Update on Aydan Nyberg

Several weeks ago a request came from the Children's Rosary group in Hopkinton, MA USA to join a day of prayer and fasting for little Aydan Nyberg dying from cancer. The outpouring of prayers and fasting by so many including children was a beautiful witness of love.  

There is some good news to report:
Following Aydan's release from St. Jude's hospital after being diagnosed with a third form of cancer the doctors felt his organs could not handle any further treatment; some organs were failing.  They had estimated he had 2-4 weeks left to live with comfort care.

He has now been home for over two weeks and his parents have just received word that some of his organs are back functioning at almost normal levels! His doctors now want to take this one day at a time, and see what happens.  At a minimum, his parents are hopeful to have more time with him.

This recent news is a blessing to be sure.  May I extend a heartfelt thank you for your ongoing prayers for this family.

You may also be interested in the following posts:
Aydan at Rest
Aydan prayers and fasting

Ayden's Last Day

Aydan Nyberg

Aydan and his 2 year old sister
 who helped her brother with a bone marrow transplant

Dear Friends,

Jim and Debra , who just started a new Children's Rosary group in Hopkinton MA, have a special request.  They have a friend whose child is in the final stages of cancer and has only been given 2-4 weeks to live(see full story below).  They are going to be offering prayers and fasting today for Aydan.  

During family prayer we read the story of Aydan to our children. They were so moved by such a small person, just around their age, so sick. They have all asked to join in prayers and fasting this Friday.  They will be doing an unlimited bread and water fast (I will be joining them too).  

Initially I reached out to the members of the Children's Rosary through our different group leaders and the response has been so overwhelming.  So many families and children have come forward saying they will join in prayers and fasting today for little Aydan.  

I took Jim's advice and looked up Aydan's story.  As you can see he has an infectious smile and reminds us so much of our own children.  We read that Aydan  battled Rhabdomyosarcoma at age 3.  After successfully being treated for that malignancy he developed leukemia and was treated with a bone marrow transplant from his little 2 year old sister, unfortunately this was unsuccessful.  When I shared Aydan's story with my husband and the types of cancer he has been dealing with my husband looked very worried as he is an oncologist and deals with pediatric cancer on a regular basis.  My husband is Jewish but the thought of this little boy who has battled not one but two nasty cancers brought my husband to a very sad place and he too asked to join the fast and prayers.  Yesterday, after daily Mass I got onto the City bus which I ride to work.  A stop later, Elizabeth a friend I have met riding the bus stepped on.  She immediately said she was in the middle of praying a rosary for Aydan.  She had seen the Children's Rosary email and was praying for Aydan on her way to work.  There was this feeling of such solidarity in this chance meeting with Elizabeth and then seeing the flood of emails from individuals and families all joining together to pray for a little boy and his poor family who are watching their baby slip away.  

May I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for bringing hope and light in the darkness.  Your prayers and love are contagious and to watch such goodness spread gives such hope in the face of such suffering.

Each one of you is such a gift.  Starting Saturday March 9th a Novena of 9 Masses was begun in thanksgiving to Our Lord for all of the blessing that have been poured down upon the Children's Rosary including the blessing of each person who has been brought to the group.  

Thank you again for your generous heart!

If you would like to join in this effort, every prayer is so important as well as even the smallest sacrifice. Thank you all!

Your Grateful Friend in Christ,

Blythe

Update on Aydan
Aydan at Rest
Aydan's Last Day

We Get By With A Little Help From Our Friends

Things with my health haven't been all that good as of late.  As I have a genetic condition that results in joint dislocations leaving my house and interacting with folks is as one person put it, "living dangerously".  Sometimes injuries happen in the places you would never suspect such as last night at a healing service.  For someone like me the prospect of folks I don't know touching me is of significant concern with my joint instability.  However,  I recognize the wonderful benefits of healing prayers and love to attend this Monthly Mass.   After a couple of accidental injuries with my hands and neck last night I left trying to focus on the beautiful Mass and not my aching joints.  A friend stopped and talked to me as we were leaving. He had just come back from leading a pilgrimage to the Holy Land the day before.  He was clearly tired from the travel and jet lag.  I mentioned my declining hands and joints and the loss of my medical provider.  He prayed over me for a few minutes and then told me he would keep me in his prayers.  A poor night sleep followed but something wonderful happened.  When I woke up I went to the computer and there was a message from my friend Scott who I had seen the night before.  He told me that after he left the Mass he went to adoration for one hour and prayed for me and then planned to offer his bread and water fast for me today.  As I knew how tired Scott was when he left the Mass at 9:15PM I knew how hard it must have been for him to stay awake at adoration.  The kindness and sacrifice that he made out of charity humbled me.  Walking to Mass this morning I looked down at my pieta prayer book.  On the back cover I had written something a priest had said 3 weeks ago, "We get by with a little help from our friends".  How true were these words.  When one is feeling really low the simplest act of kindness or offer of prayers has the ability to lighten the weight of whatever we are carrying.  Each time someone has written to me these past few days and offered prayers there is a such a deep gratitude which wells in my heart.  As our lives ebb and flow I think we all find ourselves one day in need of a prayer or word of support.  When those prayers come, oh how beautiful they are..

It is true, we do get by with the help of our friends and after all our best Friend is Jesus.  Today I spoke to Our Lord in just that way.  As my Best Friend, I asked for His support through this time of uncertainty.  One beautiful blessing He has given me this day is a keener awarenss of the gifts I am being given through the love, support and prayers of so many.

May I thank you with all my heart.

Intercessory Prayer

We Need Each Other

The Lord came to show me something this morning.  Prayers said for another can move Heaven to act.  We believe that each prayer is heard but we also know that how a prayer is delivered to the Lord has much to do with how it is received.  If our prayers are said not for ourself but for another it shows a selfless love that touches the Heart of Jesus in a unique way.  For weeks novenas have been underway that all members of the children’s rosary would be the extended hands of Mary and her Son in this world.  This past week one member of our group offered to say four novenas for this intention.  The following morning it felt like a door being opened from above.  A new attention had been called down from Heaven to this cause.  Then yesterday two more people offered to say novenas and again today seemed to have an infusion of blessings.  My son Kostin who has been contrary all week seemed to have a whole new outlook on things.  Arriving at my mom’s house to help with cleaning horse stalls he was driven to work hard and with care.  Our younger son, Asher who is five, was complaining a bit as he was raking out the stalls but Kostin kept telling him this is all part of growing up.  To hear Kostin reassuring Asher that work is actually good for them was something that could have only come from above.

A story came to mind at Mass this morning that was told during a homily several months ago.  It was of the people in Hell.  They sit at a table full of food with elbows that do not bend.  They scream and yell in hunger because they cannot reach the food.  In Heaven a similar spread of food is laid out on the table.  The people also have elbows that do not bend.  However, each person is able to feed the person next to them.  They are laughing and their stomachs are full.  

Years ago when I was healthy I was extremely self reliant and prided myself on this fact.  Through the course of losing a lot of function of my  body the Lord has come to show me that their is much to be learned from asking others for help.  To admit that you cannot do it alone is critical in surrendering to the Lord and allowing Him to take control of our lives.  Recently, my old tendencies have resurfaced but not in physical ways.  Instead there has been a part of me that felt I could say enough prayers myself to bring wonderful change amongst us.  The Lord shows me again whether it be in physical activities or prayer we need other people.  We need to ask for help.  We need to pray for each other.  

Mary Rose and Caleb at our Children's Rosary

As we approach our 1 year anniversary of the children’s rosary we are trying to give our Blessed mother and Jesus a beautiful gift.  We would like to dedicate our upcoming year of the children’s rosary to renewal of family prayer.  As part of this we have purchase 94 children’s Bibles and have made many handmade bookmarks.  We are praying to individual Saints to lead a family, individual or priest in their spiritual journey.  Each Bible and bookmark will have a Saint written on it.  These Saints have been asked to choose you.  Therefore on April 15th, all in attendance at our morning rosary and afternoon celebration of Divine Mercy Sunday will be able to randomly choose a Bible or bookmark.  This will allow the Saint the opportunity to choose whom he or she wants to lead.  A novena is also underway to Our Blessed Mother asking her to guide each one of us as well.  Any members of the children’s rosary following remotely can contact us and have a bookmark sent to them free of charge.  One only has to tell the Lord in their heart that they want to be part of the children’s rosary to begin receiving all the benefits of the novenas and rosaries being said.  

The intentions that are being prayed for is included below:

MAY THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY, THEIR FAMILIES, THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH THE CHILDREN’S ROSARY INCLUDING OUR PRIESTS, OUR BISHOP AND OUR HOLY FATHER THE POPE BE THE EXTENDED HANDS OF OUR BLESSED MOTHER AND HER SON.  MAY WE GATHER A GREAT MANY SOULS ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE LORD.  MAY WE EXPERIENCE RENEWAL OF FAMILY PRAYER AND SPREAD IT ACROSS THE GLOBE. IN A SPECIAL WAY WE ASK EACH SAINT TO CHOOSE AN INDIVIDUAL, FAMILY OR A PRIEST, ASSOCIATED WITH OUR CHILDREN’S ROSARY GROUP TO LEAD IN THEIR SPIRITUAL JOURNEY. DEAR SAINT PRAY FOR OUR EXTENDED GROUP THAT WE MAY EMBODY THE VIRTUES YOU EXEMPLIFIED HERE ON EARTH.

FORTY-FOUR NOVENAS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND ANOTHER NINETEEN ARE UNDERWAY. MANY MORE WILL BE SAID.

Novenas to the following Saints have been completed:

St Gerard Majella St. Catherine of Siena    St. Paul              

St. Theresa the Little Flower St Padre Pio St. Joan of Arc

Bl. John Paul II St. Rita St. Raphael

St. Theresa Avila St. Peter St. Mark

St. Blaize St. Bernadette St. Peter Claver

St. Thomas More St. Ann St. Cabrini

St. John Bosco St. Philomena St. Andre

St. Peregrine St Vianney St. Lucy

Bl. Theresa of Calcutta St. Odilia St. Aloysius

St. Gianna Beretta Molla St. Dymphna St. Matthew

St. Cuthman St. Apollonia St. John Baptist

St. Mary Magdalene St. John Evangelist St. Joseph  

St. James the Apostle St. Francis of Assisi

St. Anthony of Padua St. Francis Xavier

St. Francis of Rome St. Maximilian Kolbe

St. Peter Julian Eeymard St. Catherine Laboure

Novenas underway:

St Faustina Bl. Pier Giorgio      

St. Michael St. Gabriel

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton St Vincent DePaul

Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha St. Francis De Sales

St. Walburga St. Monica

St. Martha St. Alphonsus 

St. Maria de Liguori St. Louis de Montfort

St. Clare of Assisi St. Lawrence

St. Roque St. Thomas Aquinas

St. Elizabeth of France

If anyone would like to say a novena please choose a Saint not listed above and email me at blythe.kaufman@gmail.com to have the Saint added to the list.  In order to have a Saint for each Children’s Bible we wish to give out we need 31 more novenas.  To have Saints for our bookmarks(these will be given to members of our children’s rosary who do not have children) we would love to have another 50 novenas.  Could this happen I place it in the Lords hands and the hands of those of you reading this.  Amen.