God’s Journey with Vedat

It has been two weeks since Vedat and Steve have returned from the hospital on 07.19.2007. Vedat is getting used to his new surroundings and making tremendous progress.  He is eating well and trying a variety of foods that are new to him.  We have discovered that he likes pot-stickers almost as much as Popeye’s chicken.

Our family is connecting with Vedat in a way that only God can orchestrate.  On Sunday, (07.22.2007) Steve asked Ian, our two year old, and Tyler, our nine year old, what they thought about Vedat living with us.  Here is what Ian answered:

Steve:  Ian, why do you like having Vedat here with us?
Ian:  Because he loves us so much.
Steve:  How do you know that Vedat loves us?
Ian:  Vedat gave me a pirate set with an eye patch (map, gold coins, etc.).

Vedat has proven to be very giving.  The week before leaving Chicago, Steve took Vedat to an arcade where the games give tickets that can be redeemed for prizes.  Vedat used his tickets to buy Ian a framed picture of Elmo for his third birthday.

Tyler’s answer to Steve’s question was more developed:

Steve:  How do you like having Vedat stay with us?

Tyler:  It has been very fun.  I have had a great time.  It has been a lot easier for me than I thought it would be.  I hope by the time that he is ready to go back home to Serbia that he is able to do everything on his own.  One of the best times so far has been flying kites.  It was the first time he had done it and we got to teach him something new.

Vedat is experiencing so many things for the first time.  A few days ago, Steve and “the boys” were out washing the cars.  Vedat held the hose while Steve, Tyler and Ian washed.  Needless to say, the cars were not the only things getting wet.     They had so much fun and Vedat laughed constantly.

Up until this point, Vedat has not been able to get in or out of the shower independently.  On Saturday, 07.21.2007, a true miracle occurred.  To put it in Vedat’s own words:

“I was taking a shower and I needed help moving my left leg out of the shower.  You (Steve) had helped me on Thursday and Friday.  Suddenly I started saying something in my language (Roma):   ‘God, help me so I can do everything by myself I was doing before the operation.  Help me to get my legs back so I can shower myself and do everything myself.’   A miracle happened– I took my feet out of the shower when I was done.  If you ask Him to help you, just do it and He will help you.”

Back in Chicago, during a particularly difficult time, Steve talked with Vedat about spiritual warfare.  Steve explained that when God begins to work, Satan always tries to thwart it, any way that he can.  He told Vedat that he was not going to let the event discourage him and together they decided that they would not quit!  They were going to trust God and keep doing the “footwork”.

To hear Vedat now say that he prayed and asked God to step in, that he did not give up but trusted God to work, we believe is a result of this conversation.  God is doing so much in this child’s life in such a short time.  He is living out Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”  And what things he is doing!