. Right now, we believe the Lord has called us to cast the vision. We are trying to be faithful in that – communicating clearly and to many. If you have questions, let us know! We are not sure when the Lord plans to bring the vision to fruition. It seems like good timing right before furlough to the States, but we’ll see what He is up to, won’t we?

Pray with us! Talk with us! Dream with us!

 

We are so thankful for our team, knowing we are alone as we venture out onto the water. Thank you!

August 25, 2013
Casa Ahava, Hospital Ministry
2 comments
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