PRAYER DESPERATELY NEEDED

Hey SI Family,

I am coming to you to request prayer on behalf of some very dear friends of mine who have a child in a desperate situation.

His name is Michael and he is 18 years old. From Missouri, USA.

He was doing ministry in Kenya with his grandparents over his summer vacation.

They are planting churches and feeding thousands as they have for many years.

Michael came down sick and was taken to the hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. He has been diagnosed as having malaria, typhoid, and septic salmonella. All three now confirmed diagnosis there. His fever has spiked to 105.9 tonight and he is non responsive to antibiotics at this point. They placed him in a room with 6 other people who are expected to die shortly.

His parents are trying to get there ASAP but his mother was ministering in another state so they are pulling things together as quickly as possible to get there and hopefully get him to the states. However, they are far less than confident that he will be alive in 2 days if things do not change.

Would you be willing to join in prayer for the following?

1. That Michael will be touched by God and totally healed physically.
2. It would be a tremendous testimony resulting in many coming to faith in Christ.
3. His mother and father as they are attempting to get to Nairobi. If you are a parent you can imagine the anguish they are in.

Thank you in advance for standing with this family that has done so much to further the kingdom of God and reach people with the Gospel of Christ.

Wow. How tragic. That just leaves a person stunned. I prayed. I would not be surprised however if this is another one of those Job situations...to test the faith of the parents....trial by fire. Please keep us updated on this situation! My condolences.

Praying!

Praying!

I have a friend (a medical student and the son of a former professor) who spent his summer ministering in Kenya too. If you email me Michael's full name, my friend might be able to meet up with him.

Am praying....

Thank you to those of you who were and are praying. A quick update from this morning

The malaria strain is falciparum malaria. The most lethal of the strains I am told.

His labs are stable or improved this morning. Blood pressure is improved w/ IV fluids now.The thyphoid and septic salmonella had caused great dehydration at the same time that extra hydration was needed to help fight the fever. Situation is some better this morning though. Fever is now a bit more under control however the extreme evening night spikes are common with the malaria.

Generally it is a good report with some improvement shown although they will keep him in ICU for now. The wonderful Kenyan doctor sat at the head of the bed for 5 hours fighting the fever with ice packs himself.

One additional area of prayer-

Favor with the state department. When they prepared to go the mother checked her passport. She had been in Europe and Africa within the last year. However, It was found that a few months back her passport expired! They are working in a way to overcome this but need prayer for favor with the state department. They have favor in Kenya. I understand that there is potentially a life lift prepared to bring him back to a German hospital if everything can be cleared.

Thanks again for the prayers for a wonderful family and great son that love the Lord and have been serving Him faithfully and selflessly for years.

If you are praying for them I want to express my deepest gratitude.

QUOTE: " The wonderful Kenyan doctor sat at the head of the bed for 5 hours fighting the fever with ice packs himself.=SOLOMON101

WOW. Now that is quality care! He would not get this quality of compassionate care in the USA! Nor in cold, cold Germany. Makes me wonder, WHY do they want to move him?? For more sophisticated equipment or medicine? Aren't African doctors far more knowledgable about malaria and the rest, having far more experience with it?

Anyway, wonderful news about the improvement. I hope it continues. Do they fear brain damage at all from the extremely high fever? I know that sustained fever of 103 or more can result in brain damage, so just wondering.

Solomon101,

Can you ask the doctor to check on papaya leaf? I've heard in the past of people being healed of malaria quickly and fever brought down using this. Much more effective than modern medicine. I just did a google of malaria and papaya leaf and there are information on it.

Will pray.

Thanks again to all who have prayed. Michael has turned the corner a bit and is making some progress!

They are concerned that in addition to the malaria, thyphoid, and salmonella he may ALSO have contacted hepatitis. Still doing tests for that. And pneumonia! I have never known of a person to be attacked by so many viruses and bacteria at once.

However, He has been making progress the last 18 hours and is awake and in good spirits. His grandmother sent the following information from Kenya this morning. It is also followed by a short post he typed himself. Thanks again to those praying!

His Grandmothers Post Follows Now -

"Thank you all for your prayers for Michael , our grand son/ one of the twins.
He is in High dependency unit like our ICU, in Nairobi hospital called Aga Khan Hospital (a Muslim Seikh hospital). He has been very ill since Sat. morning while playing his guitar and singing at an outrech in Masai land at a school. He was in two clinics before we rushed him to Nairobi. This is his 3rd type of Malaria and typhoid treatment. Just when we think he has beat it his fever comes up. Yesterday his fever was between 103 and 104 for 13 hours. From 11 am until 12 midnight. We bathed his body in cool wet rags for hours. His platlets are low, white count low, blood pressure low. Today he suddenly went gray with white lips and grabbed his heart. The Dr. said that the high fever was hard on his body. He has a sparkle in his eyes today he has not had. With piggy back IV's in both arms and all the wires he wanted to read his facebook and thank people for their prayers himself so he did.
Please continue to lift him before God. We believe God has placed his healing hand on him. He is sub temp today, so far. Thanks, thanks.
They think that he may have pneumonia or another powerful infection that may be complicating things. He has the most serious Malaria that you can get".

The Next Is A Copied Post Michael Made Himself This Morning. SO GLAD he is conscious and able to communicate now! His now follows -

"Just letting everyone know that I'm still in the hospital but midnight my fever broke and is beginning to go down. Thanks for all your love and prayers and please continue. I'm beginning to think that if the Malaria and Typhoid don't kill me the hospital room they put me in will".

QUOTE: "They are concerned that in addition to the malaria, thyphoid, and salmonella he may ALSO have contacted hepatitis. Still doing tests for that. And pneumonia! I have never known of a person to be attacked by so many viruses and bacteria at once."==SOLOMON101

Me neither. I reckon if he can survive this he can survive almost anything! At least he doesn't have Dengue fever too.
Am amazed he was up and typing today, or even conscious.

One More Update.

Michael's mother was of course headed straight to Nairobi to be with her son. As they pulled packing, etc. together she found her passport had expired a few months back.

They walked into the passport office at about 8:15 am local time this morning and by 8:45 am local time she had a new 10 year passport. So she is now on her way to the airport to start the journey to Nairobi.

Getting a passport in 30 minutes... are you kidding me! Mine took 4 weeks and it was considered fairly quick. This is particularly true in summer I am told.

Thanks again for the prayers. Not out of the woods yet. Still in ICU, but turning the corner!

I know this kid and his family very well. They are dear personal friends and coworkers for The Lord.

I feel compelled to bring this part to a more distinct focus. --

It was as he was leading others into God's presence in worship that the physical assault started. True worship is such an incredibly powerful thing. Many worship leaders and Psalmists I know are the most consistently attacked and harassed people I am acquainted with.

As a guy who preaches to groups very often I can tell you that to speak to a group who's hearts have just encountered God in worship is an absolute joy. The most incredible thing. However, if they have not been in the presence of The Holy Spirit then it is like plowing a rock field to break through to peoples hearts.

That is one reason those called to lead others into corporate times of God's presence and worship are attacked so severely.

Thanks again for the prayers! It is making a difference and turning the tide!

An Update And Heart Felt Thanks To All Who Prayed!

At the most critical junction this 18 year old white American missionary was is a muslim hospital in Nairobi Kenya. His temperature was between 105-106 degrees for 13 hours. He had confirmed diagnosis of Malaria, typhoid, salmonella, and possibly hepatitis. The doctor said his lungs were also developing pneumonia. He was placed in a "dying room" with 6 other people who were going to die. His grandparents were not allowed in as his mother was frantic in the US trying to get a plane ticket and passport. Her passport had expired.

From that situation I will post the email feeds they sent us. God is so gracious!

At that darkest time my wife (Solomon101's wife) got an international prayer time together and there were hundreds of people around the world praying at the same exact time for this boy. His fever broke within hours... I now post direct emails from those who were there in the room or hospital...

Their emails to us begin now-

EMAIL 1 (from grandparents in Nairobi)
Thank you all so very much for your intercession for Michael our grand son. We have felt like we were fighting for his life. In the early hours Thursday morning his temperature broke after 6 days of temp going dangerously high to slightly tolerable. Wed. things were very dark with 13 hours straight of temps that refused to respond to meds or cool wet baths. Heaven was bombarded by believers all over the world. . Praise God slightly after midnight Thursday morning God touched Michael. His body is so tired he has slept now for 10 hours except when forced to wake for treatment. He is still in ICC their HDU High Dependency Unit. His platelets and white counts are up now

He has a long line stitched into his arm to his heart for immediate help and others in the veins of his arms plus a catheter. However HE IS SO MUCH BETTER. We can actually can breathe normally and move from crisis mode in our spirit. He MAY get to go to a private room today. He has days more of treatment. This has been hard on his heart and other organs which is being monitored continually.

Thank you for your prayers. God had to move or this report would not be so good. When we knew God touched him Michael changed instantly his eyes, skin and spirit. We all knew that the battle had been won. he is so weak. He only has 5 IV bags. Just hour ago he had 9, 10, 11 at any given time. He needs prayer for strength to just sit up in bed on hid own, just now he can't pull that off. We are so thankful that he is alive.

COMMUNICATION 2 (Update from my wife concerning mothers attempts to get to Nairobi - incredible!)
Michaels Moms Passport Miracle! : Her passport expired last month. The closest passport agency is in Hot Springs, AR (5hrs away) and she made an appointment, the earliest at 10am today. One requirement for an immediate passport is to have flight tickets in hand - her flight left Little Rock, AR at 1:30pm today. Oh yeah, same-day passports are typically available after 3pm. She and her aunt and uncle went down last light and got a hotel. When checking out, the lady at the desk knew how to get to the passport office b/c her husband is a supervisor there. (PTL!) They told her the situation and she contacted her husband. The passport office was waiting for her at 8am when she arrived and she got immediate service. Another lady who worked at the passport office came and prayed for her. She had her passport by 8:30am and made her flight out of Little Rock, AR. Praise the Lord who makes a way when there is no way!!!

continued...

I spoke to Michaels mom about 4pm. God has continued to give her favor on this trip. She made it to Brussels and quickly went to check in for the next and final leg. She was on the plane when a man said that she was sitting in his seat. They both had the same seats and went to the flight attendants. It appears that she was put on the wrong plane, heading for a different part of Africa. She quickly made it to the correct flight, which was full, and she had favor to get a seat. Once at altitude, she reclined her seat back. The guy behind her, a Frenchman, made her put her seat up. Not wanting a fight, she let it go because the lady next to her traded seats w/ her. When she reclined the seat back this time, the same Frenchman made her put her seat back up because it made his wife uncomfortable. She explained to the man the situation that she was exhausted and only wanted a short nap and would return the seat when she awoke, but the Frenchman was relentless. She asked the attendant to be moved, but there were no more seats in the cabin. When the attendant instructed her to recline her seat, the Frenchman then got into it w/ the attendant. She put her seat back up. The attendant then came back a few minutes later and moved her to first-class, where she not only got to recline her seat, but lay it all the way back!! Later, she tried to buy Belgian chocolates for Michael, but the duty-free shop had already closed. The Lord came through again because all first-class passengers got a complimentary box of chocolates. The Lord is so good - He just doesn't only provide a way, He goes over and above!!!

Michael's Moms EMail From Nairobi Hospital Room-

I am currently sitting in an African Hospital praising God for His love and mercy!!!! I am looking at a most courageous and amazing young man. Michael's face looks like he has had a really bad sunburn (a result of his incredibly high temp) and a bit like a concentration camp survivor. He is still very weak. He looks like pincushions and is still connected to a stack of IV's. As I look at him, I just do not have the words to express how grateful and blessed I feel at this moment! I have been blessed by my amazing friends and family who have prayed, fasted and bombarded heaven for my baby. I have been blessed with God's divine favor with our Gov't and the airlines. Most of all I am blessed to be looking at a recovering young man who knows how to trust in our Lord and fought to live!!!!! I can hardly think about how close I came to losing Michael. Thank you Jesus for protecting him!!!!! Thank you for being close when I was not able!!!! Thank you for giving them strength to fight!!!!!!! Thank you for your peace and your unfailing Love!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are my best friend!!!!!!!!!!! I will never stop praising you and I will never forget!!!!!!!!!!!

end of emails

Michaels is now in a private room and they believe he will be released within a few days.

Thank you again for all who prayed to see this happen! You are appreciated and IT CLEARLY DID AND DOES MAE A DIFFERENCE!

Blessings!

Father,

In the name of Jesus we speak healing to Michael in Kenya doing your work. In your name we send angels with healing in their wings to anoint him and touch him, dropping his temperature down to normal. Every disease is subject to You; if You speak healing over Michael, he will be healed! Praise Your holy name! Lord, we thank You and give You glory for raising Michael up from his death bed, all for your glory Lord! Restore Michael’s health 100%, Lord and we will fail not to give you the praise! Lord, put a hedge of protection around Michael from here on out! Thank you for Your goodness to him, Lord!

I have tears reading this marvelous report! And the passport story! I had been praying specifically against the "impossible" in that regard....just wonderful! Thank you Lord! May this young man be a warrior for You all of his days!

Thanks again for praying! Reports continue to be positive and encouraging.

I wanted to just draw attention to one thing before I let this thread go.

Michael's life was spared because God's people prayed and God answered the prayers of His people.

I believe Michael will be used to win thousands of people to Christ in his lifetime. He could not have reached them if he was not alive on this planet.... and he would not be alive on this planet without the prayers of people and the God who answered those prayers.

So I want to encourage all who actually did pray - in eternity when all things are made open and rewards attributed accordingly.... those who prayed and stood in the gap for Michael to still be alive will get part reward for those souls that he wins. YOU invested into the kingdom with your prayers and have now laid up treasure beyond what you can imagine!

I realize no one prayed for that reason.... but it is true and an incredible blessing from our Gracious Lord for you!

I encourage you, sow when you get a chance. Those who prayed for Michael will now receive rewards because of the labors he can do. Those who did not stop to pray have missed the opportunity to receive those rewards. I do not say that to create any "guilt" at all... heaven forbid! No, I merely say it to help remind us to step into the gap the next time one appears.

There are opportunities to bless others that open the windows for our blessing. However, we must engage those opportunities while they exist. That is where we often lay the foundations for what God can put into our lives.

As Leonard Ravenhill always said, "The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity". Amen, well said Leonard!

Thanks again SI prayer partners! Eternity will reveal your efforts and golden rewards. I appreciate it more than you can imagine!

Blessings!

Thank you for this encouragement, Solomon101.....maybe don't "let this thread go"....yes, the immediate crisis is past, but since you know this young man, maybe you could keep us updated on how God uses this in his life :) Honored to be a part of it all....