Pray for Moussa

There are many images and experiences that I will never forget from my first trip to Mali, but one of the kids that touched me the most while I was there was Moussa.

His smile, the Goodwill pinstripe suit, the way he enjoyed learning how to juggle, his joy in the midst of poverty....I will not soon forget those memories and I am sure that God will continue to speak to me through children like Moussa.

He was diagnosed with a kidney tumor (Wilms tumor) shortly before I arrived in Koutiala in August 2011.  His tumor was so large in the beginning that it could not entirely be removed.  He received standard chemotherapy, but was not able to have radiation therapy (none available in the entire country) that would be standard in the US.  The tumor in his belly recently came back and the doctors at the hospital quickly realized that providing more treatment would not improve his chances of survival and would only cause more suffering.  He is now back at the hospital where he is receiving comfort care and is surrounded by the staff  who do such a great job reflecting the love of Jesus to all who walk through the doors of Koutiala Hospital.

This is Moussa now... still smiling, but now wasted by continued growth of the tumor and the fact that he is no longer able to eat.  The staff at Koutiala Hospital will keep him comfortable and surround him with love in these last days or weeks of his life.  But even more than this, they will show him the love of Jesus with the ultimate power over death.

If you have time over the next several days, pray for Moussa.  Pray that he will remain comfortable, that he will feel God's love, and that he will know that a home free from suffering has already been prepared for him.