July 12, 2010,
PRAISE
1. Sandy continues to tolerate her chemo and radiation treatments reasonably well. We are thankful to the care that we have recieved and yesterday we just got word that further testing on her tumor revealed that it is a type that usually responds well to chemotherapy so that was good news.
2. The children's camp went very well last week in Brazil. These children that live around the local landfill are so thankful for their free week at camp and we are so thankful to be able to partner with the ministry that works to reach these kids.
3. God has used several of our friends, supporters and churches over the last few weeks to give gifts to provide for many of our medical and furlough expenses. We appreciate you all so much and praise God for His faithful provision.
PRAY
1. Sandy has just two weeks of radiation left. The doctors have told us that these will be the hardest two weeks of her treatment so we ask you to pray for strength as well as pray that the treatments will be effective.
2. Joshua will be going to Iowa this next week through the end of July to do corn detasseling on a crew. This is a good chance for him to earn some money. Pray that he will be safe and do a good job.
3. This week the camping ministry will continue both on the river as well as on the Belem campus. Please pray that many lives will be impacted by God's Word. Also pray for the staff to have strength as the campus is full every single day this month and into the first week of August.
Thanks for your Prayers,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
June 25, 2010
PRAISE
1. Sandy has now had two weeks of radiation and chemotherapy with minimal side effects. She has had fatigue (which was partially still recovery from surgery) and some mild swelling, but so far has not had nausea or pain.
2. Our trip to Dallas and back was uneventful and we are thankful that God has provided us with a very nice mini-van that we will be able to use for the remainder of our time in the US.
3. Paul Jantz's health has improved and he is out of the hospital now. We are thankful that his hepatitis was not more serious.
PRAY
1. Please continue to pray for Sandy's treatment. They have told us that the side effects will be cumulative and get worse the further we go into the treatments. She takes both of them at 4pm Monday through Friday and then just the chemo over the weekends. Pray that God will continue to give her grace and strength and especially that the treatments will be effective.
2. The students back in Brazil are leaving on their internships this weekend. Please pray that God will use them, keep them safe and help them to learn much through these ministry opportunities. The third year students will be going with Rick and Kim on the boat for the entire month doing camps, living with our missionaries in the communities and doing survival training in the jungle.
3. This next week we will have some 200 kids on the campus that live in the area around the land fill in our town. They are from very poor families but attend a week of camp for free as a part of a joint effort with another ministry in Brazil and a local church in the US. Please pray that these precious kids would be greatly impacted by the power of the Gospel.
Thank you so much for your prayers,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
June 10, 2010
PRAISE
1. All five of us are back together!!! We praise God that Joshua and Mackenzie had safe flights all the way by themselves and we are so glad to be reunited as a family. Both of them made honor roll in school despite having to be without their parents and having to pack up the house by themselves. We are very proud of them and thankful to God for his constant care.
2. The Sports Marathon and Staff Retreat went very well last week with many hearing the Gospel and then the staff being able to get away for a time of relaxation and refreshment.
3. God has provided a mission home for us to live in free of charge in Kansas City through the end of July. We praise God for His timely provision through the Red Bridge Baptist Church.
PRAY
1. On Monday, June 14th, Sandy will be starting six weeks of radiation treatments and a low dose chemotherapy in order to make every effort to insure that the tumor does not grow back in Sandy's brain. Our research, as well as advice from several doctors, has given us assurance that we need to take this precaution as soon as possible. Please pray that this treatment will truly prevent any return of the tumor and please pray for Sandy to have strength as she endures this difficult process.
2. This weekend Gary and the kids will be driving down to Dallas, TX to pick up a van that we will be using during the remainder of our furlough. It will be a quick trip there and back with Mishaela driving all the way back in a second car that Gary's sister & brother-in-law have provided for our kids to use. Please pray for the cars to run well and for safety on the roads.
3. One of our co-workers in Brazil, Paul Jantz has been hospitalized with hepatitis and they have also discovered some cysts in his liver. He is a key member of our staff and vital to so many areas of the ministry so please pray for a swift and complete recovery. Pray he will be disciplined enough to get the rest he needs as he has a very hard time slowing down.
Thank you for holding us up in prayer,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
June 2nd, 2010
PRAISE
1. Sandy has made great progress with her speech, skills and strength. Besides being more tired than usual she is close to being back to normal. Her stitches have been removed and we are amazed at how well she has recovered from this surgery.
2. The group from Liberty did a fantastic job and we had our largest attendance ever for our English Camp. We praise God for this partnership that allows us to reach this unique group of people from the Brazilian community.
3. The kids are done with school!!! Thank you for praying for them as they faced these challenges without mom and dad close by.
PRAY
1. The pathology report that we got back last week was not as good as we had hoped, but not as bad as it could have been. Tumor's are graded on a 1 to 4 scale with 1 being the best and 4 the worst. Sandy's tumor was graded at a 2 so it looks like we are not quite done treating this. We ask for your prayers for wisdom as we consider a variety of treatment options.
2. On Monday, June 7th, Josh and Mackenzie will be flying from Brazil to Miami alone, spending the night with friends, then flying to Kansas City the next day where we will finally all be reunited. Pray that they will have safe flights and be able to handle all of the immigration paperwork and connections without any difficulties.
3. Thursday, June 3rd is our annual Sports Marathon in Brazil which will be followed the 4-6th by our annual staff retreat. The sports marathon is one of our largest evangelistic events of the year and the staff retreat is what I consider to be the most important factor in building unity in our staff while keeping the staff encouraged and motivated. Please pray for these two events as we usually carry a big part of the load.
Thank you for being so faithful in praying for us,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
May 24, 2010
PRAISE
1. Sandy was released from the hospital today. She made great progress over the weekend with both increasing her skills and mobility as well as managing her pain. We are so thankful for the wonderful care we have received from the entire hospital staff and now for a wonderful family that is hosting us in Kansas City this week while we continue the road to recovery.
2. The Women's Conference in Brazil last weekend was a great success. It was full to overflowing and unfortunately we had to turn some ladies away but we praise God for the great turn out and the many testimonies of encouraged and challenged women who were in attendance.
3. We praise God for you who have been so faithful to pray for us during these days. Your prayers and encouraging notes have helped to sustain us, cheer us and strengthened our faith. The Body of Christ has worked very well to minister to us during this time and we are eternally grateful for each member.
PRAY
1. Our greatest concern at this point is for the pathology report on Sandy's tumor. We were supposed to get results last Friday. However, the Kansas City pathology department was not positive they could confirm the surgeon's evaluation that it was a benign tumor so they sent it to a specialized neuro pathology unit at the University of Nebraska in order to be sure. Please pray for a clear and accurate diagnosis. Also pray for Dr. Salacz, our oncologist, who will be recommending treatment based on this report. We expect to have the results by this Friday when we go have Sandy's stitches removed.
2. As a part of Sandy's physical and cognitive evaluations we have been able to see that Sandy has lost some abilities that we will need to work to get back. We knew that all of these and much more were very possible so the fact that she can speak and use her right hand at all are great blessings. Her right hand is now weaker than her left hand, her speech is slower and gets slurred when she is tired or when trying to walk and talk at the same time and she is not able to type at near the speed or accuracy that she had prior to surgery. So please pray for patience and persistence as we work to get these functions back.
3. This week the group from Liberty University will be arriving on the Belem campus and holding an English Camp. These camps are attended by many unbelievers so pray that the Gospel will be clearly communicated and understood. Also this week is the first time for Daniel, Gary's substitute to take care of the end-of-month bills and procedures. This along with hosting the group and the camp will be a stretching experience for him and the entire staff pray that they have wisdom and strength.
4. Forgive the extra request this week, but please also continue to remember our Joshua and Mackenzie back in Brazil. They are facing the final tests, projects and end of school activities without mom and dad in addition to the stress they are under because of Sandy's illness. Please pray for God's grace to be evident to them as they face each day.
Thank you for your prayers,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
Dear Friends and Family,
Today, Monday in the late afternoon Sandy was released from the hospital. She has made great progress obviously and we are so thankful to the Lord for His work in our lives. We will be staying in the Kansas City area for this week in the home of some long time friends and supporters who have a beautiful and comfortable place for us to stay and continue the road to recovery. On Friday of this week we will have the stitches taken out and hope to get the final pathology report back and find out what the next steps are.
As you pray for us here are some things we would like for you to remember.
1. In the physical therapy that we have done to this point we have noticed that Sandy has lost quite a bit of strength in her right arm. Her left arm is stronger now and she is right handed. While her speech has improved quite a bit over the last few days we notice that when she is tired or while she is trying to do something else like walk or balance she looses a lot of her speaking ability. She has also lost a lot of speed and accuracy when she tries to type. If you know Sandy you know she used to be able to type like a machine gun with out error, that has all changed now. However, the doctors have all said that this is very normal and that with time she will regain much if not all of this back. So please pray for patience as we work with her towards that goal. Honestly we are all amazed that she is doing as well as she is, but it is clear now that there is still a road to recovery ahead of us.
2. The pathology report continues to weigh heavy on our hearts and minds. There is really nothing we can do but wait and pray so we ask that you pray for us to have both peace and patience. We also ask that you continue to pray for the pathologists that they would be able to give us a clear and accurate identification for this tumor. We also ask for wisdom for the oncologist as he determines the best coarse of action based on this pathology report.
3. Praise God for such a quick release from the hospital and the great care we received there. We were truly blessed during this process and now continue to be blessed by such a comfortable place in Kansas City to continue to recover.
4. Please continue to pray for Joshua and Mackenzie as they finish up school without mom and dad to be there to help during this normally difficult time of the school year besides all that they are feeling with their mom going through this. We praise God for Skype and the ability to do some virtual parenting via video phone, but it is just not the same as being together.
We love and appreciate you all so very much and thank you for standing so close to our sides during this entire time.
Love,
Gary for all of us
May 15, 2010
PRAISE
1. Sandy and I had very good and uneventful flights from Brazil to Kansas City and we are now with Sandy's parents in Salina. Only days before traveling our doctor in Brazil added a medication that seems to have really helped control the small seizures that Sandy had been experiencing. On the big flight from Manaus to Miami we were allowed to sit in first class. We are very thankful for the medical team that has been assembled to operate on Sandy and we have been able to complete all of the pre-op exams including a two hour MRI. We have sensed God's direction, provision and strengthening each step of the way.
2. In our last update we shared with you about one of our transformers shorting out and to be honest we did not have the funds to both fix it and pay our bills. However, just the day before we had to leave Brazil we received a donation that more than covered the repairs as well as the labor costs needed to get it up and running.
3. The visit of the 25 students and staff from Word of Life in New York was a great encouragement to both us and them. They did a great job of serving and our staff really pulled together to host them even though our ability to spend time with them was very limited. Two of the team members are planning to transfer to our school to finish their education and then hope to serve with us in the future.
PRAY
1. Wednesday, May 19th at 7:45am Sandy is scheduled to have surgery to remove the tumor in her brain at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City. We learned from the doctor that this tumor is embedded in the area of her brain that controls speech as well as her right hand. He has therefore decided that he will wake Sandy up during a part of the surgery so he can be sure not to do any damage to these critical functions. Please pray for Dr. Camarata and his assistant Dr. Lovick to have wise judgment and skilled hands as they perform this surgery. Pray that the anesthesiologist will be able to keep Sandy calm during the "awake" portion of the operation. Pray that God would see fit to preserve Sandy's ability to speak and use her right hand. Above all pray for God's will to be done in our lives and that He would be glorified by our attitudes and actions that others might see Him.
2. Please pray for Joshua and Mackenzie who stayed back in Brazil to finish up their school year. They wish they could be in two places at once, but we all agreed that this would be best and Gary's dad is there to help care for them. Pray that God's grace will be evident to them and that they will grow in their dependence on Him through this process. We are thankful that Mishaela made it safely back to the US from Hungary. Pray that she will arrive safely here in Salina tomorrow (Sunday).
3. The next few weeks will be very busy ones for the ministry in Brazil. A group of students from Liberty University along with doctors and dentists will be making a trip on the river with Rick and then going to Belem to hold an English retreat at the end of the month. Next weekend is our annual Women's Conference and it is completely full with a long waiting list of ladies who hope to come. Pray that God will use these events to change lives and equip our staff to serve in these events in a way that pleases God and makes Christ evident to all around.
Your prayers for us are greatly needed and appreciated!!
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
April 30, 2010
PRAISE
1. We have found a highly recommended neurosurgeon in Kansas City that has agreed to take Sandy's case. We have an appointment scheduled for May 10th. Sandy and I were able to move our tickets up to May 8th for a reasonable price. Gary's dad will be coming to stay with Josh and Mackenzie here at our home in Brazil so that they can finish up the school year before coming to the US for our furlough on June 7th as we had originally planned. We are thankful that we have been able to work out these details and we are amazed and humbled by the outpouring of love we have felt from the body of Christ as we face this trial.
2. Greg and Anne are recovering very well from their car accident. They are still suffering from some aches, pains and stiffness but they are doing amazingly well.
3. God has provided a mini-van for our family to use during our furlough through a ministry called Righteous Rides. We are thankful for this provision.
PRAY
1. Please continue to lift Sandy up before our Lord. While she has not had anymore grand mal seizures due to the medication she is on, she does continue to have the feeling that a seizure is coming on now and then and afterwards just feels very tired and out of it for the next several hours. Pray for us to have a safe and uneventful flight next Saturday that Sandy will have the strength she needs with no seizures. Also please pray for me as I pack, I also need to get permission from a judge for our kids to travel alone in June (Brazilian Law) and take care of many ministry responsibilities.
2. This week we are hosting a group of 25 students and staff from Word of Life in New York. Please pray that the Lord will bless their visit, give them safety, good health, use them to bless others and use us to bless them.
3. Last weekend one of the transformers on our campus went out leaving us without electricity for almost three days. We were able to use one of our other transformers to temporarily restore power but need to find a permanent solution. Pray that our transformer can be repaired or that the Lord will provide for a new one.
Thank you so much for standing with us in prayer it means so much to all of us,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
April 18, 2010
Dear Praying Friends,
God, in His unfailing goodness and sovereign care, has permitted us to face another major trail in regards to Sandy's health. Last Sunday she had a couple of seizures during her sleep. We went to the emergency room were she was observed, stabilized and referred to a neurologist with a long list of exams to complete. This week has been spent doing those exams and culminated with the following diagnosis from our neurologist. Sandy has 3-4cm tumor on her brain. The doctor assures us that the tumor gives every indication of being benign and that it is operable. He believes that we can have great hope that she will fully recover from this. Since we were already planning to leave in the US in a couple months, he advised that it would be wise to consider moving our planned return to the US ahead if possible. Sandy has started a medication to control the seizures and we need to make sure that she has adjusted to it prior to our traveling. He indicated that this would take around three weeks.
In light of this news we are looking to return to the US in three to four weeks and then have surgery to remove this tumor. We are thankful for the grace and peace that God has already blessed us with during these days. Our Word of Life family here in Brazil has been so helpful in ministering to all of us. And we know that you will faithfully lift us up before the Father. As you do, we would like to ask that you pray for the following:
1. That we can find the right nerosurgeon and the right facility in which to do this surgery.
2. That God will bring healing and a full recovery to Sandy.
3. That God's grace would be ever evident to our children as they face this with us. Pray especially for Mishaela who is in Hungary, so far away from all of us.
4. That we will be able to take care of all of the details and make the necessary preparations for our trip back to the US.
Thank you for your prayers! It is such a huge comfort for us to know that there are so many of you praying for the Lord's protection and provision in our lives.
Love,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie
April 9, 2010
PRAISE
1. Gary had a great time with the Word of Life Directors from the other regions of Brazil as they all visited several of our river communities. It was definitely an unforgettable experience for all of us and a wonderful opportunity to share what God has done to transform the lives of so many of the people who live in these remote locations.
2. It looks like we have been able to resolve our problems with the Federal Police. We are in the process of replacing our security guards so that we can sign their labor contracts in a way that will satisfy the requirements. In the end, it all seems to have come down to a bureaucratic problem. Letting workers go is expensive but we believe it to be the best solution in the long run.
3. We were just informed that Mishaela has been granted half of her college education in grants and scholarships. It is looking more and more like she will enroll in The Master's College for next year. We thank God for this provision and Mishaela's diligent work in qualifying for these scholarships.
PRAY
1. Last week just the day before our trip on the Amazon. Greg and Annie (Rick and Kim's son and daughter-in-law) were in a very serious car accident. They ended up rolling the truck down a deep embankment and Anne was thrown quite a ways and landed unconscious under water. Thankfully, Greg was able to get out of the truck, find Annie and administer CPR fast enough to save her life. To make a very long story short, Greg has a cracked collarbone and Annie a cracked pelvis. They are both very sore but we praise the Lord they are both alive!!! They are both home and should make a full recovery. The truck, which is vital to the boat ministry, was totaled. Please pray for Greg and Annie as they continue to recover both physically and emotionally from this traumatic accident.
2. This weekend Gary will be teaching counseling to our extension course students again. It is a full day of teaching that requires a lot of strength so pray for energy and a strong voice as well as for the students to really grow in their preparation to be able to help others.
3. This year we have two students from Kerghistan studying here. If you are following world events you know that there has been an military uprising in the country and the president has gone into hiding. Our students are afraid that they may be called back to their country to serve in the military. Please pray for Norus and Norbeck that God would give them peace and help them be able to concentrate on their studies in light of these uncertain days.
Thank you for lifting us up in prayer,
Gary, Sandy, Mishaela, Joshua and Mackenzie