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April 25, 2007
Back to chemo
Today was my third chemo treatment since returning from the UK. It will be followed by a week off chemo, during which I’ll have a Muga scan to make sure that my heart isn’t being adversely affected by the Herception (given along with the chemotherapy). I probably won’t have another CAT scan for at least another month, so don’t know at this point what is going on in my liver. But I have almost as much energy as while in England, and for that I am very grateful.
Please pray too for my friend Linda who has multiple myeloma and had a stem cell transplant 19 days ago. She is struggling a lot with nausea, has trouble even keeping down medicines to help deal with the nausea, and has developed a fungal infection on her skin. It isn’t too itchy, but it is uncomfortable and she won’t be released from the hospital until: a) her blood counts come up, b) she is free of infection, and c)she is able to keep down at least two liters of liquid a day. Just now those criteria seem overwhelming to her. Pray too for her husband Roger who is with her in the hospital as caregiver. She has already been in the hospital for more than three weeks.
Wil’s first three performances as Aslan in his school production of “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe” were powerful. God certainly has His hand on Wil’s life right now. He was able to make up all the work he missed while in Manila, remember his lines in the play, catch up on sleep, sell bracelets for a ministry to the poor in Manila, and just about keep up with his chores at home. We’re proud to be his parents.
Dave attended the Ethnic Workers Summit in Seattle last weekend and found it very helpful in connecting and networking with others. He has also added new photos to the website, both from our trip and from the play. Take a look when you have time.
Posted by David at 9:27 PM
April 12, 2007
April Prayer Bulletin
Dear Team, April 11, 2007
TRAVEL: We are late once again with this prayer letter as we were away from home. Yes, Wil’s passport arrived by overnight delivery the day before he was scheduled to fly to Manila. He had a great time reconnecting with classmates from Faith Academy, OMF missionaries and Filipinos he knows. He came back tired but very positive about his time there. Wil’s being able to leave for Manila meant that Karen and I were also able to fly to London the next day and spend 17 wonderful days visiting friends in England and Northern Ireland.
Our focus was on people and not sight-seeing or special events, but we did get to see Shlemish (St. Patrick was taken from that hillside as a slave and later returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary), the mountains of Mourne, North Antrim coast, and the largest freshwater lake in the UK while in N. Ireland. In England, highlights were two birthday celebrations, and the 30th anniversary Prom Praise concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London. Noel Tredennick joined the staff of All Souls, Langham Place in the summer of 1972 and I was in the first All Souls Orchestra. What a contrast from our small beginning to the 120 piece orchestra with a choir of more than 200 at the Albert Hall! The music was incredibly varied and beautifully performed, a perfect preparation for Easter Sunday. We were happy to attend three services at Gold Hill Baptist Church that day. Saturday morning we’d been at the lovely home of the Kendalls in Beaconsfield along with 40-50 members of the church who came to visit with us. Of course we weren’t able to see all of the friends Karen would have liked to spend time with, but we certainly packed every day that we were there, and especially appreciated the gift of time, love, and generous hospitality of Jim and Anne Graham who have been like parents to Karen for more than 30 years.
RETURN: We arrived back in Portland at 11 p.m. on the 9th of April and Wil flew in at 8 a.m. the following morning. We drove Wil straight to school where he finished the school day and had play rehearsal until 5:30 p.m. He came home and went to sleep right after dinner. Pray for him as he needs to make up schoolwork he’s missed and has he and the others practice for the opening of their school play, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, on April 19. Wil is playing the part of Aslan.
TREATMENT: Today, Wednesday the 11th, Karen had her appointment with Dr. Alex and started her next round of chemotherapy. Pray that these treatments with Taxol will continue to be effective in shrinking the tumors in her liver. She was pleased to discover that most of the unpleasant side effects of the chemo subsided quite a bit during the time we were away. But now she will be returning to these once more. Pray that they will be bearable and manageable. Dr. Alex suggested that we include trips to London as part of her treatment plan, since she came back feeling so well!
OMF MINISTRY: I will be attending an Ethnic Workers Summit in Seattle, April 19-21. Pray that this will prove helpful in learning how to better serve among the Asian Ethnic communities here in the Portland area and that I will be able to connect with others doing similar ministries, and with Filipino pastors in and around Seattle. We will both be attending the OMF US Mobilization Conference, May 14-18 in Littleton, CO. This time will be helpful in getting us ‘up to speed’ in our new role representing OMF here in Oregon, focusing on the Asian community and churches. Pray that the Lord will guide us in how to most effectively use our time and energies and lead us to the people and churches that He wants us to serve and impact.
Thank you for your part in our lives and ministry through prayer,
Dave and Karen
Posted by David at 9:00 AM