Serving God, while the greatest of blessings, is no guarantee that everything will go well in life. Tragedy, difficulty, and suffering can find any of us at any moment, and when it does, the people of God are essential in helping us navigate the valleys of shadow with Jesus by our side.
Ben Gosnell came to Camp to serve as interim Facilities Director. He and his wife Silvia planned to move from Hawaii to “the Mainland” for the year to spend some focused time with extended family in PA, and Camp was a good fit to support that goal. It was especially good timing because the Gosnells were expecting their sixth child, and would have a chance to share that joy with grand parents, aunts, and uncles.
But when baby Vivian Grace arrived on July 24, joy quickly became mixed with alarm and concern. Siliva required intensive care and Vivian was having unexplainable and devastating seizures. Medical teams raced her to the Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware where she would spend over a month in constant care.
The family is hoping Vivian will soon be released from the hospital, but she will still require oxygen support and a high level of care. The family is preparing to return to Hawaii to continue their ministry in Christian camping while also building a consistent base for Vivian’s continued journey towards healing. Vivian still has a long road ahead, not the least of which is overcoming significant brain damage caused by the seizures. Also, as you can imagine, the costs for her care and the dedicated medical flight to the island are placing a heavy burden on the family.
Prayer has carried the family up to this point and will continue to see the family through. Would you join us — the whole Camp community — in lifting up this family in prayer? Pray for God to work a miracle in Vivian’s recovery, but also pray that he will find ways to use this situation to his glory. Vivian’s hospital room was a place of ministry as praise music played and many prayers and encouragements were lifted. Ben Gosnell reminds us all: “The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised.”
If you feel moved to help with Gosnells in their journey, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help. The medical costs are still coming in and are likely to be in the tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Any support helps with these life-changing costs. Spreading the word on Facebook or at your church is also a great way to invite others to show fellowship to this little girl and her family.
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