JAMES & KAILIA BINMORE

Hey,

We are sorry to share that Asher is not doing well and has declined in his health. We are in a hard time of trying to understand what is happening with our little boy and how to help him. We would love to share with you what has been happening these last few months and where we are now.

This is about the fourth version of our update as every time we were about to release it our circumstances changed. So please bear with us as we walk you through our journey of the last couple months.

We left South Africa in December, and quickly applied for James and Asher’s visa's here in the UK. Just before we left, Asher was improving consistently for the first time since all of his health issues arose at around 4 months old. This was massive and we felt really buoyed by this and believe it was an answer to prayer. A lot of the breakthrough we believed was through identifying things Asher was definitely having allergic reactions to or at least food we suspected he might be allergic to.

Sadly, in the transition of coming to the UK around mid-December we weren’t able to be as careful with Kailia's diet and she ate something that made Asher react quite badly. When Asher reacts to something his body responds with stomach bloating, diarrhoea or constipation, a lot of gas and stomach pain. Overall his needs become much greater, he gets very uncomfortable which causes him to struggle to nap in the day or sleep at night. Consequently, this means much more is required of us to look after him and love him well. It also means many poor nights of sleep for us. When he allergically reacts these symptoms normally last about 2 weeks. By this point we were used to it, so we rolled with the punches and made it through his reaction.

Asher's reaction then passed and we had the pleasure of spending his first Christmas here. This was a precious time where we got to see many family and friends. Moreover, Asher got to meet many people for the first time. Life over the Christmas and New Year period was very here, there and everywhere. So, we found we needed to go slower than usual to try and help Asher get back to “normal”. Except some ongoing sleep issues the hard work appeared to have paid off as he did appear to be settled and doing quite well.

And it was in this time we wrote the first version of this update, it was optimistic and grateful. The gist of it was: Asher is improving yay! And we included some of our thoughts for this coming year. However, we ran into some difficulty when we were about to send out the update, Asher’s health took a turn again. So we put a pause on the update, hoping it would just be a minor blip and we could publish it once this had blown over. The issue was, that it didn't really blow over.

In the beginning of January Asher had another allergic reaction and then Kailia got Mastitis (impacting her milk supply). By the end of January Asher was not doing well. Through this process it became clear that Asher had stopped gaining weight or growing altogether. We do not know why. Of course, these allergic reactions would have an impact, but we have been doing everything in our ability and knowledge to get food into him and help him, yet he still struggles to gain weight. We have been questioning for a while now if the only issue is food allergies, or if there is something else going on to make him struggle with his growth so much. It has been a very distressing and exhausting time seeing Asher struggling and not seeming to respond to anything.

Since January it has been a process of getting him into the medical system here in the UK as we have had to get him registered and needed to follow the protocols here. We were able to seen nurses to have him checked and weighed, we have also seen local GP's, but we could not get him into a paediatrician for a while. This past week we had our first appointment with a paediatrician at the hospital, they suggested we do various tests to see if there is more going on with Asher than just allergies. Next week we will be admitted to the hospital to stay for several days so they can closely observe Asher and do the required tests. We feel this is an answer to prayer! We have been so blessed by the medical staff here in the UK, they have been so kind and caring and really trying to provide help for our little boy.

This is our current reality right now:

We’re in Scotland, we are staying with our YWAM family in Seamill, the community Asher’s uncle, auntie and cousin are a part of. It's a big blessing to be with family and in community. Also, the kitchen here is able to cater for Asher's food allergies as they cook for Kailia, so we don't have to cook or navigate that, which is alleviating a surprisingly big burden. The NHS have good medical systems for children's health here in Scotland, so that's a blessing too!

Our days look slow at the moment as Asher’s health problems currently require a lot from both of us. Our time, energy and presence day and night. We are so thankful to be situated here and to be getting medical help. God is providing for our needs.

We have been reassured that we chose the right name for our little boy as Asher means happy and blessed - every person who has come across Asher in the doctors clinics or the hospital has commented on how happy and smiley he is. He really is a joyful little boy who is always smiling and laughing and taking his challenges so well. In all of these struggles, Asher brings us so much joy!

As for our visa process, they are still being processed. We were told in December that we should not expect the visas until at least March.

Our priority in this season is Asher's health and wellbeing. Asher does much better with stability, and Scotland is currently a stable place for us. We are finally getting into the medical system here, where we are hoping there will be breakthrough for Asher. Having Josh and Dafne here, who are also enjoying being new parents with their sweet baby girl, has been very special. Also, being in a YWAM community where we can join in prayer and worship and meals with the community is a great blessing. We have spoken with our leaders in South Africa and they agree that we need to focus on Asher's health and not rush back to South Africa until we are ready. They are very supportive of us pursuing all the help for Asher that we need and are praying for us. We feel God has really taken care of us as we are navigating this really hard time.

It's hard to articulate how these last few months have been for us emotionally. Seeing Asher decline in many ways and overall be less and less himself is like taking many hits to the abdomen that just get harder and more painful. It's both frightening and heart-breaking. Exercising joy has been extremely difficult, and resisting despair has been equally hard. It's easy to tell yourself God is using this for good and he's in control. Getting that truth (which is definitely true), into our hearts whilst seeing Asher struggling is a daily battle. Somedays, we find ourselves winning that battle and have found ourselves confident in God's faithfulness. Whilst other days we have been defeated by the prevailing fear, stress and anxiety of "what ifs". Thankfully after a darker day ends, a new one starts with new grace and mercy. This has been good practice in pursuing Jesus, the man of sorrows whilst feeling such sorrow.

So we find ourselves here now, in new territory. Consider yourself at least mostly caught up on our journey.

A current need: We are having to pay for accommodation and food on the base, which is challenging for us with our other expenses (such as rent in South Africa). If you would like to come along side us in this time, then contributing towards this would really help us!

We would love for you to partner with us in prayer:

Praise God with us:

• We are getting more and more help in the medical system here in the UK!

• We have been and still are surrounded by family and Christian community in this hard time.

• The opportunity to do life with Josh and Dafne and our sweet niece in this season!

• It looks like we will not be charged for the medical expenses with James and Asher being British citizens! This was not guaranteed as we are now considered overseas visitors.

Pray for:

• Please pray for full clarity on Asher's health issues and full restoration of his weight gain and sleep needs.

• That we would continue to see God in this journey and find hope in him, especially in the more challenging days.

• Financial provision, for temporarily staying here in Scotland, and in the UK in general.

Love from Cold Rainy Scotland,

James, Kailia & Asher

The Binmores

ps. here are some truths we are holding on to right now:

James 1:2-4

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

and

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

But he [Jesus] said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Let it be Lord, amen.