Update on Costel

I reported last week that Costel lost all his fingers on his left hand. They were actually pulled off his hand by a machine at work. The doctors were able to restore all but his thumb and pinky. Although well intentioned, his coworkers had mistakenly put the fingers on ice, which probably caused frostbite. He saw his fingers before they wrapped to leave the hospital and found them in bad condition. It is possible that he could lose them all. The doctor told him that he could take a toe from a foot and place it on his hand to use for gripping. We don't know for sure if he will do this.

Costel is now on medical leave from work. The company he works for has been good to pay for his care. He really wants to work but will probably not be able. I am not sure at this time what kind of disability he will be eligible for. Some of you have expressed a desire to help him financially. I will let you know in the coming weeks how things are going to turn out. The prayers he will need are for his emotional and mental strength since he will possibly suffer a form of grief for his loss. Please pray for his financial outcome, whether he will be able to work, or get on disability. Please pray for us as we support him in all his needs.

He told us some good came from his time in the hospital. For the last three days, he was able to keep an ongoing religious discussion with a priest who entered the hospital with a hand injury. The priest took his phone number, and Costel hopes that he will find him when he returns Monday.

Once Costel was reading the Romanian version of Making the Most of Life by Leroy Brownlow when someone else asked what he was reading. (Costel had five other roommates in his hospital hall). He had Fortify Your Faith by Wayne Jackson on hand and gave it to the gentleman.

Costel has a gentleness about him that makes him a good personal evangelist. The most important part of evangelism is learning how to listen and listen well. I think Costel does this.