Guys! I am writing today to let you all know that its SURGERY TIME for Ali Jewel! The Berkey’s got the official call from UNOS that Alicia’s lungs are ready for her. As they prepare for this BIG surgery and LIFE CHANGING moment, they know Who is Constant – Jesus! 

The bi-lateral lung transplant will take place on Thursday, March 26th at 6:30am at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The surgery will last anywhere from 12 to 18 hours. PLEASE join us in praying for Alicia at that time. We can pray for her body and her mind as this is a very tough situation for anyone to walk through, let alone a 16 year old girl. Let’s pray for wisdom and talent to run through the hands of the nurses and doctors in the operating room as well as the recovery room. The Lord blessed these people with knowledge and ability and we get to experience it through Alicia’s life changing surgery. Let’s also pray for Crissie and Joe as they sit and wait for their baby girl to come out of surgery and care for her through recovery. Let’s pray for the other Berkey kids as they process what it means for Alicia to get new lungs, her recovery and the unknowns in their hearts. And if you have questions, please direct them to myself or someone on the Berkey’s team of immediate support. Encouragement and prayers can be sent directly to them, but please do not expect a response. They are carrying BIG things with Jesus right now. Their hearts are to answer ALL the things, and its just not a possibility at this time. 

You may be wondering how COVID-19 plays a role in this and it absolutely does. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus and thus, poses a scary threat to Alicia both before and after surgery. However, St. Louis Children’s Hospital has taken major steps in preventative measures. These measures, while in Alicia’s best interest, are sad measures. The Berkey family cannot have any support people in the waiting room with them. That means no visitors what-so-ever right now and until the quarantine for Alicia has been lifted. Your prayers will be a huge comfort to them as you do your part in keeping Alicia safe by staying home. 

Now, what can we do while we are here? PRAY. All the prayers. Share this post. Tell EVERYONE. And then, consider helping financially. The surgery itself costs over 1 million dollars and that’s A LOT. That doesn’t even take into consideration the after care which will involve a LIFETIME of daily medications, doctor visits and more. And as you know, we’ve been doing some amazing fundraising. With COVID-19 in the mix, our 3 next events had to be postponed. Talk about heart break. SO, again, share the news. Help us raise the money. Donate to COTA in honor of Alicia – that money goes DIRECTLY to help with all transplant related expenses. If each one of us does our part – uses our talents and gifts to help where we can, the outcome is HUGE. We can’t GO to church right now, but we ARE the church. Let’s come together and be the hands and feet of Jesus for this family, for this 16 year old. In the name of Jesus! 

Please y’all. Share this post! Pray for our girl.