Dearest Ones,
A number of you have called or sent e-mails, asking for news about J.C. I had waited until now because he was having a PET scan and we wanted to have the report on that before writing. Yesterday we were told that the scan shows that there is a tumor developing at his spine, just above his waist, so he is to begin radiation treatments probably next week. We were thankful that nothing seems to be forming in the colon-area where the first surgery was done, and nothing in the lung where the second tumors had developed. We continue to pray for his health, for whatever is best for him and all concerned.
I can’t express my thankfulness to each one of you for your prayers on his behalf. We know that God hears and answers as He promised, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.” We wait to know what His will is. As I told Sheila (our daughter) the other day, “God teaches us to be good stewards of ourselves and all that we possess. We, and all that we have, are His. He will be a good steward in taking care of what is His, just as he asks us to be.” We are in His hands.
Sheila came and spent two weeks with us. Having her here was such an encouragement, and she was so much help in many ways. Steve and his family came for her second weekend, which was wonderful too. Family support means more than words can say in times of such on-going stress.
Mother is having knee replacement surgery May 8th, and Eulene is having a hip replaced on the 9th. So we have more challenges ahead. Please pray for all of us during these weeks.
We are working on Volume 50 of the English version of The Voice of Truth International, Volume 6 of the Spanish, and have several books in the works for printing. Ruth Orr and some of her co-workers came down three weeks ago and prepared magazines and literature for mailing, both here in the States and overseas. We deeply appreciated their help.
The work overseas continues to go well. We are so thankful that Joshua Gootam, the Telegu radio and TV speaker in Kakinada, India, is making a good recovery from the strokes he had about five weeks ago. He is a vital part of the church there and we were so happy when his son, RIcky (who is also very involved in the work), wrote and said that he is beginning to spend time at the office again, and that his speech is almost normal. He hopes to be able to record TV programs again in another week. Thank God for that!
God bless each one of you. Thank you for caring and for praying. Please know that we love you and wish to be in touch, individually, but the demands of the days don’t allow that.
In His love, Betty for J.C.