Murals (2008) by PHANTAST - Graffiti - Cultural Music & Art Association inc. - 98 Milne St. Benleigh
"Even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters" (Matthew 15:27).
1. SICKLE - CELL ANAEMIA. It is an autosomal recessive disorder with a production of abnormal beta globin chains. It is common in people in Africa and Middle East. Vaso-occlusive 'painful crisis' is common. Central nervous system infarction occurs in 10% of children, leading to stroke, seizures or cognitive defects.
A 7-year old boy tells us what it's like to have sickle- cell disease. I have been hospitalized over 50 time for complications from this desease. To keep it controlled I started having monthly transfusions. After repeated transfusions my body began to get too much iron so I had to start getting infusions. I was taking the medication Desferal which my mummy had to insert a needle in my belly hooked up to a pump which I had to carry on my back in my neat Spiderman backpack. I was hooked up to the machine for 10 hours a day 5 days a week but it was okay, I still got to play !!! I suffered form pain crisis which makes my legs and back hurt like someone is hitting me with a hammer. You may notice that I may move slow or look tired when it is time for my blood transfusion. That is because the transfusion is like a heartbeat for my body, without it I can't survive. When I'm in pain the only thing that helps is morphine... I tell my mummy when she's crying " I WILL BE OK!!" ( Prof. C. Lawrence).
2. All humanity was in a desperate pligh and required God's special intervention to be saved:
a) The Mosaic Law could not stop the Jews to commit sins : "From within people, from their hearts, come evil thoughts, unchastity, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, licentiousness, envy, blasphemy, arrogance, folly". ( Matthew 15:19; Mark 7:21).
b) Equally, in order to expose the depth of the Gentiles' rebelion against the Creator, God handed them over to impurity through the lust of their hearts. "They are filled with every form of wickedness, evil, greed, and malice; full of envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, and spite. They are gossips and scandalmongers and they hate God. They are insolent, haughty, boastful, ingenious in their wickedness, and rebellious toward their parents. They are senseles, faithless, heartless, ruthless." (Romans 1:29.
Jesus goes to the region of Tyre and Sidon, breaks with his usual procedure of ministering only to Israelites and anticipates his mission to the Gentiles. "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish" (Matthew 15:28).
"We have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1)