Appointments

Over the past two days, we've made our way to the dentist, eye doctor and pediatrician, and with the exception of needing glasses for reading, and the fist-sized squishy mass on the back of his head, Nawroz is in remarkably good shape. And squishy mass is the doctor's term, not mine - but it is completely accurate. The 4 cm x 5 cm tumor which protrudes from the right side of the back of his head has been growing there since he was born, and it is squishy and feels something like a fluid filled sac. In another country it might have been caught at perhaps 6 months of age and removed, but due to the lack of medical care where he lives in Afghanistan that simply is not possible. So we will be scheduled for an appointment to have a CT scan with contrast so that the doctors can determine exactly how the tumor is organized, how it is "fed" and how we can possibly remove or drain it. It appears to be just under the skin, and since he's developed as an otherwise normal boy for the past 12 years, we are hopeful there is no brain involvement. I'm trying to stay in the moment of the here in now and not get my hopes up too high that it will be as easy to remove as the pediatrician seems to think it could be. But I just can't help and think about how happy Nawroz's parents will be if we are able to remove that mass. And how really happy he will be too. For now I will be patient and pray for my miracle while we wait for the scan and results, and I'll continue to soak up every single moment of this most incredible time.

Peace,
Meg

Day 1 and 2

Arrival day was a blur. Families began gathering at the airport at 7:30 am and over the course of the next hour, the entire area known as Baggage Claim A became the scene of organized chaos. News cameras and reporters interviewed waiting families and eager brothers and sisters raced back and forth between the arrival escalators and their parents, overflowing with anticipation. It was all a joyful noise that even other airport passengers couldn't help but stop and ask about. But that was nothing compared to the outburst of applause and cheers that erupted as the children finally made their way down the escalator. There were tears and hugs for returning children, and there were tears and hugs for children here for the first time who are just now realizing that they are really very far from home. The love and compassion that embraced each child will help to begin the slow journey of building trust and sharing peace that will happen over the next 6 weeks. And so it is with Nawroz. Shy and very unsure of his new surroundings, and exhausted from a 3 day journey, as soon as we arrived home and he saw his bed, that is where he landed. He crawled under the covers at 10:30 am Tuesday morning, and did not stir until 7:00 am this morning. Now that's a tired boy! Slowly we've been making our way, communicating through pointing and gestures, and a rather helpful Farsi-English dictionary. Tomorrow is the dentist -- when he saw that word in the dictionary he shook his head no, funny how that works - affirms my belief that all kids are just kids. Then we get a few hours of one-on-one time with the interpreter to give us all a chance to try to get to know eachother a little better. That will be great! For now, I've learned that he is 12, that I guessed pretty good and he's a size 8, he likes bananas and grapes, and he's pretty darn good at the Wii.

Peace,
Meg

Meet Nawroz

On June 23 our family will begin a 6 week journey of faith and hope and love as we welcome Nawroz to our family. Nawroz is one of 34 children who will travel from their homes across Afghanistan to the Lake Norman Area of North Carolina where they will receive medical care and spend 6 weeks living without the daily stress of war.

SOLACE for the Children is a non-profit organization that I have been a board member of for the past several years. We first began bringing children from Belarus to North Carolina in the 1990s to receive dental and medical care, and in 2001 and 2003 I traveled there on mission trips with Lake Norman Children's Relief. In 2007 as our ability to provide treatment for Belarus became limited, we turned our focus to Afghanistan and during that summer brought 7 children for our Summer Program. Last year we brought 21 children, and this year there will be 34.

I invite you to visit our website http://www.solaceforthechildren.orgto understand the mission of our program and to see the great things we do. For the past 5 years our family has hosted adult chaperones with the program, but this will be our first time hosting a child. And a boy at that! As a family with 3 daughters, this should be a new experience for sure!

My hope is to share our experience building peace on a foundation of health, as we share our summer with Nawroz with all of you.

Peace,
Meg