I BELIEVE!!!

There has been a tremendous campaign ongoing in this area for sometime now -for prayers.

Our church, like many other churches, has a prayer chain and people can ask for prayers for themselves or for others during times of illness, fears, worries, whatever. And, there are four people currently on our prayer chain who are children, in really serious need of prayers -for themselves for a cure and also, for their parents and family members who are also having a difficult time dealing with all the stress that comes from having a family member at any age suffering from a debilitating illness, but especially so when that involves a young child.

A while back, there was a Facebook prayer chain started for a little girl -she's six-years-old -from near here -Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. Her name is Emily Whitehead and if you click on this link, you can read the journal her parents have been keeping about Emily and the treatments she has received for the Leukemia she has been dealing with for over two years now. http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/emilywhitehead/journal

Emily was the Poster Child at the annual 'Thon Dance -a huge charity event sponsored by various fraternities and sororities for the Four Diamonds Fund through Penn State University every January and all the monies raised there go to help patients and their families who are coping with treatments for various types of pediatric cancers.

Emily, however, has been the catalyst for a huge support movement originating here in the central Pennsylvania region and which has gone viral through Facebook and Twitter.

And she has really shown what grit and strength -perseverance -she has too.

Two weeks ago, the reports coming from her parents about Emily's condition (she's currently a patient at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia) were very grim. VERY grim! The doctor's had told her parents not to hold out hope for Emily getting better as the status of her condition was that they really didn't expect her to survive the night, a little over two weeks ago.

That weekend prior to the huge deterioration in Em's condition had sparked a call-out for prayers and prayers and more prayers and people from this area as well as from all across the country and even globally, responded to that cry.

What happened next has been termed by her doctor's as being a medical miracle as they had never seen a patient turn around the way Emily has done!

Her parents too believe it is a miracle and they attribute it to the network of people -Emily's Army -who have been praying over and over again for Emily.

I don't know about those of you who come by and read my blog, as to what your thoughts and feelings are about prayer and miracles happening through that medium, but I have to say here and now, that I definitely do BELIEVE!

Now, remember I said at the beginning of this post that there are four young people in this area who are dealing with much more on their plates than anyone should ever have to contend with and I'd like to give a little information about them -as much as I know at this time, at any rate. And I'd also like to ask you -each one of you reading this -if you would please take a minute of your time and say a prayer for each one of these children that they -and their parents -will see the loving spirit I think we all have and that each of these children will also be healed too.

Brandon Denochik is a teenager -age 15 -who has been coping with cancer for four years now and apparently -from the latest reports I've seen on Facebook -has recently had a setback. He's been waging a very strong battle but needs some respite, some assistance -a "little help from his friends" you know -and for Brandon, can we all become his friend and offer prayers for healing for him?

Prayers For Brandon Denochick is an event on Facebook that is ongoing and open to anyone who would like to be counted for prayers and moral support for Brandon and his family. It costs nothing to join but a minute of your time, whenever, wherever you are, and the benefits that could befall Brandon and his family -well, who can tell how extensive they could possibly be? But it hurts nothing in the trying, does it?

And then there is another little boy in this region -Kenny Moore -who is about 14 years old (maybe he is 15 by now, not sure there) and he is in dire need of a liver transplant! The doctors have told his mother his condition is very precarious because not only is his liver damaged beyond belief but so is his spleen! His spleen needs to be removed before he can get a liver transplant but thus far, his overall condition is so shaky they have not been able to do that much surgery for him as yet. I know Kenny's Mom, his grandmother too -very well -as his grandmother grew up beside me and we've been good friends for many, many years. Please, if you too believe, do add Kenny to your prayer list too!

And finally, there is this sweet little baby, named Lu Shaffer -who is not quite two years old and has Rett's Syndrome. Her great-great-grandparents were my next-door-neighbors for many years and then, her great-grandparents lived in the family "homestead." One of Lu's great-aunts is my sister-in-law and two of her great-great-aunts are classmates of mine and both of them are part of the Monthly Lunch group I've written about here as well. Lu's Mom, Julie, has been writing a blog about Lu and what they are trying to get in the way of services, therapy, treatments, etc., for Lu. Here's Julie's Blog -Understanding Lu -which will give you a better idea, from a personal point of view, what all is affected, what all is involved in Lu's condition. 

Please, if you would, keep Lu in your prayers too. 

I'm thinking maybe we should think of these four young people -from toddler to teen -as "The Fabulous Foursome" because of the fortitude, spunk, determination and strength of body and spirit each of these kids embodies and because, they are -in my opinion anyway -certainly fabulous people, aren't they.

I BELIEVE! Do you?