Heavy Hearts

Melvin on his 4th Birthday, Feb. 24th. Standing beside him is his big brother, Kevin.

4 year old Melvin from the Children's Home has been sick for about a month, and finally received a diagnosis on Tuesday. Though our hearts are heavy with the news, we're thankful for answers and remain hopeful that the Lord will heal him completely. Please read the letter below written by the Director of NLCH explaining what we know currently about Melvin's situation, and please keep this sweet little one in your prayers.

Dear Friends,

We are sending out this message as an S.O.S. for prayer. Our four year old Melvin has been sick for about a month and in the hospital for 2 weeks. They couldn't find the reason for his fever and pain. However today, after a second bone marrow aspiration, he has been diagnosed with leukemia. The doctor says that it is very treatable, so we think that it is acute lymphocytic leukemia. He will be transferred soon to the cancer hospital.

His home mother, Bety, has been at his bedside this whole time except for a couple of nights and brief spells during the afternoons. They only have a plastic chair beside Melvin's bed, so Bety is exhausted as well as emotionally drained. We have some of our oldest girls who have spelled her each day for a few hours. The government hospital where he has been is very primitive in comparison to what we are used to, but we have had to pay very little for all the testing they have done, so we are thankful.

We don't know exactly what is coming next, but we know that this is going to be a long road. We are trusting the Lord that Melvin will recover, but it all feels pretty overwhelming right now, as you can imagine. Bety is the home mother for the older girl house with 10 girls. She also has taken on the task of caring for Melvin's baby brother, Angel David, who was born in December. Bety has no children of her own, but she has a true mother's heart for these kids. We will need extra help to cover for her during this difficult time, and there is no extra in our budget.

Thank you for your prayers and support. It encourages our hearts to have so many standing in the gap with us. We will keep you apprised as we find out more of what is in store.

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Estamos pidiendo oración: Nuestro precioso Melvin, con 4 años, fue diagnosticado ayer con leucemia. Ha estado enfermo por un mes y en el hospital por 2 semanas.... Va a ser un camino largo, pero estamos aferrados a la mano del Señor.

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If you wish to make a donation to help cover the expenses of Melvin's treatment, you can send a check marked for Melvin's Medical Expenses to NLAI P.O. Box 35857, Houston, TX 77235-5857. Thanks for your prayers and support of this precious little one

Melvin with Bety's husband at the hospital.