Tonight God gave me a great gift. I was sitting in the rocking chair with Karim in my lap, reading story books to him. No, he doesn't understand English, but he likes the rocking and likes the sound of my voice anyway. He enjoys looking at the pictures. Sometimes he will repeat an English word after I say it. After five books, I realized he had fallen asleep. So I just sat and rocked him and looked down at him in my arms. I thought of Mary as I looked down upon this baby. I thought of how she must have loved Jesus when she held Him in her arms as a child. I, too, felt great love for Karim. And I thought of Mary when she held Jesus in her arms when He was lowered from the cross. How her heart must have broken, and how her tears must have flowed. Tears streamed down my face as I rocked him and sorrowed for him. I knew it was just a matter of a few more minutes until Ebtisam would come to find him and bring him upstairs to ready him for bed. It is at this time nightly that the two of us cover his dry skin and his open wounds with the cream from the doctor. Sure enough, she came down and found me in tears. She patted my arm and made a sign of folding her hands in prayer and looking up to God. My Syrian sister, Ebtisam, has such tremendous faith. I must learn from her. I am sure she has cried many, many tears, yet her faith is still solid and strong - pointed right to God, who she knows will help her son. Together we covered him with the cream and he winced and cried quietly as he endured yet another assault to his little aching body. I could scarcely stand it. Now I will head to bed. And I will once again turn my gaze to the crucifix on the wall and invite Jesus to heal His child. Thank you, once again, to all who are continuing to pray for Karim's healing. Thank you, especially, to the group that is doing the novena to St. Ann. How beautiful is this gift of prayer.