Ten Talents International Blog

Our latest update on Benjamin is that he is doing fine and recovering in the hospital still. They expect him to be there for about another week before moving into the guest house for further recovery. We praise God for how he has helped this life-saving event to happen, for everyone who gave to help it happen, and for all of your prayers and care for Benjamin.

I am writing this post from the El Sauzal orphanage near Ensenada, Mexico (we have an internet connection here- yeah~!) We praise God for how he has helped our team also. We are having a good trip and enjoying our time here with the children. Everyone has been healthy, and although our nights have been a little sleepless (thanks to a peacock which calls out all night, roosters, barking dogs, and sleeping on air mattresses) everyone is keeping a good attitude. It is not always easy to try to accomplish things in a foreign country (although they do have a Home Depot here)! Things are different than how we are used to doing them and it isn’t always easy to find (or make) what you need. But we are doing our best to tackle some improvement projects here, and hope that beyond our small repairs that the lasting impression will be that we were a reflection of Jesus to them.

Thank you for your prayers and support of all the work of Ten Talents, and I look forward to sharing pictures with you soon!

God Bless You,
Lisa

Benjamin’s surgery was a success.  His heart valve was replaced with a mechanical valve. He has been sedated for the last few days and under the doctor’s supervision.  We are continuing to pray for God to help his body to heal and recover, with strength and swiftness.

Mike & Mike leave tomorrow morning in the van for Mexico. Thank you for praying for their trip as well as our time of work in Ensenada.

God Bless You,
Lisa

Benjamin’s heart surgery has been scheduled for tomorrow, June 20th.  We appreciate you praying with us for a complete success for the surgery and peace for Benjamin as he goes into this. We are praying for his body to be strong and for him to recover well and quickly from the surgery.

Our Mexico team is getting ready to leave this week. Mike and another team member will be driving a van full of luggage and supplies starting this Wednesday, the 23rd. The rest of the team, including myself and our kids, will fly down to San Diego on the 25th, where the van will meet us and we will drive into Ensenada, Mexico. We are praying for the van traveling down- no mechanical problems, protection, making good time, etc. And we are also praying for the team & our time there: health for all and for God to help us to get a lot done as well as loving on the kids there at the orphanage.

Thanks for praying with us!
God Bless You,
Lisa

Benjamin (age 15) and his guardian Maureen have arrived in the Sudan. The hospital there has already begun running tests and have put him on the list for heart surgery, but we don’t have a date yet. There are children there from all over the region; Iraq, Somalia, Sudan, Congo, Uganda… Maureen says it is VERY HOT there. She says, “You can’t go out side” and “I have to close my eyes if I go out side”. (Rwanda has a quite mild climate for Africa, due to it’s elevation.)

We appreciate your prayers for Benjamin as he prepares for surgery. Pray for peace for him (this is probably all strange & could be scary) and for him to be able to have the surgery soon. Let’s pray for his body to be strong and ready for the surgery, as well as for the surgeons to do exactly what needs to be done.

Thank you!
God Bless You,
Lisa

We are so thankful that the funds needed for Benjamin’s surgery have been received! The hospital in Sudan is ready to receive him, and the plane tickets have been purchased.

Benjamin and the Home of Innocence house mom, Maureen, will be going to Khartoum, Sudan on June 14th. The hospital, called the Salam Centre, provides a guest house for Maureen to stay in while Benjamin is in the hospital.

Please pray for Benjamin to be sustained by God and for all the remaining details to fall into place. We are praying for this surgery to be a complete success and for Benjamin’s recovery to be so quick that all the doctors are amazed!

What a blessing it is that God has allowed all of us to be a part of helping Benjamin. He really is getting a second chance at life. We just can’t wait to see him running the soccer fields with his friends- and that day is going to come!

Blessings,

Lisa