In the early hours of Tuesday morning burglars entered our home and before help could arrive from the Alarm Company they enterd my son's bedroom. I had just spoken to him on the intercom when I heard a gunshot. When I ran downstairs I found him face down in his room in a pool of blood. He was stabbed in the head and shot through the upper left of his chest.

Darren is a 26 year old young man who is a believer and who has lead most of his friends to Christ. He ia a keen athlete and is super fit. We praise God that he has pulled through after surgery which required a part of his left lung, shattered by the bullet, to be removed. His arteries to his arm that were severed were also repaired. The specialists said he would have died had the bullit been two mm to the left.
A serious effect of the bullet passing through was the tangential shock wave it caused which severely traumatized his spinal chord in the thoracic area. The extensive swelling in his spinal cord has had the effect that he cannot move his legs. Specialists only give a glimmer of hope of recovery from this.
We say this glimmer of hope is enough for God to do a miracle of total restoration. We believe it with all our hearts!
Please pray with us for a miracle for our boy's total and rapid recovery!
WE glorify God for the miracle already done thus far!!

Blessings,

Malcolm Linda and Heather ( sister) Thomas.

Oh Lord,

I stand in agreement with Malcolm's prayer. We know all things can be done through you. You tell use that we can move moutains if it is your will. Lord we pray that your will is done in Darren's recovery. Lord we pray that you help comfort Malcolm, Linda and Heather through this tragic event. In Jesus' name AMEN!

Marc

Oh Blessed Father, we ask that you please hear our prayers for Darren and ask that you show him the way back to recovery, back to himself, back to the wonderful young man he was AND IS. Please Father we ask that you place the right people in his path, the right doctors & nurses that will do what you want done in Darren's life. May you give his family the strength as they wait patienely for your miracle.

Dear Friends,



Thank you for your support and your continued prayers for Darren!!



On Saturday morning, the 3rd of November, Darren was transferred out of ICU to a High Care ward

(Flora Clinic, Section B, room 7). He said that he felt 50% better than he did the previous day and he was positive in his spirit.



We want to thank God for the progression of a “Miracle in the making” in Darren’s body. He is looking great as the wounds to his upper body

have already healed well and his general recovery is progressing. We continue to focus on the Spinal Chord which was severely traumatized by

the tangential shock-wave of the bullet, causing bleeding and swelling. Our prayer is that God will continue to cause that swelling to subside

and for his Spinal Chord to begin to resonate with the presence of God in his innermost being.



The scripture that was given to us and Darren from three different people last week Thursday ( one by SMS, one by email and one typed out and presented in a transparent sleeve) was 2 Chronicles 20:17. The Living Bible puts it this way…. “But you will not need to fight! Take your places, stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you.”

The Lord gave me this scripture on day one (the three people who sent this scripture did not know about what the Lord had given me).



The Physio-Therapists have started working on his legs more aggressively since Saturday and he is scheduled to go to a Specialized Rehabilitation Clinic Wednesday

or Thursday this week for intensive training/ treatment.



We are trusting God that this will not be a long drawn out process but that his recovery will be rapid.



Please continue to pray fervently for Darren. So many people are watching and praying, many of his friends who are “ sitting on the fence” have been devastated

by these events and are amazed at his progress. We believe their lives will be touched by God in this process.



Thank you for all of your support! It is great to see how our family and friends and Christians all over the world have rallied around us in what has been the darkest days of our lives! Thank God for His light is beaming in and restoring us!!



Please encourage all to feel free to write to Darren via email or other means. They can use my email address and I will ensure he gets every message of encouragement sent.



We serve a Living and Faithful God!!!



Malcolm, Linda, Heather and Lauren ( Darren’s girlfriend).

Dear friends.



Thank you for your continuing prayers for Darren and our family. Please forward this update to your prayer groups

and thank them on our behalf for their intercession.



He was moved to the Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital on Wednesday, a day earlier than expected.



Darren ( and we) had a bit of a down day as he was facing new Doctors and therapists who initially seemed

to be more negative than those worked with before and who seemed to discount any progress he had been making

with movement as “reflex”. We absolutely new this was not the case given the previous input from his own private therapist

as well as our personal observations.



I personally expressed my dismay and disappointment with the attitude of the new team with their Management and we had

some re-organization occur and suddenly things are looking up again.

Darren remains positive in his spirit and has started with therapy. Our private physician has also arranged for fresh MRI Scans and

CT Scans to be done next week to assess the latest situation with the Spinal swelling. Other Specialist Neuro Surgeons will also be consulted

for their views on treatment.



We believe God is busy with a “miracle in the making” and continue to sense progress. The new Senior Spinal Specialist Physio did a detailed assessment of him this morning and felt there was a lot to be positive about. His progress is apparently two weeks ahead of their expectations.

Praise the Lord for this!



Please keep praying for Darren and write to him if you feel so inclined. Our prayer focus remains the reduction of the swelling in his spinal column and his full restoration to perfect health. God has begun a great work and we look forward to the completion thereof!!



A great boost for him yesterday was when a personal friend of his, Bryan Habana, who was crowned with many awards, just returned recently with the SA Rugby team from France after winning the world cup in Rugby football and visited him. Darren was presented with a team jersey signed by the entire team, a cap as well as training tops! Bryan is also a believer!



We are standing on God’s promises!!

“But you will not need to fight! Take your places, stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you.” 2 Chron 20:12 ( Living Bible).



Thank you for your continued love and support!!



Blessings,



Malcolm, Linda, Heather, and Lauren.

This is just horrible. There is so much evil in the world. Won't it be great when Christ really does come and puts an end to all the pain, suffering and injustice?

I will pray for Darren and that God touches his mind, body and soul and he has a full recovery. My own son is about his age, but is going through an entirely different trial and tribulation, so I know the anguish a mother and family can feel.

I will post my prayer regarding my son and granddaughter for those who haven't seen before to see.

May God bless and protect Darren and your family.

Darleen

Thank you Darleen. Darren has made good progress thusfar as God is busy with a Miracle of restoration. He is doing well in his upper body. His lung which was shattered by the bullet and which was operated upon has healed. His wounds to his head and chest as well as the arteries have also healed well.
The swelling of his spine caused by the Shockwave of the bullet is still a problem as he still cannot move his lower body. There are encouraging signs as he has been able to move some toes and his quad muscles slightly.
We are praying for the swelling to subside and for the Lord to raise him up swiftly.
God will be glorified through this terrible situation as many peole all over the worlsd are praying and many unsaved people have been drawn closer and will meet our Lord and Savior!

Blessings,

Malcolm.

Dear friends,



Thank you for your continuing prayers for Darren and our family.



It has been just over three weeks since that dreadful morning when Darren was shot after a gang of robbers forcibly gained access to our home. To us it feels very much longer as we have had to contend with so much to a point of near exhaustion. One thing we have noticed is that we have been carried through this time by all the prayers that have been offered up for Darren and ourselves from all around the globe!



We give God glory for what he has done in Darren’s body thus far. He is looking better everyday and has recovered significantly from the gunshot wound and the operation to repair his lung and artery. The Doctors are happy with his progress and the physio and other medical staff are amazed at the progress he has made since he arrived at the Netcare Rehabilitation Hospital 8 days ago. They say he has progressed way above expectations!



Last night, after his private Physio had been working with him, he again managed to move some toes and even his quads voluntarily. These are small but very encouraging signs which we praise God for!



Today, we took him to see another Specialist Neuro Surgeon for a further opinion on his condition and proposed treatment. This was a very positive meeting where the Specialist, after examining him thoroughly, showed cautious optimism saying some “strange things” are happening which are positive.



He highlighted the fact that there is definite identifiable deep sensation all over his lower body and this together with the toe movement as well as the fact that the Spinal chord is intact ( though bruised by the shockwave) were positive indications. He scheduled a further Gallium MRI Scan to get better clarity of the spinal condition ( to evaluate pressure points) as well as an “Invoked Potential ”procedure to determine Spinal conductivity for next Thursday. He told Darren that his condition generally indicated a 60% chance to walk again (you may recall we started with a “glimmer” of hope from the first Specialist’s evaluation three weeks ago).



A further diagnosis that was made by the Specialist after we pointed out that his left eyelid seemed slightly lower ( although it had already improved significantly over the three weeks) was that, Darren’s eye nerve had been damaged by the bullet as the location of the bullet entry point was in line with this nerve. He said this is a reversible condition in cases and was pleased to note that we had already detected improvement.



The persistent state of not being able to move his lower body significantly has been depressing for Darren but we have seen his faith arise with every encouragement he has received. We told him not to get stuck on the incomplete, 60% chance prognosis, but to realize that God is in control and that His promises remain forever and have stood the test of time. We reminded him of the Word from the Lord that three people gave him independently on the same day…““But you will not need to fight! Take your places, stand quietly and see the incredible rescue operation God will perform for you.” 2 Chron 20:12 ( Living Bible).

also of a scripture the Lord gave him the other night when he was reading his bible from Isaiah 35:3 to6 which reads “ Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees………………..then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the dumb sing as waters shall burst forth in the wilderness and steams in the dessert”



This morning one of the people in prayer for Darren sent this word she received from the Lord for him ( The Message Bible Psalm 20:1-6)

God answer you on the day you crash, the name God-of-Jacob put you out of harms reach, send re-enforcements from Holy Hill, dispatch from Zion fresh supplies, exclaim over your offering, celebrate your sacrifices, give you what your heart desires, accomplish your plans.

When you win, we plan to raise the roof and lead the parade with our Banners. May all your wishes come true! That clinches it- help is coming, and answers on the way, everything is going to work out!



We truly serve a Great God who, in our experience, and from everything we have read in His Word, and observed over the years, is not a God of half measures.

Darren’s recovery from this incident which was meant to kill him, is a Miracle in the Making for which God will be glorified throughout the world where peoples’ hearts have been touched for this young man, our boy, brother and friend, who we love and treasure more than we can tell!



John10:10 says “ the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill and to destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it more abundantly!



Please continue in prayer with us that God will continue to work alongside, through and over and above the medical teams ( bless them) in whose care Darren is.

Especially, continue to pray for the swelling in his spinal column to dissipate rapidly.



Thank you for your love and support,



Blessings!





Malcolm, Linda, Heather and Lauren

Lord, bless and keep Darren and his family. Give them strength through this difficult time.
Lord shower them with your love and grace.We thank you lord !