Merry Christmas! Imagine that…

The tears come with joy and thanksgiving. Thank you, Lord!

Imagine that we, the whole family, are alive and can celebrate Christmas together.

Imagine that Håkan is doing so well that we could go to Fristaden on Christmas Eve, with all the beautiful Christmas songs, Christmas music, and a wonderful Christmas play, ”Saffron and Raisins”. It was great, with lots of laughs.

Imagine that we, together, can meet friends on Christmas Eve, and all the youth who are home for Christmas – lots of hugs.

Imagine that we, after that, could travel to Småland with the family to celebrate Christmas together with Rebecca, Johan, Alice and Angelina.

Imagine that Håkan is doing so well that he could travel with us and be a part of “the Gniste Christmas”, with everything that involves: big family, food, many presents and kids and grandkids.

Imagine that Home Health in Jönköping was willing to come morning and evening to care for Håkan, and that we could stay with Håkan’s sister, Margaretha, and her husband, Kenneth.

I met a woman at Willys in Uddevalla, in the middle of shopping for ”Fellowship at Christmas” at Fristaden, the day after Christmas, when 70-80 lonely derelicts come, year after year. At the same time, Neeta had a cart for the purchase of ”food bags” for the needy, which we hand out every year. Right in the middle of those fully loaded shopping carts, a woman came up to me and asked how things were going for us and for Håkan. When I told her the present situation, she said that it hadn’t gone a single day since the fire without her thinking about us.

There I stood in the middle of Willys, Christmas shopping, and got so touched by people’s goodness, by the care and love of an ordinary woman from Uddevalla toward us. It was too much, so tears of thanksgiving ran.

I want to wish all of you who have stood by us, in love and prayers, a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and THANK YOU for all your love!

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Is. 9:6

Imagine that in that name, we have everything we need…the name of Jesus.

God’s peace and blessing!

Christmas hugs,
Gunilla

Thankful in Christ

Dear brothers and sisters!

Now I’m home, but I’m still weak and need a lot of help from the community health nurses who visit our home 3-4 times a day. Gunilla is, of course, such a support, and a source of love and strength. Being away from each other such a long time - 225 days - we need your prayers for being and working together in the family and the Kingdom. My special needs are the healing of my hands and my sight. There are only a few sores left and my skin is in the healing process.

I have contact with quite a few brothers and sisters, and I'm very happy about the loving care I've received from all of you, and the reports I’m hearing. Your visits, emails, cards, text messages, etc have encouraged me so much. I'm so thankful for all the prayers from all over Sweden and the whole world. In Uddevalla, this has helped to unite the body of Christ. You never know when I'll come back in full strength, but we will continue to pray that my sores will heal quickly. I'm hoping to join the race again, in due time.

I'm attending leadership meetings and some of the public meetings at church, especially Sunday mornings. There will be many dear and emotional reunions similar to the first Sunday morning meeting on Fathers' Day at Fristaden in Uddevalla. Our friend, Paul Forsén, taught about "God as Our Daddy", and at the end, Janne Sääf asked me to share something. I shared, "The church is a family and needs a leadership. The leaders are the fathers of the family, and they can't force their authority upon the church, but in the long run, they can be trusted as fathers, advisors, encouragers, coaches, and so on." I asked the elders to go out in the congregation and give the people who wanted it a fatherly blessing. A large percent of the ones who got blessed started to cry. The first meeting I attended was in some ways hard for me, but in so many other ways, a great blessing, and so many of the sisters and brothers have had their hearts touched by this journey.

The outreach to Kenya, led by Janne and Gunilla, meant a lot to the team of youth. It's fantastic how our sisters and brothers in Africa live and work for the Lord, and it was moving to see the pictures of the team out working in the Nairobi slums.

Now we’re looking forward to the Christmas holidays when we’ll gather as a family and invite others.

Many thanks for your prayer support and gifts!

Thankful in Christ,
Håkan

Everyday life goes on…

Morning business…

Håkan is visited by home-help, who take care of him, his shot, washing, smearing him with lotion, dressing him, and giving him breakfast.

Håkan gets eyedrops every other hour. If we aren’t home, home-help comes and gives him eyedrops.

Lunchtime...

Home-help comes and warms the plate of food I’ve prepared in the microwave, the days we aren’t at home. After that, Håkan tries to rest a little, before getting the next round of eyedrops.

Everyday life goes on…like…

Hand therapy...Trying out new hand splints…Prayer at Fristaden…Occupational therapy…Physical therapy…Walks…Church services…Eye operations…Sahlgrenska hospital…Pastors’ meetings…Eye doctor…Home-help…Bible on CD…Transportation to appointments…Reading aloud…Followup visits…Hand surgeon…Visits from friends…Relatives…Church members…Pharmacy…Doctors’ visits…Being in God’s presence…Family…Text messaging…Exercising…Rosenhäll…The house…The social insurance…etc.

Everyday life goes on…

When we come home, we eat together, and enjoy the fact that life goes on, thankful that we have each other, and that Håkan is getting better and better all the time. A BIG THANKS to God and health care services.

Evening business…

In the evening, home-help comes again – time for the evening duties and a new round of smearing with lotion. When Håkan is ready to go to bed, I get to put on his hand splints, eye ointment and eyeshields, before we say “Good night” to each other.

Håkan has my bed and I lie on the sofa, in the living room, and enjoy having my husband home. He lies like a king, on his back, and receives new energy for a new day, with new opportunities to continue to train.

And then it’s morning again. I take off Håkan’s eyeshields and greet my husband “Good morning!” I take off the hand splints so Håkan can do his hand exercises before home-help rings at the door…etc.

“Now it’s a new day, with new possibilities. Now it’s a new day. Morning has dawned… Yesterday is gone. I reach for what lies ahead… God, I want to give this day to you.”

Everyday life goes on…for Håkan…and for the Gniste family.

Thanks for continuing to think about us and pray for us. We have a long road ahead of us, but with God’s help and Håkan’s stubbornness and much prayer, we’ll manage this. You are an important part of this miracle, which is in our midst now.

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” Phil. 4:13

God bless you all!

Warm hugs,
Gunilla

Africa in our hearts!

Here comes a little summary of a couple of fantastic weeks!!!

Background: Håkan has travelled to Kenya for over 10 years, where he has primarily trained leaders, often together with Dave Richards, from England. I was in Nairobi for a women’s conference 8 years ago, and that was the beginning of our travelling every year or so to Kenya.

The vision of taking along youth in teams to see and help teach was something God spoke to me about a long time ago. Now we’ve gone with teams to Tunisia, China and made several trips to Kenya.

”We carry on – you go!” said Håkan from his hospital bed when I asked what we should do about our trip to Kenya.

Our destination, this time, was the church in Umoja (a suburb of Nairobi), their school, children’s and youth work, and worship services on Sunday; they have three services in a row, with about 3000-3500 people in each.

We also helped out a few days in Mukuru, a slum area which has existed for over 35 years. A congregation has started there in the middle of the slum, with a school, church, girls’ home, and a clinic. It was great to see all our youth get into the work and leave a little of their hearts there. We had with us 18,000 crowns for the work in the slum, which is enough for a lot of food and medicine down there.

We have visited the Salvation Army’s orphanage every time we’ve been in Nairobi. There are 67 orphans there, and wonderful leaders, who give their lives for the children. They are like a big family. We had stuffed animals, footballs and a bunch of good things for all the kids, and even 18,000 crowns which they will use to buy Christmas presents for the kids and have a real Christmas party with a little extra good food. Previously, we’ve paid for school bags, shoes, and school uniforms for all the kids, so they could all go to school.

After our hard work, we went willingly on to Mombasa, where we stayed by the Indian Ocean, rested a little, and tried to take in everything we’d experienced. On Sunday, we took part in the service at a church there in Mombasa, with song, dance, testimonies and preaching. To be able to come there and see what God has done since we were there last, was totally amazing. Thank you, Lord, for what you’ve done and are doing in Mombasa!

On a free Saturday, we went to Lake Nakuru, a national park, a three-hour drive from Nairobi. There we met Africa’s awesome animals, in their natural surroundings. That’s a day we’ll carry with us for a long time.

We are so thankful for the trip to Kenya, everything we’ve experienced, everything we’ve learned, everything we’ve been able to give. A big “Thanks” to the church in Umoja, who took such good care of us, gave us rice and chicken, and to all our old friends and the new friends we’ve made.

We concluded our trip to Kenya by going to Nairobi’s oldest park and praying for the country. Janne Sääf got a Bible verse which we shared and prayed from: ”The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land…” (Psalm 125:3)

If you want to follow along and see a little of our trip, click on the links to the videos, under ”Kenya 2009” to the right.

Thank God for a wonderful trip!
Thank God for all the great youth who were with us!
Thank God for everything we got to help with!
Thank God for your protection during the trip!
Thank God that we can continue to pray for Kenya!

God bless you all!
Gunilla

An historic Sunday!

Now things are falling into place! Håkan is at home and has found a daily rhythm that works for him, home health, and the family living at home.

Four times a day, personnel from home health come and help him in the morning and evening, but also give eyedrops and lunch, when the rest of us are in school and at work.

A nurse comes once a day for Håkan’s shot, and helps with his bath and changing his bandages every third day, so that the skin gets a thorough overhaul, so no infection sets in.

Håkan gets smeared with lotion twice a day to keep his skin soft and smoothe. We see a definite improvement all over his body.

Last Sunday, on Father’s Day, when Paul and Lena Forsén were at Fristaden, Håkan went together with Harry to the Sunday morning service, for the first time since the fire. Everyone stood up and a loooong, spontaneous applaud broke out, with many tearful eyes.

It was so fitting, of course, that ”the father of Fristaden” came on Father’s Day, and that when Paul spoke about ”God as Your Daddy”, Håkan got the idea that the leaders should stand at the front and minister to people, and in the end, go around and give ”daddy hugs” and bless the whole church. Thank the Lord!

Then it felt like Håkan was present again, with his prophetic anointing and father’s role in the church. Very powerful!

It’s so great to stand beside him and be happy about life! That which was so normal earlier is now a subject for rejoicing, and we’re so grateful to God that Håkan is home again.

Thank you, Lord, for your grace and your great faithfulness to us!

The operation went well, but this week and next week there will be more trips to Sahlgrenska, so please continue to pray for Håkan’s hands and eyes! God hears prayer!

Thanks for all your love…love back to you all!

God bless!

Hugs,
Gunilla

Home again!

Now we’re home again, and Håkan is home for good! The time in the hospital is over. Of course, there will be follow-up visits, rehabilitation and operations down the road. Imagine, it’s been over 8 months since the fire, and now we’re at the point where my husband can be at home, walk around, sit down, stand up, lie down on the bed, get up from the bed, go to the bathroom, and eat cut-up food by himself. This is so great that I want to shout, “Hallelujah! Thank you, Lord!”

You who have followed us on this long, 8-month journey, probably understand my thankfulness, for every little step in the right direction which makes all this possible. Nothing is too small or too great for our God. “Thank you, Lord!”

Every decision which has been made and all care that Håkan has received, through doctors and medical staff, have made it possible for Håkan to be as good as he is now. A big “Thanks” to you all! God bless you all!

All of you who have supported us through prayers, thoughts, tears, letters, email, the blog, caring, acts of love, clothes, food, fixing up our new home, smiles, nice words, hugs, money, flowers, furniture, books… The list could be longer, but I just want to say, “Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”

The factors that contribute to quick healing, a doctor told Håkan this summer, are:

* Coming quickly to the hospital for treatment.
* Good medical staff.
* High motivation in the patient.
* A broad circle of social contacts.
* A strong faith in God.

All these have contributed to Håkan’s speedy recovery.

When I preached in Nairobi, for a packed church of 3,500 people, I asked how many wanted to pray for Håkan and the eyelid operation he would have that week. 3,500 hands went up, and then I saw even more that God’s care for us, and all the care and prayers from people, are a big part of Håkan’s speedy recovery. Thank you, brothers and sisters, all around the world, who have prayed for us! God bless you all! ”Thank you, Lord!”

“Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art! How great Thou art!”

More about the trip to Kenya is coming later...

Bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Heavenly dynamics

Anita Barker Andersen writes:

This past Sunday, I was to preach at Fristaden, and the text from Revelation 22 was about heaven. The thought came to me that I should have a “conversational preaching” together with Håkan. He had the text read for him over the telephone, and a little later that day, we visited him at the short-term care facility and recorded his comments. It was so nice to (almost) have a worship service together with Håkan again. Following is the Bible text and his reflections, which also can be heard (in Swedish) from the Swedish blog.

Heavenly dynamics

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” Rev. 22:1-5

Cast your anchor a long way in
When I heard these verses being read for me, I began to think about the fact that my soul has an anchor, and that anchor must be cast behind the curtain, into the Holy of Holies (Heb. 6:19). What that really says, is that my deepest attitudes and priorities should be so much, much further ahead than the present – than right now, what I’m thinking about just now, the material needs I have, or the material security that I have acquired. My security doesn’t lie in the material. My security doesn’t lie in the humanistic. My security doesn’t lie in what people can do. My security lies in God!

We are blessed
This also speaks to me about precisely the thing Paul writes about in several places, that we are blessed ”in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing” (Eph. 1:3), and when I know that I have access to that, I know that I am both spiritually blessed, saved, and I will be saved, and I can also receive healing from the Lord because I have my eyes fixed on something so much, much further ahead of the reality I see right now.

My security lies in God
It’s a big mistake to only concentrate on the material, to only concentrate on the security that we Swedes are experts on. Security doesn’t lie there. Security lies in God, and security lies in the eternal, and the eternal is the Kingdom of God. So the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven are really the same things, and we can acquaint ourselves even now with that which God wants to give us in His Kingdom. This also makes it possible for us to go through various trials and difficulties with our eyes fixed on Jesus in the eternal, and “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4)

Discover the whole reality
So, this really isn’t an escape from reality, but it is a living part of reality that only the Christian has discovered, or the one who seeks Him is able to discover. So, heaven is such an important part of reality, and it’s there that we get motivation to be able to stand, but also motivation to win others for God, and motivation to be sanctified by Him ourselves.

Look after your place
Then there is also a risk that we become so occupied with the present and the material, with the way of thinking and being of our times, and that we pile up everything possible, so that we can miss – yes, even here – the spiritual blessings in the heavenly realms. It can even be so that we don’t just miss out on them here, but also in eternity. So see to it – you can see to it – that you can already today be secure, and that you are a child of God, and that your place in eternity is there. You shall not miss out on that place!

Håkan Gniste

Meat patties with onions!

Now while Gunilla has been in Kenya, we’ve had the pleasure of visiting with Håkan a little extra. On Sunday (25/10), Håkan came to our house together with Bella and Jan G. We ate meat patties with onions and mushrooms, and enjoyed being together, in front of the fire place. Håkan and Dan, who were in a their best teasing mood, kept stoking the fire in the fire place, and said, “We’ll have to put another log on the fire”, while the rest of us were sweating and cried, “Stop stoking the fire!” (especially us ladies over 50), but they just laughed and added another log.

On Thursday evening (29/10), we drove to Josefina in Trollhättan, for a belated birthday celebration, and ate a wonderful dinner together. We drank coffee and ate newly baked cookies, and read aloud an article from the local newspaper about a gospel concert which the churches in Trollhättan had had together, and for which Josefina sang a solo. Then Josefina and Pappa Håkan had one of those real “music-chat-and-listening-moments”, which only music people can have.

On Saturday, I drove over and picked up Håkan from the short-term care facility to eat lunch at home with us again. We had garlic marinated chicken, and Håkan ate drumsticks with his hands for the first time since the fire. “There you go, Gunilla! If you’d been home, you could have had a garlic kiss from Håkan!” When it was time for coffee, Håkan had a visit from Harry and Gun-Britt Andersson from The Word of Life in Uppsala. It was a time for an emotional reunion, conversation and deep prayer fellowship. Before they started on their return trip to Uppsala, Dan took them by the house.

At the keyboard in gratitude
Sister-in-law Lotta and brother-in-law Dan

The operation went well!

Hi everyone!

It was a long day for Pappa on Wednesday, but the operation went well and he’ll go for a follow-up visit on Monday. He is naturally a little more tired than usual, and has limited sight because of the operation and the compresses over his right eye, but he’s in good spirits!

Thanks for all the prayers and thoughts!

Hugs,
Johanna

Cozy moments

We have had many cozy moments together with Pappa lately. A lot of listening to music, many good meals and a lot of mischief and play when the girls show their princess dresses, dance and sing songs for Grandpa.

It’s so wonderful to share life again. To see how Pappa’s strength is increasing all the time, how his body is healing from day to day. We are so thankful to have him nearby!

/Johanna


Tomorrow they will operate on Håkan’s right eyelid again. Pray that everything goes well and he recovers quickly!

/Jan


News from Kenya
From Janne’s mobile blog http://jannesmobilblog.blogspot.com/:

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

New maternity clinic
(See picture on blog.)
A new maternity clinic is being built in the Nokoro slum. Great joy, and even the pastor wanted to help with the work.
Posted by Jannes at 9:23 AM

Prayer meeting in Umoja
(See picture on blog.)
Prayer for Håkan’s operation on Wednesday. Approx 500 people!
Posted by Jannes at 4:58 AM

Safari
(See picture on blog.)
Oh, what a day. Nakuro National Park. Lions, giraffes, rhinos and a lot more. Fantastic creation!
Posted by Jannes at 4:58 AM

More news from Kenya

From Janne’s mobile blog (http://jannesmobilblog.blogspot.com/):

Church service in the slum
(see video on blog)
Jesus proclamation!

The slum
(see picture on blog)
The church is doing a fantastic job here. The poverty is extreme. People are friendly. We’ve been able to help out. We have taught, painted, washed chairs, helped in the medical clinic. Now we’ll eat lunch and have a church service.

Håkan’s days

Now Håkan has been at the short term care facility several days, and is happy with his new room and the staff there. On Wednesday, I picked him up and we drove by the house to inspect the new insulation that was sprayed into the outer walls that morning. Arne, Harry and Blanco were all white-haired from the insulation dust! It’s going to be nice and warm in the Gniste home in the winter. The afternoon offered Danish pork roast and good fellowship together with Erik and Anita, and Stig and Lillemor Walldin.

Yesterday Håkan went by taxi to Sahlgrenska for a followup visit with the plastic surgeon. The left eyelids are healing well, but the surgeon wants to operate on the right ones one more time, as soon as possible. The date hasn’t been decided yet.

More visits and a cozy evening with Johanna, Daniel and the grandchildren are on the program for today.

Blessings,
Jan Griffith

Kenya outreach

Follow along on the Kenya outreach at http://jannesmobilblog.blogspot.com/. It’s all in Swedish, so I’ll try to update you here with English text. The local newspaper also printed an article with pictures of the team yesterday. Go in and take a look at http://bohuslaningen.se/nyheter/uddevalla/1.614574.

From Janne’s mobile blog (see pictures on the blog):
Thursday, October 22, 2009
School in Umoja
The youth are at the school all day, playing with the kids and telling about Sweden. Gunilla and Janne have had a meeting with the pastors in the area.

Breakfast at Russam Villa!
Everyone has slept well. Gunilla gives assignments to everyone for the day. Great expectation.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Kastrup Airport, Copenhagen
Early morning. Making sure the vaccination cards are in order.

Now our bags are packed…

Håkan’s bags – two dark blue ones – are packed for Österängen, a short term care facility diagonally across the street from our house on Sigelhultsvägen – cool!

Imagine that we, Håkan and I, were out on Saturday and bought sweaters and pants, so now we’re slowly starting to build up his wardrobe again. Thanks for everything Håkan has received. He only had one sweatshirt left, which was fortunately lying in the dirty laundry. The coats which hung in the closet in the hall have survived. Thank goodness, one less expense!

My bags – two purple ones – are packed for the trip to Kenya. We will live at a guest house in Nairobi where we’ve stayed many times before. Simple, but nice. Our church friends there take good care of us, and are making two minivans available to us, with drivers and everything.

We’ll visit the Salvation Army orphanage we’ve been visiting since 2001. We’ll have with us balloons, stuffed animals, clothes and 18,000 crowns which have come in from collection boxes in Fristaden. Hallelujah! We love the children there who come from trying conditions, who the Salvation Army is taking such good care of.

We’ll work in the slum a few days. They have a school there with over 200 students, who also get meals every day, a clinic where they help people with HIV, and even a maternity ward where they do Caesareans on mothers with HIV so the babies won’t risk being infected.

Orphans can live in a home, near the school and the church, situated in the middle of Nairobi’s slum with about 500,000 people. As a private person, one should never be in the slum, but we go with the highly esteemed friends who have given their lives for the slum.

Second Hand has given 10,000 crowns, plus an offering from Fristaden. The money given will go direct into their work.

We have payed for our flights and lodging ourselves, out of our own pockets, but we’ve found cheap tickets. Living in Kenya is cheap, plus our church friends down there – a church with 7,000 members – take such good care of us. They are friends we’ve had down there for many years. Their pastor has visited us several times. Beckie was here for a week this August. The big church is in Umoja, a suburb of Nairobi. They have a big school there which we’ll visit.

On Sundays, they have 3 services in Umoja, with around 3,000 in each service – that’s a powerful experience. At the same time, there’s Sunday school for the kids and a youth service, which our youth will participate in.

A trip on a bus to Mombasa, a safari, markets, etc., are also on the program. Please pray that we will be a blessing to them!

We’ll be enriched, blessed and overwhelmed… Every time we’ve been there we’ve had the grace to see people get saved and healed, and those are the memories we bear with us, now as we travel again.

”We carry on – you go”, Håkan said, and with those words, I’m going with Janne and 11 youth, anxious and happy for the mission we’ve received.

Thanks for following along with us on the trip, with your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you, Lord, for letting us go on this blessed mission!

Thanks, Håkan, that you unselfishly wanted me to go. Next time we’ll go together again. Love you!

”…Therefore go and make disciples of all nations…” Matt. 28:18-20

God bless you all!

Hugs,
Gunilla

Beautiful week in October!

What weather we’re having here in Uddevalla! We usually have nice weather in the middle of October. Twice we’ve been in a time of waiting, and this same week in 1980 and 1985, Johanna and Josefina came into the world. As far as I can remember, there have always been nice, sunny fall days this week, and the same is true this year.

The joy over the fact that the whole family survived the fire becomes even greater on birthdays. It comes like an intoxicating joy, an appreciation of life, which we don’t take for granted any longer, but the feeling about life becomes so great that the heart beats an extra beat, in a praise song of thanksgiving.

”Thank you for the life you give. It gets bigger, and more and more!”

We were at Sahlgrenska last Wednesday, to see the hand surgeon. The doctor checked Håkan’s hands. The splints he wears at night will be bent some more in order to stretch out Håkan’s fingers even more. In about a year, they will operate on his right hand and it will get new skin on the palm, with the help of skin from another part of Håkan’s body.

We explained that Håkan had his mobile in his left hand when he came out of the house, whereupon the doctor said that the mobile had saved the palm of Håkan’s left hand. That was a new thought for me anyway.

The doctor also said that Håkan didn’t have the typical burn injuries around his mouth, chin and neck. “There must have been an angel present there,” he said. I was just filled with even more thankfulness that Håkan looks like himself around his mouth. Thank the Lord for angels who protect!

Today and yesterday we’ve been out on walks together. Håkan walks by himself, without any help, other than that he put his arm around me, but that was more out of love. However, he shouldn’t go out by himself yet.

This evening we went and looked at the short term housing where Håkan will stay when I go to Kenya. It was a really nice room at Österängen, just down the street from our house on Sigelhultsvägen. That’ll be nice and close.

Tomorrow morning, the home health workers will come to bathe Håkan and change his bandages. It’s nice that all such things are working. There are a lot of extra things to do anyway.

Today we sat and ate beef and pork sausage with mashed turnips, just the two of us. When did we eat that the last time? Yes, it was very good. We commented, ”Why do we eat this so seldom?” A little humour...we haven’t eaten together for all these months, of course…but, more of that, in other words!

Now Håkan is sound asleep, breathing deeply, but it’s like sweet music to my ears. It is, afterall, just a miracle that he’s lying there in the bed. We are so grateful and happy to be alive! Thank the Lord!

”Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Now Håkan is coming home!

At the care planning meeting on Monday, it was decided that Håkan is now ready to be discharged from the hospital. Fourteen days ago, none of us had managed that, but so many positive things have happened with Håkan recently, so I believe it’s time now.

We will have a lot of contact anyway, partially because of the operations on his fingers and hands, which will take place at Sahlgrenska. The training of his hands will take place at the hospital, which has the most experience with burn injuries.

The eyes will be followed up partially by the eye unit here in Uddevalla. The surgeries around his eyes will be followed up by Sahlgrenska. The medical will still be here in Uddevalla.

Short term housing will be at Rosenhäll, not so far from our house, so when we travel to Kenya next week, Håkan will be there during the time we are gone. That feels nice and secure!

Today it’s 225 days that Håkan has been in different hospitals. He came into the emergency room at Uddevalla Hospital in the morning, the 3rd of March, then was sent by helicopter to Linköping’s burn unit. Håkan hovered between life and death with the words, ”…Yea, thou I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me…”, inside of him for over 3 months. Ps. 23:4

Once again, a big THANK YOU for all prayers and support, from you all.

Håkan got to move to Sahlgrenska in Gothenburg and after that to rehab unit 20 here at Uddevalla Hospital. Now we’ve come to that point when Håkan is soon ready to come home. We didn’t even dare think that thought a few months ago – it’s so big that it’s mind boggling. Thank you, Lord, for your goodness!

Håkan went up and down 6 floors of stairs at the hospital, his balance is much better, and his gait is becoming more steady and more rapid. Two to three months after Håkan started to wake up, we didn’t even know if he would ever be able to walk again. Physical therapists who have worked hard, Håkan’s motivation and faith, together with all prayers and God’s grace, have made all this possible. Thank the Lord!

The ideas and advice from occupational therapy have, with training and more training, given results. The splints that Håkan has at night are helping his fingers to straighten out somewhat, slowly but surely, but more help is needed through operations. Pray for his fingers and hands!

When Håkan comes home, the community home-help service will come into the picture to help with the morning tasks, eye drops, lunch, bathing and bandaging. Håkan will also get an alarm, in case anything should happen when he’s home alone during the days.

Today Håkan was at the eye doctor’s in Uddevalla and the sight in his left eye has improved. Thank you for all your prayers!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, it’ll be Gothenburg and the hand surgery…

“I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.” Ps. 104:33-34


God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Håkan’s weekend

On Friday, Håkan was a little tired, but very pleased with the Thursday evening in Gothenburg, when a group of pastors and their wives met. It was Håkan’s first get-together with a larger group of friends. As you surely understand, it was a little emotional for both Håkan and the friends who haven’t seen Håkan in 7 months.

On Friday, Håkan went down to Sahlgrenska to get his eyelids checked and take off the bandages around his eye. Håkan will see the eye doctor here in Uddevalla on Tuesday, and will go back to Sahlgrenska again on the 20th of October, so continue to pray for his eyes. It’s moving in the right direction.

In the afternoon, Gertrud and Kiell came on the train from Uppland to visit Håkan at the hospital. We took Håkan out, drove by the house to show them what is happening there, before buying Thai food, which we all ate at home in the apartment before our friends took the train on to Gothenburg. We are so thankful to God for all our friends who are supporting us in different ways. Thank you, everyone!

Mats and Sarah were going to visit Håkan at the hospital with their children, Lisa and Erik, but we called and they came home to us instead, and the Thai food was enough for the Samuelson family as well. After that it was time to take Håkan back to the hospital again.

On Saturday, Håkan’s brother, P-G, came and took us both out for pizza. We had a nice time together, which concluded at Johanna and Daniel’s, where we were served coffee and icecream. Håkan slept at home in the apartment, from Saturday to Sunday.

In the evening, our Mohammed came home to watch football with daddy Håkan. It was a nice evening at home, even though Sweden didn’t win. Håkan hasn’t been up so late in 7 months, so he went straight to bed after football. Mohammed slept on the sofa in the same room so I could sleep the whole night.

On Sunday morning, a home health nurse came and gave Håkan a shot, and helped with the sores on his forehead. We ate breakfast, my husband and I. What a feeling, to be able to sit and eat breakfast together again. We don’t take anything for granted anymore. We are thankful for every little detail, which is a partial victory for us. It feels like going from death to life, where life has gained victory over death, and every little act of life is worth rejoicing over. “Thank the Lord!”

On Sunday afternoon, Anita had a dinner for everyone who had helped make it possible for her biography to come out. Imagine that Håkan managed to be present at that dinner. That was the first time Håkan met such a large part of our congregation at the same time. Good food and good fellowship. Håkan was really pleased with yet another partial victory. Afterwards, we went straight back to the hospital.

Pray for the care planning meeting on Monday, the eye examination on Tuesday, hand surgery on Wednesday in Gothenburg.

Found an old prophetic word from Roger Larsson, dated the 25th of August, 1999:

”Step forward and stand still and see the great wonder that the Lord will do before your eyes.”

Yes, of course, we have seen wonders! Thank you, Jesus, for all the wonders we have seen!

God bless you all!
Hugs,
Gunilla

The miracle - Håkan

Imagine that he, my husband, can raise himself up by himself, during the day, without support, without help, and can walk all by himself. What a miracle!

Imagine that he, my husband, can sit down, ly down in bed, without help or support. That was unthinkable a month or so ago.

Imagine that he, my husband, is so clear in his head, remembers everything before the fire, what happened the 3rd of March, and now.

Imagine that he, my husband, still has his sense of humour, can crack jokes, and laugh at nonsense. That is colossal!

Imagine that he, my husband, is so stubborn, and has just decided to come back quickly to life and the ministry. Great!

Imagine that he, my husband, listens to the Bible every day, both in Swedish and English. That’s very good, isn’t it?!

Imagine that he, my husband, now has a new suit of skin on over 80% of his body, which is whole and fragile, but can be touched. Thank God!

Imagine that he, my husband, now after over 25-30 operations, is still in good spirits, just a little tired. Thank you, Jesus!

Imagine that he, my husband, has slept here at home, and that it’s just going better and better. Thank the Lord!

Imagine that he, my husband, went along to Gothenburg this evening, ate together with his pastor colleagues. Touching!

Imagine that he, my husband, will go back to Sahlgrenska tomorrow for a check-up after the eyelid operation. We’re making progress!

Imagine that we, as a family, can rejoice over the miracle – Håkan – and see that every step forward is a step of progress, toward victory!

Imagine being a child of God. Imagine being able to rest in His hands… Thank you, Lord, for Håkan, for the miracle You’ve given us!

God bless you all!
Hugs,
Gunilla

An ordinary Friday!

Today Håkan has been down to the eye unit and had his right eye examined thoroughly. There is a thin streak across his eye that is undoubtedly from the heat of the fire. The eyelid operation on his left eye this week went well, but Håkan is very tired after the operation. He’ll go back on Monday to have it checked. We’ll see when the doctor takes out the stitches.

We have also had a care planning meeting today. Last time I had to stick up for myself, so I was all worn out for several days afterwards. The feeling of not being understood hit me hard. I’m not used to having to fight for myself in that way. I’d prayed and fasted for this day, and hoped that God would fight for us.

Everything turned out so well. Håkan can stay on the unit where he is until he becomes stronger. He won’t have to come home on Monday. None of us had managed that now. So many positive things have happened with Håkan, but he’s weak right now – after the operation – and needs rest, and peace and quiet.

Every third day, Håkan is bathed and redressed, but the staff tend to the dressed areas every day. Special creams that guard against infection and help the skin heal are applied every day. Eye drops and creams for his eyes. Splints for the hands are used every night to help his fingers straighten out more and more – we already see results.

This afternoon we picked up Håkan for a leave. We went and ordered pizza. When we were going to pick up the pizzas, Johanna and Daniel came to the same pizzeria, to do the same thing. We ended up following them home and had a pizza party. Around 8 o’clock, Håkan was getting tired, so he decided to go back to the hospital. Yes, that leave was just about right for Håkan now.

It will be exciting with the hand surgery on Wednesday, the 14th of October. I have taken that day off from Saron House, and will go with Håkan down to Sahlgrenska in Gothenburg.

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Ex. 14:14

A few small thoughts from an ordinary Friday!

God bless you!

Hugs,
Gunilla

Healed skin and eyes on their way…

Tuesday:
Today Håkan had a follow-up visit with the eye doctor here in Uddevalla. The doctor checked Håkan’s right eye, after the eyelid operation at Sahlgrenska on the 21st of August. Håkan is seeing better with his right eye now, after all the help with drops and eye ointments. Thank you, Lord, and all competent staff!

Tomorrow, Wednesday, Håkan will travel down to Sahlgrenska for the left eyelid operation, so please pray for him tomorrow. He’ll be anaesthetized, but they reckon he will be able to come back to his unit here in Uddevalla the same day.

After the operation, Håkan will be bandaged again over the operated eye, and will probably have several follow-up visits, to make sure the operation has been successful.

Håkan had his second overnight leave, from Sunday to Monday. It was so nice to have him home. We were at Johanna and Daniel’s house for dinner, and both Amelie and Bella were with us. Fun for the grandchildren, Nova and Nicole, to have Grandpa at home again. After that, we went to the apartment for a pleasant evening at home with all the teenagers who are living at home. The hard part is that Håkan needs a lot of help, so I only get a few hours of sleep.

This past Saturday, Håkan’s siblings and their families came, so we picked up Håkan and drove to the salmon restaurant in Ljungskile. That was the first time in 7 months that Håkan ate out at a restaurant. Håkan appreciated the initiative. We drove by our beloved house, then continued on to the apartment, where we had coffee, before it was time to take Håkan back to the hospital.

As you understand, everything is moving in the right direction, so THANK YOU for all your love, all thoughts, and the prayers we’ve received during this time. We give God the glory for our lives, and we are happy for Håkan’s new suit of skin, which has healed well. This Sunday was the first day without bandages or some kind of protection on Håkan’s back.

“The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed and restore him from his bed of illness.” Ps. 41:3

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Tearing down has its time – Building has its time

The tearing down took a long time; to get rid of everything burnt and smoke damaged has also taken time. Only the shell of the house was left. Tearing down has its time…

It turned out that the house had sunk, so some of the boards needed to be replaced. Even Håkan’s sauna in the cellar was damaged by moisture and had to be thrown out. Tearing down has its time…

Everything electrical, all radiators, all pipes…yes, tearing down has its time…

But now it’s a new time; the walls are being insulated and walls are being put up…the ceiling in the cellar, underfloor heating is being put in, the floor in the kitchen and living room are on their way…and the electrical is being mounted. Building has its time…

In the Bible it says, “There is a time for everything, …a time to tear down and a time to build,…” Eccl. 3:1a, 3b

Håkan has cautiously gone into the house to see how things are going. I have been in the house essentially every day since I came home from the hospital in the middle of March.

Right now, they are on the roof, replacing it, so please pray for nice weather for us. It will be a new tile roof.

In a few days, we’ll put a new picture presentation about the house on the blog, so you can see what is happening on Sigelhultsvägen in Uddevalla.

Tearing down has its time – Building has its time!

Thank you for your prayers, even for the house!

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

New times!

I’m sitting on the sofa in the apartment, and in the same room, Håkan is lying in my bed, ready to sleep his first night at home. In other words, Håkan is on an overnight leave – imagine that! We have good sofas, so I’m lying on one of them. It’s nice to be in the same room, in case he needs anything.

Can you imagine how quick his progress has been? He can walk, he can stand, he can raise himself up, and he’s getting better at using his hands. As they say, “Practice makes perfect.”

There he lies – my husband – on his back, as he’s always done, but now he has some aids to keep him in the right position, with splints on his hands, plastic cups over his eyes, pillow under his legs, and the cute little gauze bandage cap on his head. I’m filled with such thankfulness. Imagine that we can still be together. It’s only by the grace of God that we are all alive.

Tomorrow I will drive Håkan back to his ward, before my music class at the school. After that, there is a care-planning meeting at the hospital, for Håkan’s future, so it’s good that I have a free hour in my schedule.

On Tuesday, there are two appointments at the hospital, one with the social welfare officer, and after that, I will meet a doctor.

Håkan has received an appointment for the eye operation on his left eyelid on the 30th of September, in the morning, down in Gothenburg, at Sahlgrenska. Please pray that the operation will go well.

Today I saw that his eyelashes are starting to come back also.

The hand surgeons’ office at Sahlgrenska has sent Håkan an appointment. Wednesday the 14th of October it’s time for Håkan’s hands. We are so thankful that he got in so quickly. New times for both Håkan’s eyes and hands.

Håkan is listening to the Bible on CD, in Swedish, and yesterday Lena Forsén came with a CD-Bible in English. It’s good for the pastor to take in the Word of God, now by listening.

Now he’s soughing so well. It’s music to my ears; I haven’t heard it for 201 days. New times, as in old times!

All of the kids who live in the area have been at home today with Dad and Grandpa. We notice that Håkan can manage more, but still, he tires quickly of everything happening around him.

“…who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
Ps. 103:3-5

God bless you all!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Friendship in deeper dimensions

Sat here at home today and spoke with a lady. It was the first time she had come to our home. We’ve only met once before, at the hospital, on March 3rd, the same day the house burned…

”It’s so nice here. It wasn’t that long ago – how have you found the time?” ”It was our friends, in different churches in town, who have done this for us. Everything was here when we moved in…” The more I talked, the more I saw her facial expressions, the more I was filled with thankfulness to God, for all our friends who have made life so much easier for us. Friendship in deeper dimensions!

We continued to talk about what we had done these past months, that we’d been to Stockholm and Linköping, to see Håkan, that we could stay with friends who offered. The more we talked, the more I was filled with thankfulness to God, for all our friends who have made it so much easier for us. That is friendship in deeper dimensions!

So, we talked some more, and came to the trip to England that Bella, Amelie and I went on this summer, how friends took care of us, how we stayed with friends. Dave was with us two days in London. The more I told her, the more I was filled with thankfulness to God, for all our friends who have made it much easier for us. Friendship in deeper dimensions!

Then we came to the trip to Uppsala-Stockholm, and on to the island of Gotland, this summer, when I told about all our friends who we got to stay with, and how they arranged things for us, the more I was filled with thankfulness to God, and all our friends who have made life much easier for us. It becomes friendship in deeper dimensions!

Now we both sat with tears in our eyes, I in thankfulness for all our friends… The lady said, ”Imagine that there are friends like that.” I answered, “Yes, there are, so many who have stood by us, during this time.” The answer was, “Then I understand better how you’ve managed as you have.” I answered, “I’m going to write a praise song about friendship…”

Obviously, part of the reason it’s gone so well is that you have been there and supported us in every way. So THANK YOU all our friends for being there. You’ve been a part of making life easier for us… Friendship in deeper dimensions!

“…She was full of good works and kind deeds which she did.” Acts 9:36

Thanks for friendship!
Thanks for your generosity!
God bless you all!

Hugs,
Gunilla

They come from east and west…

This week Dave and Pauline Tidy from England have been here. They have visited Håkan several times. On Saturday, Håkan was on leave from the hospital, so he was at home in the apartment for dinner. Naturally, it was pork chops, Håkan’s favorite food, with our guests, Dave and Pauline.

Last week Hannah and Eliyahu from Israel came up to the hospital. What an encouragement for Håkan. Two weeks ago, Beckie Baraka, a good friend of the family and church, came from Kenya. She is one of the pastors in a church we’re friends with in Nairobi, Kenya, where Håkan and we have been many times. They are 8000 members, and they’re standing with us in prayer also.

It means so much to us, all you who have contacted us. I sat this week, here at home, with Håkan when he came home for a visit, and read all the greetings on the blog, after he had recorded his latest greeting. You can’t imagine how much it means to Håkan and me, that you are still with us, think about and pray for us. The tears just ran for both of us… Thank you, Lord! Thanks all of you friends!

Thank you also for all the gifts which have been sent to us. I haven’t needed to worry a single day about finances. As soon as a need has come up, someone has sent money to us. Thank you for your love. I can’t find words – don’t know how I can thank you. We feel so loved, by you and our heavenly Father. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Håkan is still on the rehab unit at Uddevalla Hospital, training every day, has a bath and bandage change every other day, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The sores on his body are healing well. It was on its way to getting infected on his head and forehead. The sore is open and because of that, he has a bandage around his head.

Håkan’s gait is getting better and better. He doesn’t need a shadow anymore, and walks totally on his own. He is of course a careful type, by nature, so he doesn’t take any risks and hasn’t fallen once. Thank goodness!

Yesterday I was up with Mikaela and Josefine, two of our youth in the church, who will go to South Africa for a Bible school and outreach in an African country. They wanted to meet Håkan before they left. He prayed for them, and they prayed for Håkan. It was a nice time. They expressed that we are their spiritual parents and their love for everyone in the church. Such moments are precious. Thank you, Jesus!

Eva from Dalsland came up to Håkan with homemade jam and blueberry pie. That was good…they come from east and west…

Thanks for being there…

”Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:16-18

God bless you all!
Hugs
Gunilla

Surprise after surprise!

Much has happened, with and around Håkan. The doctor who decided to let Håkan have a chance and sent him to Linköping in a helicopter, came and visited Håkan. It was a time full of thanksgiving, for the right decision and that everything has gone so well.

Håkan was down at Sahlgrenska, and got the stitches taken out from around his eye. It’s healing so well. I got to go along in the ambulance. It felt strange. It was, of course, the first time for me since the fire. Håkan has ridden in an ambulance many times now, so he is used to it. Tomorrow he’ll go down again for a follow-up visit.

The eye doctor in Uddevalla has looked at the left eye and they have decided to operate on the left eyelid, the same way they operated on the right one, which is healing very well now.

Hannah and Eliyahu, old friends of ours from Jerusalem, who we have known for over 20 years, came to visit Håkan. They have followed our journey via the blog. What a surprise for us, to get a prayer and blessing from Jerusalem.

I went in to Håkan and told him that some old friends were there to see him. You should have seen the look on his face – it was priceless. He couldn’t believe his eyes. We didn’t know they were in the country. That was a happy surprise. We are welcome to visit our friends when Håkan is well again.

The best thing that has happened lately is that Håkan walks on his own, without the walker, and can even raise himself up from a chair. All we can do is thank God for all the help Håkan is getting and the strong motivation he has to fully recover!

“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done… Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done…” Ps. 105:1, 4-5

Life is full of surprises! Thank God for life!

God bless you!

Thank you for all support and prayers!

Hugs,
Gunilla

Yet another visit with my brother

Yesterday we drove up from Varberg. Just as it started to rain, a shower came. Then I thought about the song, “Showers of grace will fall”.

The first thing we saw was Håkan, without his walker, in the corridor. It was so fantastic to see. He didn’t have any problem walking. And he recognized us a long way off. His first comment was, ”My, you’re tall!” He didn’t say that to me, but to Samuel, my son. I’m not any taller than Håkan.

Back to the song, “Showers of grace will fall”. They haven’t been small showers here, but rather DOWNPOURS of grace, over Håkan. What we’re seeing is so fantastic. Just to be able to see him walk, without any assistance. And that he recognizes us from a distance. The great Doctor is there with His showers (downpours) of grace.

We stayed until it was time for Håkan to eat and came back at 1:30 pm, because Dan was going to come then and pick up Håkan for a little outing. We drove to the house and had coffee on the patio. We had a really nice time telling about the things the Gniste brothers had experienced during their childhood as officer’s children in the Salvation Army. (It can be a very funny book.) “The pastor’s children are always the worst.”

When we sat there and talked, Håkan reminded me that I hadn’t written anything about my last visit. I didn’t have a chance – Gunilla beat me to it, and what she wrote was so good. But I thought back and remembered that the time flew by when we were there last.

You could recognize Håkan then, and you could see the teacher in him. We spoke about how the church should function, and what Fristaden had gone through, and about how it was at the Salvation Army in Varberg. Many interesting thoughts were presented by Håkan. I said to Inger, “Now he’s on the ball.” The discussion was based the whole time upon what had been revealed to Håkan through the Word of God. Håkan is really with it. Three hours just disappeared.

Back to yesterday. After being at the house for a while, Håkan took us sightseeing in Uddevalla.

When we got back to the hospital, we stayed a little while in the TV room. There was a program on that showed parts of an old series. It’s been a long time since I last saw Håkan laugh so much. His tear ducts really got a workout. Håkan said that it was probably good to be able to laugh like that.

After 6 hours, we parted and wished each other GOD’S BLESSING.

“Showers of grace will fall.”

Greetings,

Per-Göran Gniste

Greetings from Håkan...

Håkan sends his greetings to all you English speakers once again! Click on the blue box to the right to listen to the new greeting from Håkan. When you’re finished, click on the small text just above the box to close the window and return to the blog.

Blessings,
Jan

We carry on – you go!

It was when I asked Håkan what we should do with our planned trip, with a team, to Kenya this fall, that he answered, ”We carry on – you go!”

That sharing – which makes us one, so that when one of us does something, we do it together – is what it means to be one!

Now we’ve had a friend and pastor-colleague, Beckie Baraka from Kenya, here for a visit in Uddevalla for a week. She was one of the ones who translated us to Swahili when we were in Nairobi. It’s been a wonderful week. Beckie has visited the school, preschool, Second Hand, the boardwalk, Smögen, eaten at Lindesnäs and at home in different homes, seen our house and had different meetings at Fristaden.

Yesterday we had “Africa in Uddevalla”. Everyone who has ever been on a team to Kenya was welcome to meet Beckie. We ate apple pie together, and then there was an open house with food: rice, ugali, bread and salad, and then chicken in different forms – African chicken in a pot, stir-fry chicken, Swedish chicken with gravy. What a party-feeling!

We went in the sanctuary, looked at pictures, and told about our outreaches to Kenya. Many got to share one thing that made the deepest impression on them, from their trip. Afterwards, we had coffee and good fellowship around the tables.

We finished off the day with worship and African songs, before Beckie preached. The thing that made the deepest impression from that day was when Beckie invited all our friends from Africa, who were at the meeting, to come forward, and prayed for them. It was so nice – a holy moment which concluded with our Josefina singing in Swahili about God’s protection over them and us all.

What a day! What a week! Thank you, God, that I can be a part of it. We have been there so many times, and now Kenya is here with us again – Pastor JB Masinde was here last year. As they shout in Kenya, ”God is good – all the time!”

Beckie, who represents over 10,000 Kenyans who have prayed for us and Håkan during these past six months, visited Håkan several times. She’ll take that back to Kenya and they will continue to pray for us.

So, in October, we’ll go… ”We carry on – you go!” Yes, I’ll take a team made up of mostly youth with me. You’ll hear later about what we’ll be doing.

Bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

A Little Nuts!

Thursday
We don’t have many of our personal belongings left, as you have surely understood. I was so happy that two of my lavender hair bands were still around after the fire. Today I had braids in my hair. After school, I went to the bank and the store. When I came home, I saw that one of the braids had come undone and the hair band was gone. I went back and ran around, searching everywhere. It was gone. I realized that my eagerness to find it had more to do with it being something that was left from our live before the 3rd of March. If I haven’t had the hair bands in my hair, they’ve been on my arm since April – a little nuts!

I heard myself say to the personnel in the store that they should let me know if they found the hair band because it was one of the few things I had left after the fire – a little nuts, isn’t it? I went home with a smile on my lips. What a ridiculous reaction on my part, but the best part was that I realized that myself.

Today Håkan went with a bus full of patients and staff to the aquarium in Lysekil. The whole gang went around with wheelchairs and walkers. Beef patties in the restaurant were a high point. I asked our Daniel if he could take the bus out to Lysekil, with a camera, and take pictures, but he said no. I can imagine how it looked, anyway.

After the trip, Håkan was very tired, with all the impressions, but was glad, anyway, for the visits from Johanna, Gabriella and Jan.

After we had walked the boardwalk with our friend, Beckie, from Kenya, I went by Håkan and kissed him goodnight, because the next morning, he was off to Sahlgrenska again.

Friday
They removed half of Håkan’s stitches today; they’ll remove the other half next week. So, there will be more trips to Sahlgrenska. Down there, they have taken pictures of him in all positions, so they can see what exact adjustments will be needed in the future.

Now Håkan is walking on his own with the help of someone walking beside him with the walker. Thank you, Lord, for one more step in the right direction.

“…they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them…” Ps. 107:19-20

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Shuttle traffic to Sahlgrenska

On Thursday, last week, Håkan went down to Gothenburg and slept over, to be in place for the operation on Friday. That operation lasted 4 hours, with recovery. After that, Håkan was so tired that he stayed another night there and came home to Uddevalla Hospital on Saturday morning.

On Monday, Håkan was off again before 7 am for Sahlgrenska, in a hospital shuttle, to be there in time for his follow-up checkup. Back to Uddevalla again at 9 am.

On Tuesday, a new checkup and a new trip to Gothenburg, for Håkan and his eyelid, when he came with a new bandage over his eye.

Now I think we’re into “shuttle traffic”, aren’t we?

It’ll be exciting to see Håkan’s new eyelid. Imagine that the only thing left on his upper body when he came out of the fire was a cotton collar. Because of that, his neck was so nice that the doctors could take skin from his neck for his new eyelid.

The next trip to Gothenburg is on Friday, when we’ll see if it’s time to take out the stitches from the eyelids.

Håkan is healing more and more on his back and stomach. It’s even possible to give him a little massage – he thinks that feels so good.

Right now, Håkan has kind of like a stocking cap on his head. The thin skin is so vulnerable. Blisters come and go all the time – typical for a burn injury. Now we’re waiting for the skin to heal again.

The doctors say that, if it goes quickly, it takes about 1 year for rehabilitation, but it can take up to 2 years. Today is the 176th day since the fire, so we are thankful for every step forward – he’s making progress all the time.

Thank you for your continued prayers for us, and especially for Håkan.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name. Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is infinite.” Ps. 147:3-5

God bless you all!
Many hugs,
Gunilla

Sunday hospital rally

On Sunday afternoon, the staff took 5 patients from the hospital out on a wheelchair rally, down the hill to the park, where they all had a snack. It rained a little, but they were all so happy for the chance to get outside. That was when Håkan coined the phrase, “Sunday hospital rally”.

Per-Göran and Inger visited Håkan in the afternoon. They stayed for several hours and had a worthwhile conversation, Håkan said.

Nova and her mom, Johanna, also visited Grandpa, and Nova told him about the Sunday service we had on the beach, at Skeppsviken. Aunt Bella danced and Grandma sang about her backside, that is, ”Thank you, God, for all of me…heart…”

When I came up to Håkan, he was out walking in the corridor with his walker. He lit up, a long way away, so I asked him how he could see that it was me from so far away. He answered that he recognized right away the color purple.

We sat and talked and today Håkan was much more energetic – nice. We read out of his daily devotional and prayed together.

Now it’s easier to hold Håkan’s hand, but some of his fingers are very sensitive. I could hold his hand a long while. From his hands being totally bandaged, with skin transplants, to being healed. Now it’s time for physical and occupational therapy, and he’s making progress.

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength...” Is. 40:31

“…I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Is. 41:10

God bless you all!
Hugs,
Gunilla

After the party!

What a 50th birthday party Carina had – naturally high quality, musically, and good food – together with her whole family – fantastic.

Håkan recorded his congratulations to Carina, and I know how much he appreciates her, as a person, and the worship ministry she’s involved in, when she pulls down heaven.

After the party, I drove straight to Håkan. He sat there watching sports on TV. Kjell and Gunilla from Växjö had been with Håkan today with a guitar and singing, flowers and fruit. They had a nice time. We spoke about Carina’s party and everyone who had sent their greetings to Håkan.

Last Thursday, Håkan rode in an ambulance down to Sahlgrenska, and on Friday, he was operated on for four hours with a local anaesthesia. That was painful for Håkan. The doctor took skin from his neck and put new skin on Håkan’s right eyelids, both upper and lower.

Today, Saturday, Håkan came back to Uddevalla Hospital, but will go back to Sahlgrenska on Monday morning again, so they can look at his eyelids again.

But this evening, we were alone in Håkan’s room.

Just to be able to sit close and listen is such a nice feeling. That was inconceivable a few months ago.

Just to be able to stand close and massage his back is so nice. I didn’t dare touch his back a little while ago.

Just to be able to express our love to each other is so great, now that we can both talk again.

To rejoice over life, say how proud I am of my husband. Now we don’t take anything for granted.

To be able to pray together and bless each other – what a strength. Thanks, Lord, for grace and life!

“For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’”
Isaiah 41:13

Thank you everyone for all your support!
Bless!
Many hugs,
Gunilla

Håkan sends a greeting from the hospital

Last week, there were articles about Håkan and the Gniste family in two Christian newspapers in Sweden. I won’t translate the entire articles, but just wanted to pass on Håkan’s greeting which appeared in “Världen idag” on Wednesday the 12th of August:

A greeting from Håkan Gniste

Thanks. A big thanks to God for life. A big thanks to everyone who has been with us during this time, all the prayers, everyone who has helped and supported us, both in Sweden and abroad. Thanks to my family, especially to Gunilla, who has borne so much during these months. Thanks to all our children, family and relatives. Thanks to Fristaden and all our brothers and sisters in the faith in Uddevalla, who have helped in one way or another. Thanks to everyone who has stood with us through the blog, in prayer and gifts. The Body of Christ isn’t only meetings and events; the Body of Christ is much more. It is the Body of Christ which is attractive; it is the Body which will change. This happens when relationships are deepened among Christians, and we need to pass this on to the next generation.

Håkan Gniste,
Rehab Unit,
Uddevalla Hospital

Good feeling!

The nurse was going to stick Håkan with a needle, but with his new skin, it’s difficult to find a blood vessel. Another nurse came in to help. She said to Håkan that it was good to see him again. “Do you know each other?” So she explained that the time before was on the morning of the 3rd of March, when Håkan came in, burned.

You can only imagine what a feeling that was to meet again after 5 months, in the state Håkan is in now compared to then…and for Håkan, to meet someone who was there in the very beginning.

These are important details in the process of inner healing, of emotional healing, from the trauma that we’ve gone through. When we came up to visit Håkan, we cried together, mostly for life, that we are alive, that Håkan survived, in spite of that burned body, and now he’s sitting there with patched and repaired skin, which is thin, but anyway, for the most part, in the process of healing.

It is good! It is great! It is fantastic!

Ps.107:19-21
“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!”

We want to give thanks! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, my Lord and my God!

Bless!
Hugs,
Gunilla

The Kingdom of God!

Last Friday, Håkan was at Sahlgrenska in Gothenburg, for an examination. The doctors have decided that both lower eyelids need to be operated on again, so that will be really good. Otherwise, Håkan’s eyesight is at risk. Håkan was satisfied with the decision and that they have taken this seriously, so his eyesight can be better.

This weekend I have been down in Halmstad, at ”The Building” Conference that the Salvation Army has there every year, at ”Gullbrannagården”. The plan was for both of us to be there and speak, but Håkan, of course, is still in the hospital, so I had to go without my husband.

The theme was ”The Kingdom of God”. Håkan and I sat and talked about it before Lotta and I drove down to the conference. I wrote it down and started my seminar with the Bible verse that Håkan got about the Kingdom of God which can’t be shaken to pieces and read excerpts from our conversation, so he could share a little, even though he couldn’t be there.

The whole weekend was absolutely fantastic. Lotta, who was with me, said it was the best she’s been a part of in a long time. The devotion and longing for more of God were enormous. The Salvation Army in Halmstad is such a good example, with many new families and singles who have experienced changed lives – powerful testimonies about what Jesus has done in their lives.

We drove straight to Håkan, told him how good we’d had it, about the wonderful meetings, good fellowship and what was shared. Naturally, we had a lot of greetings with us to Håkan.

Now it’s Monday evening and I’ve come home from visiting Håkan, who says that he will go to Sahlgrenska on Thursday, for an operation around his right eye on Friday. Today, an eye doctor in Uddevalla has sewn a couple of stitches in the eyelids which will help the eye until Friday.

Please stand with us in prayer, that this operation is successful.

God bless you!
Many hugs,
Gunilla

You anoint my head with oil

Today my sister, Elisabet, and her husband, Carl-Axel, came. We had coffee in the apartment, drove to the house, and then to Håkan at the hospital. When we got there, Dave from England, Janne and Stig Walldin were there. Håkan was so happy. They spoke both English and Swedish.

Elisabet had both home cooked crayfish and fresh blackberries with her. Håkan enjoyed them and spoke about the mackerel sandwich and shrimp party which have brightened up his days in the hospital.

We have joked with Håkan and wondered if he should have a party with fermented Baltic herring there also. “It’s probably best to wait until I come home, or at Anders’ and Carin’s,” he answered, and we agreed.

Now we all stood there around Håkan, and the vicar began to speak and said that it wasn’t a coincidence that we were all there together. He had oil with him and wanted to pray and anoint Håkan. It was a holy moment. There was unity in Håkan’s room – different ministers of the Lord who together prayed and blessed Håkan.

Arne and Buck came to see Håkan later, and the evening concluded with fried chanterelle on ryecrisp for Håkan and a good night kiss, from me.

Mohammed will go along with Håkan to Gothenburg on Friday. There won’t be any operation, but just an examination, this time.

Thanks for all love, care and prayer.

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Håkan’s first home visit

Today Håkan was out on his first mission, outside of the hospital. Together with an Occupational Therapist and a Physical Therapist, he came home for a short visit. The red Saab stopped outside our entrance. Håkan got help, naturally, but managed very well to raise himself up out of the car – with the help of his walker – stand up, and walk, slowly but surely, up the 6 steps before coming to the elevator.

When we came into the apartment, we fixed a chair with cushions on it for Håkan, and then he could see our new home. Our dog, Jasmine, was happy to see Håkan, although a little shy. The dog would have preferred to go on a walk with Håkan, but now he just sat there on a chair and walked very carefully. Jasmine took it easy and lay down under the table – dogs are wise.

When they had seen what aids were needed for Håkan when he comes home on visits, they made their way downstairs, back the same way they came. It’s harder to go downstairs than upstairs.

Then we sat in the car and rode to Sigelhultsvägen. The car drove into the driveway, and with help, Håkan made his way to our patio, which is newly built. What a day, what a feeling for us, for Håkan, to be able to come home, even if only on the patio. He went carefully to the edge and looked down to see all that had been done in the yard.

Yesterday we picked apples from the yard. The grandchildren helped make apple pie for their grandpa to eat today. Now we sat there and ate, and then came the surprise for the day. Janne had picked up Dave Richards from the airport, and when they got to Uddevalla, they came by our house, and got to see Håkan’s joy over coming to the yard, and have fellowship with him.

Dave, who came to us directly after the fire, got to see Håkan from the beginning. That we now, 161 days later, are sitting and eating together at our home, is almost incomprehensible! “He who waits for something good, never waits too long!”

We thanked God and the staff who made this possible. There is still a lot that lies ahead, before Håkan can come home, but one more step has been taken on this long journey.

You must understand that Håkan has a different suit of skin than he had before the accident, and his face is different, but nice, considering it’s experienced an 80% burn injury, but inside, it’s the same, kind Håkan as before.

Margareta and Bength Gustafson visited Håkan this weekend. When we spoke to each other afterwards, Bength expressed that when Håkan started to talk, it was the same old Håkan, who with clarity spoke well of the unity and what God is doing in Uddevalla.

This evening, Dave is visiting Håkan at the hospital. I have to prepare for the weekend in Halmstad.

On Friday, Håkan will go to Sahlgrenska for another operation – more information is coming!

Thanks for praying for us!

Hugs to you all!
Bless!
Gunilla

“The impossible just takes a little longer time.”

This week Per Cedergårdh, an old pastor’s colleague, visited Håkan. They also went through a pastor’s training together. Håkan said to Per, ”You’re coming with a gift for me.” The gift was that Per should pray for Håkan’s hands and his eyes. Håkan received prayer, and was so happy for it, and for all the good things that Per told him about, that God has done in different countries this year.

This weekend we’re having our church camp out at Ammenäs, a place we’ve returned to many times since the first time in 1988. Many have received Jesus here, been changed, and the Spirit of God has done so much in our lives. Now we’re here again, with good fellowship in worship, and we’re sharing our lives with each other. We know that Håkan would like to be here, but another year is coming, next year, when Håkan can be with us again.

Today Håkan’s sister has been with him in the afternoon and he was happy and alert when I came up, satisfied with hearing a little from the camp. We both cried and laughed together.

When we left, Håkan’s sister wanted to see what’s happening with the house before she went back to Småland. Håkan needed to rest before his next visitor came.

I drove back to the camp in time for the campfire, with a very fun program. Now we’re sitting and sharing testimonies. Gun said that she reads the blog every day, following it to know how she should pray, and excited about what has happened with Håkan. She concluded by saying, ”The impossible just takes a little longer time.”

Now the doctors have decided that Håkan needs another eye operation. One of his eyes has a little difficulty closing, so please pray for Håkan’s eyes. The operation might be sometime this coming week.

Thanks for being with us, through the blog, and remember that, ”The impossible just takes a little longer time.”

In the Bible it says, ”Nothing is impossible for God.” Maybe it just takes a little longer time, sometimes…

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

So much can happen in a week!

Yesterday we came home from a wonderful vacation on Gotland. I drove straight to the hospital to visit my husband. There sat Håkan with Jan, Lotta and Dan on the balcony, full of flowers, the sun shining, the weather warm, after a real shrimp party, and he was in a good mood.

We went to his room and Håkan told me what they had worked on during the week. Training on walking up and down stairs has made it possible for Håkan to walk up 4 steps of stairs, with help.

The walker, which has been Håkan’s most important tool for getting back on his feet again, is still present, but he can raise himself up more easily now, with the walker’s help. We see a big difference just in this week we’ve been away.

We talked about Johan’s comment, “Give us one more week and Håkan will be able to walk better.” They have faith, and surely experience, and now we are there.

Today, Janne and I have been to see Håkan. Then he told us with a proud look that this was ”the big day” when he had walked 11 steps of stairs, both up and down, with an occupational therapist by his side, of course. After that, Håkan walked without the walker, for the first time, in the corridor, to the dining room, all by himself, naturally, with staff beside him.

This day is a breakthrough for Håkan and his gait! The joy in Håkan’s eyes, and the proud voice, make me think of the Bible verse, “Rejoice with those who rejoice…”

Håkan’s comment was, ”Imagine that you can be so happy for such minor progress, but in my world, this is extremely big.”

So now we are happy for this step. Please stand with us and pray for the next daring step that Håkan will take.

Thank you for visiting the blog and getting updated. Please write a greeting to Håkan – we’ll read it to him.

God bless you!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Boards at the hospital

A few weeks ago, a man called Bengt, who was on his way through town, came by our house with some boards and moulding. His family had gone through the same thing – their house had burned – in the beginning of January this year. Now they have a planing mill, and wanted to bless us with skirting-board, cornice and window cases. Bengt and his little daughter came with various samples. Very attractive moulding.

Amelie and I were going up to Håkan for an evening visit. We went by the house and picked up boards and moulding. I don’t know if it’s so usual to come with boards to the hospital, but by the way people looked at us, it seemed a little unusual. Håkan was happy for the board visit, and that he can participate in the construction of the house. The joy that comes from knowing that someone is blessing us in this way was icing on the cake, as we say.

The staff laughed at us when we went home with our boards under our arms, wondering what we’d planned to build on the unit.

Now one more thing is decided for the re-construction of the house. Today, Dan and Arne are on site again after vacation, and are looking at how the work on the house should be organized.

A big thanks to Bengt and his family, who thought about us and wanted to give to us. Thank you, Lord, for brothers and sisters who share with us – bless them back.

Håkan is continuing to work on occupational and physical therapy every day. Training and more training…results in skill!

“And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col. 1:18-20

God bless you also!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Take care of…

We were up at the conference in Uppsala a few days. It was really good! Håkan and I have been there with the family every year since 1987. I was a little nervous about going without Håkan, but it was great to meet so many friends who have thought about us and prayed for us. We are really dependent upon the Lord and each other. That's the Body of Christ, taking care of and supporting one another – the Body functioning!

Imagine that a warm look can mean so much – it warms our hearts…
Imagine that a hug can mean so much – it’s felt…
Imagine that a word of encouragement can mean so much – it’s heard…
Imagine that a gift can mean so much – it’s noticed…

A big THANKS to everyone who, in one way or another, is participating in our long journey – it makes us feel borne, and we manage one more step.

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Gal. 6:2

Now I’m on vacation a couple of days with Daniel on the island of Gotland. We came over with the ferry yesterday, and got settled into a one bedroom apartment inside the wall in Visby. Today we’ve walked around, looked at the old part of the city, and at the old ruins. It’s fantastic to see all the old church ruins and monastery.

We were at the Salvation Army for a meal, fellowship and meeting in the evening. It was really wonderful, in every way. Afterwards, we took the car and traveled around the island. I wanted to see where my parents got engaged in 1945, here on Gotland.

Håkan has had visits from Josefina, Jakob and Maria, and Mohammed this weekend. Today, my sister, Anneli, her husband, Peter, Linnea and Agnes were with Håkan. Tomorrow, it’s Bella’s and Johanna’s turn.

I’ve been in 5th gear since the 3rd of March, so a few days’ break is not such a bad idea. When I spoke to Håkan today, he said he was happy for my sake and that this was what his wife needed – I suppose that’s true. That’s taking care of…

Live in the present, in thanksgiving, and take care of each other!

Bless!
Gunilla

Report from big brother

From our visit on Friday, the 31st of July, we see what fantastic progress Håkan is making.

We also see how God is present in everything. The sores on Håkan’s body are nearly completely healed, and therefore, we, in the family, are so thankful for the prayer chain that has gone on all over the world for Håkan’s recovery.

Irrespective of where we are, we see how the power of prayer is functioning. I hope that you who read this never doubt that.

”The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

I believe that our battle for Håkan in prayer has come into a new phase. Håkan is getting better and better, but now he’s also starting to think more about the future. Here we need to stand with him more in our prayers, concentrate on and give our love to Håkan through our prayers.

We need to focus especially on praying for:

- Håkan’s hands. That he gets back all their functions so that he can use them in a normal way.

- Håkan’s eyes. That his eyesight is restored 100%.

We know that nothing is impossible for God.

”With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Thanks for your support. God bless you all.

Per-Göran Gniste

The ring finger!

A few weeks ago, when Håkan was in Gothenburg, a doctor came and looked at Håkan’s ring finger. The finger seemed to be dead, so they were going to cut off a little bit of it.

That evening, Håkan’s brother came to visit Håkan, with his son, and my brother and his wife. As you may well understand, Håkan was preoccupied with the answer he’d received earlier in the day. So, they started to pray to God, that He who is the God of wonders would intervene, and in Jesus name, create new skin on the ring finger.

The next day after breakfast, the staff came and took Håkan to have the operation done. Håkan was both cold and hot, as you might understand. When the doctor looked at the ring finger, she saw new skin. Several doctors had to look at the finger to decide its future. They saw new skin, so decided to schedule a later visit.

Today, Håkan went to Sahlgrenska for the exam. The finger has new skin and doesn’t need to be cut off. Thank you, Lord, for your grace! The surgeons also looked at Håkan’s back. It’s healing so nicely. Håkan was satisfied with the day. Everything went so well, and it felt secure having Mohammed along on the trip. In a few weeks, Håkan will have another appointment…

We want to give all glory to our God for every small wonder and large miracle that we have seen on this journey with Håkan, but also thank the staff for making the right decision and doing such a nice job.

Please pray that the doctors continue to make the right decisions for Håkan!

”My future is in God’s hands. In the dark of night, He turns on the light. He leads me one step at a time, on the way to the land of heaven.”

God bless you all!

Hugs,
Gunilla

Little Nova

Johanna was on her way up to Håkan when little Nova said that she wanted to go along and visit Grandpa. We sat and read the blog together when little Nova came in, pretty as a little doll, with a bouquet from the garden. You can imagine how happy Grandpa was to see her.

Yesterday we had care planning. Håkan’s training is moving right along. Every day when we come up, something new has happened, in the right direction.

Today we sat and continued with the blog. We started with reading the latest posts, and all the greetings to Håkan. He sends his greetings and thanks. It means so much to him. I have, of course, lived with the blog for months, but now Håkan is receiving from it.

We went back and continued with May. There are small and large gaps for Håkan, which he can fill in by reading the blog, so he’ll be updated on how things were for us and all the greetings that you have sent. We never could have guessed that this blog would be such a blessing, in so many ways.

On Thursday, Håkan will go by ambulance to Sahlgrenska, with our Mohammed. He’ll go to the hand surgeon for an exam, and other doctors will also come and look at other parts of his body – nice for Håkan that they do all the exams in the same trip. Please pray for the trip…

John 15:12-14
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.”
Jesus

Thanks for the love you’ve poured out!

God bless you all!
Many hugs,
Gunilla

Within walking distance

It only takes a few minutes to walk to Håkan from our new apartment. Today, I’ve gone back and forth twice – what a difference from the long trips to Linköping.

We asked Håkan if there was anything he wanted. “A little smoked mackerel, please…” So, this evening we went up to Håkan with a little mackerel. Oh, how satisfied he was!

Håkan has said for several days that his leg hurts. He’s waited several days for the doctor, but today it was an assistant nurse (LPN) who took him seriously. You who know my husband know that he isn’t the type to make a big deal of things, but now they rushed him down for x-rays, and they discovered that Håkan had a blood clot in his leg.

This is very common, after months in bed. I know that in Linköping, Håkan was given medicine to prevent this, but now Håkan has been so active, so they haven’t taken him seriously when he said that his leg hurt.

We had planned to write something together on the blog, so you would get an extra greeting from Håkan, but after all the excitement, there wasn’t much energy left this evening, so we’ll do it another day.

This week Håkan and I have read through everything on the blog together. We have made it through all of March and April. Håkan cries, and so do I. Imagine that I can sit and read to him about the time he was sedated, and in that way, he can make up the time he’s lost, in a concentrated form.

When Håkan heard all the comments that were written by new and old friends, it was almost too much for him. I don’t know how many tissues we went through.

This week we will read through all of May. Soon we will come to July, so if you have something to say to Håkan, write on the blog!

Please pray for Håkan’s leg. Håkan sends a big THANKS to you all!

Blessings from God!

Hugs
Gunilla

The grandchildren visited Grandpa!

We asked the doctor when the grandchildren could see Håkan, and she said that they could come when it was healed more under his eyes, and that we should show them a picture first, so they would be prepared.

I asked Håkan if we could take a picture, so the grandchildren could see how he looks now, and that wasn’t any problem.

Rebecca and Johan were here and took Angelina and Alice with them up to Grandpa, and Håkan was really glad to meet his little sweethearts. The girls handled it well. After a little while, they had gotten used to him and discovered that inside it was the same grandpa.

Yesterday when Mohammed was there, he told Håkan that we had eaten shrimp one evening. When I came up later, Håkan asked if I could come up with a little shrimp for him, like today. We saw that as a step in his recovery.

Today Rebecca’s and Johanna’s families, together with Josefina, Gabriella, Mohammed and I, went to Åstol. We ate at a nice restaurant, together with Erika, fished for crab, and drank coffee. We bought fresh shrimp for Håkan.

Daniel, Krister and I went up with the shrimp to Håkan, and when we came in, Håkan sat with Johanna, Daniel and both the girls, Nicole and Nova, out in the dining hall. Now, four of the grandkids have been to see their grandpa. They live, of course, so close to us, so we see each other every other day, so the longing for their grandpa has been so great. One more step is taken, hallelujah!

We went into the room and Håkan reveled in shrimp with egg and good bread. Oh my, how Håkan enjoyed it!

Tomorrow Håkan will get his eyes examined again. Please pray for Håkan’s eyes.

God bless you!
Your friend
Gunilla

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6-7

One more step and one more step…

That’s Håkan’s everyday life – he takes steps every day, for himself, for us and for the future. In the 70’s, we sang, “I want to take a step of faith with you, I want to walk in the word you’ve spoken to me…”

When I walk beside Håkan in the corridor, that little song rings inside of me. That’s exactly what Håkan is doing – he takes steps of faith the whole time. He dares to stretch himself a little more and a little more, the whole time. It is so amazing – I’m so proud of my husband.

When we sat and talked with the nurse, she said that now it’s time for training, and that as soon as Håkan can walk up and down stairs, he can come home for the day, and in that way train for going home.

I must admit that it took a few days for that to sink in – walk up and down stairs…come home for the day…going home…

As a family, we’ve also taken steps of faith with Håkan, during this time – sometimes small steps, that become a giant step, but without these small steps, no giant step.

Talk about an incentive! Maybe now you understand even more why Håkan walks and walks in the corridor. He can see that if only he can walk up and down stairs, he can come home for the day, to train for going home for good.

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Cor. 13:13

Thanks to all of you who have taken steps with us on this journey.
Thanks to all of you who have taken steps of faith with us on this journey.
Thank you, God, for every step forward for Håkan.
Thank you, God, for everyone who has stood and walked with us – bless them, Father, every one of them.

Please continue to pray for Håkan’s next step…

God bless you all!

Many hugs,
Gunilla

Håkan on home ground

I met Håkan the other day. Every time you see Håkan, you’re struck by the progress of the healing process in his body. He looks a little different, but you can easily recognize Håkan’s good personality and humor. After burn injuries of this extent, the joints are stiff and need to be trained in order to get their function back. That means a lot of training for Håkan every day. It was nice to sit with Håkan and share thoughts about life. Naturally, Håkan wanted to know what’s happening in the church. Håkan had many questions. We expressed how much we appreciated each other and he thought that the experience we’ve had of living close to each other in the Body of Christ is important to pass on to the next generation. We even talked about the fire. One is humbled when one realizes how everything we take for granted can be changed so quickly.

Now, four months have gone by since the fire in the Gnistes’ house. It’s been a special and intense time, for me and Elisabet, to go through this with the church, together with our church leaders. The accident at the Gnistes’ has affected us in many different ways: a family has lost their home, a badly injured father, absence of a workmate, church members who are going through a crisis, situations in the country where Håkan’s wisdom and ability to give advice have been missed, a spiritual father has been put on the sidelines. We have seen a mobilization in prayer, a corporate faith, and prayer for the Body of Christ. In all that, we’ve seen God work, and we’re working to keep “Håkan’s chair warm”.

I was glad when Buck Hudson, who visited us at the Midsummer conference, said that the church wasn’t tired, in spite of what had happened in the spring. I believe that all the extra time we’ve spent with God in prayer, in the middle of all the needs, has also given us new strength. The church hasn’t stood still, but has even moved forward during this time. We have had a good conference this Midsummer, and have four camps during the summer. A new Bible and Discipleship School will start in the fall. We need new facilities, because it’s a little crowded where we have our services on Sundays.

In every crisis there’s a possibility. Paul says in his letter to the Galatians, “Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” The law of Christ is that we love one another. In every crisis the possibility exists to close one’s heart and not let love work. In this situation, we have experienced many open hearts, and a lot of love that has been shared as we, in different ways, have stood around Håkan and the Gniste family.

We are so thankful for everyone who has contacted us and offered support. We see what kind of network Håkan and Gunilla have across Sweden and all over the world. The truth is that what has happened has happened, but also that when we turn to God, he can help change that which was intended for something evil into something good. Dave Richards said in his preaching the first weekend after the fire, “Don’t ask why, ask what for.” To ask the question “Why?” only leads to a dead end.

When I asked if there was anything special Håkan wanted, he looked at my shorts and said that it would be good to have a pair of those. Håkan, who loves the sun, has barely been outside to experience summer this year. But, it’ll be different next summer…

Janne Sääf

The Lord is my shepherd…

We sat and talked, my husband and I. What was the last thing you thought about before you were sedated, right after the accident?

”The last thing I did was recite Psalm 23, ‘The Lord is my shepherd…’ I had it inside of me when I went to sleep; it was inside of me when I woke up; it was the first thing that came to mind…”

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”

I’ve started my day with that Psalm for over 20 years, but that it would carry Håkan through this difficult time, when he had to make a decision to survive several times… Then that Psalm gave him new life, new hope, new trust, new courage, new strength… Håkan read what it said, believed what it said, and received what it said. That is “raw faith” and it bears!

So, ”The Lord is my shepherd” has taken on a deeper meaning for us! Yes, especially “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” “I wandered literally through the valley of the shadow of death, then…,” Håkan said.

”…he restores my soul…” means to come back to the starting point…you proclaimed that, the last thing you did.

…and then…”all the days of my life”…important to speak life, in the middle of the valley of the shadow of death…

…also, rest in God…”lie down in green pastures…quiet waters…”

Thank you, God, that we can stand on and rest in your word…

God bless you all!

Love!

Gunilla