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March 17, 2006
Report on trip to Ohio
We are so glad we were able to visit my uncle and aunt last weekend. Thank you to those of you who prayed we would be able to communicate. On the Friday just Dave and I visited Owen and Helen, and when I learned that Owen didn’t have his hearing aids in, I sat directly in front of him and shouted! He heard every word and we had no problem understanding his speech (because of the Parkinsons there are times when he isn’t easy to understand). I may not see him again here on earth, but look forward to having more time together in heaven. We learned a new game from Kathy and her husband Rob, and my cousin Jean came up on Saturday evening, so we got to visit with her as well.
The flight before ours on Sunday morning was delayed because of engine trouble, so we left Columbus ahead of the 7:15 am flight (ours was at 9:20) and had good connections on all the flights. Wil seemed to have had a good time in our absence and the first thing we heard is that he has been asked to the spring banquet (it’s a Sadie Hawkins, which means the girls invite the guys). He is busy now with play rehearsals after school every day. And friends who were moving gave us both weight lifting equipment and a ping pong table. Wil is delighted and busy lifting weights already.
This month I’m having chemo every other week, so only had Herceptin on Monday. Tuesday I saw the physical therapist and learned that I’ve made some progress in terms of increasing range of motion with my left arm. The month before there was no change, so that’s good news. Progress is still slow, but I’m keeping at it.
We’ve enjoyed a very brief but special visit with Annemarie Pableo, a former OMF Philippines colleague from Germany, still working in the Philippines with her husband Nilo. This is her first visit to the US and we’re delighted that she made Portland her first stop! We receive God’s blessings in so many ways.
Posted by David at 4:29 PM
March 9, 2006
Off to Ohio
Time for a quick update before Dave and I leave for Columbus, Ohio to visit my cousin Kathy and her parents. Uncle Owen is about 85 and has advanced Parkinson’s disease. He is falling a lot and the care facility where he and Aunt Helen reside is suggesting he may need hospice care soon. So this visit may well be the last I have with them.
The exciting news last weekend was that Damascus Christian School’s varsity boys’ basketball team came in first at the state tournament for 1-A schools!! The girls didn’t do as well, but it still was exciting for the school to have both teams, and their cheerleaders make it to state. Wil wasn’t there cheering, but he did enjoy another chance to snowboard during the break from school.
I had chemo and saw Dr. Panutich on Monday. He’s happy with my general health, but said I will need another heart scan since the Herceptin is hard on the heart. That is scheduled for March 23, just before we leave for Wil’s spring break. The next CAT scan will probably be at the end of April or early in May. He is happy to schedule treatment around our travel plans and is encouraging me to do the things I want to, including a visit to the Philippines!
I’ve sent the first draft of four chapters of my book to a friend who is an editor and agreed to look at them. Pray for Linda as she seeks to advise me in this writing process. Today I started on another chapter.
Dave met with area Filipino pastors on Monday evening and with the pastor of a local Chinese church who is organizing an Asian Youth Conference for July. Dave will lead a workshop there and try to promote this among Filipino churches. Pray God will help him to make more strategic contacts week by week.
Posted by David at 1:31 PM
March 3, 2006
March Prayer Bulletin
Dear Team,
March will involve traveling for us. From the 9th to the 12th Dave and I will be in Columbus, Ohio to visit my uncle and aunt. They are the only remaining relatives of my mother’s generation and neither is in good health. In fact, it looks as though my uncle will soon need hospice help. I’ve wanted to visit them for several years, but the chaos in our lives has made it hard to plan ahead. I pray that we’ll be able to communicate and say good goodbyes. We’ll stay with my cousin Kathy.
Then at the end of the month Wil has spring break right after parent-teacher conferences and we’re hoping to visit friends in the Vancouver, BC area and near Seattle. We also need to be making plans for summer travels. It looks as though our niece Sarah will be getting married on June 3, the day after Wil finishes school. We’d like to be there, but scheduling is tight. Wil would also like to pay a visit to friends at Faith Academy after their next school year begins in August. Dave and I have enough frequent flyer miles for tickets to Manila, but Wil doesn’t, so we need to figure out what might work.
We asked you to pray that God would meet our financial needs this year so I want to share with you how He is answering! In January we received two large gifts, one from England, and one from the States, and just today we learned about another from New Zealand! These have been tremendous faith boosters, helping us to trust that if we are where God wants us right now, and doing what He wants us to do, He will provide.
Those of you who don’t get our email updates are also waiting to hear the results of my CAT scan on Feb. 7. Dr. Panutich phoned on the 10th to say the scan shows that the tumors in the liver are shrinking! That was cause for celebration, and we had friends from Victoria, BC with us for the weekend to help us celebrate. And another friend, from Germany and working in the Philippines will be with us March 16-18. That will be another special treat.
Dave is continuing to lead the Heritage Sunday school class and they start on James this week, the same book we’re studying in Precepts. I know that studying this very practical book with such a mature, godly group of Christians will be an edifying experience. My Beth Moore study with finish this month, but we’re planning to continue meeting during April.
We had good conversations with a number of students during the Multnomah Bible College Missions Conference, and since we’re living nearby, hope to continue meeting with some of them. We were impressed by many we met who show real maturity and an openness to go and do whatever God wants them to. We want to see a monthly meeting of people whose hearts are open to missions here at our church as well, probably starting after our short term team returns from Mexico. Pray for this group of about 20 using their spring break to learn and help the church in Puebla, Mexico.
Thank you for standing with us and praying us through. May the God of hope fill YOU with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Dave and Karen
Posted by David at 11:55 AM