TIKKUN OLAM, THE WORK OF SAVE A CHILD'S HEART

My friend Don and I have been incredibly blessed with Divine Appointments; yesterday was the first day after the Institute for Israel Studies that brought me to Jerusalem. Sunday evening, the last day of our course, we were already invited, by John Somerville, a very well connected man in the world of Christian support for Israel, who has become a dear friend during the course, to join him at the Wolfson Hospital, Holon (Tel Aviv), where Save a Child's Heart does their work; here we were met by Tamar Shapira, the public relations person for the Save a Child's Heart organization.

Earlier, during a visit to the Northern Command Military base at Zefat, we learned about the My Brother's Keeper operation which is a dedicated field hospital on the Golan/Syrian border which was established on February 16, 2013 in response to seven sick/wounded Syrians arriving at an Israeli base. These seven were treated, and permission to do so came quickly without reservation; but before they were ready to be released, more arrived. If severity of condition warranted, they were transferred to the Zefat hospital, or in to the larger hospital in Nahariya, on the Mediterranean. By now more than 1,000 patients have been treated, some staying as long as 4 months.

My point, however, is not to go into this story at the moment, but to indicate a mindset in Israel; when a human need arises, one does not ask questions regarding nationality, religion or culture, one gives the assistance needed. Contrary to what we often hear about oppression and "apartheid", we have, instead, found this attitude of service.

So, as we arrive at the Wolfson Hospital, we are greeted by Tamar.

Our friend John, thank you John, made the contacts for Don and me; and here we meet Tamar. The shopping mall behind them is the entrance to the hospital, which is a common feature of Israeli hospital entrances, she told us. From here Tamar took us to meet Dr. Zion Churi, one of the heart Surgeons. Dr. Ami Cohen, the founder of Save a Child's Heart, died in an untimely mountaineering accident on Mt. Kilimanjaro, after which, according to Dr. Zion, the team was "cemented together" to continue the work.

Today, children from 48 countries around the world have had hearts repaired and life renewed.

Tikkun Olam, Hebrew phrase meaning "repairing the world", is in operation here.

The tour guide, Odelia, claimed that Israel "sucks at PR". Our intention is to help remedy that situation; please forward this to all your contacts.

In the image below, an Ethiopian boy is prepared for his surgery; his mother at his side.

Mothers are often with their children, since the program also operates a guest house for them to stay through the process from being preparation through recovery. Israeli and local Arab children come for much shorter times and then return for post-op observation from their homes on the day of the appointment. 

About 50% of the children are Palestinian Arab. Staff told us they had a congenial working relationship with the Arab community; again not often reported in the regular media, although, thankfully, there is a growing network of journalists and online media services dedicated to bringing these stories to the public's attention. 

At this time, two Syrian children are being prepared for surgery, and one just arrived and is waiting to be initiated into the process. 

Dr. Zion showed us the plans for a new building that will become the home of Save a Child's Heart so that, in the near future, they will have their own facility.

From there we were taken to the House that provides a home for the children and parents while they are in the process of having their lives saved. Laura, the House Mom, gave us an overview of the facility and program and introduced us to the children and the volunteers.

Enjoy the faces of some of the children

These and many others are being given life through the dedicated efforts of surgeons like Dr. Zion. Because these children are here very briefly and then return to their far away homes, we were given permission to photograph them; local Israeli and Palestinian Arab children were not to be photographed.

In the very beginning of God's relationship with Abram, in Genesis 12:3, He covenants with Abram and says, "I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." (emphases added).

This latter part of the promise is being carried out in this and many other projects around Israel.

Let's spread the word!