Friday 30 October 2009

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

Tuesday 27 October 2009

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

Friday 23 October 2009

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.

Tuesday 20 October 2009

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

Saturday 17 October 2009

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

Tuesday 13 October 2009

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

Monday 12 October 2009

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

Thursday 8 October 2009

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

Friday 2 October 2009

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