Sunday, July 24, 2011

20,000 miles later

David and Sylvia with Napa Valley in the background.
From April to the end of June, we were privileged to speak 28 times in 27 different churches as we traveled across the United States from New York to Idaho, Kansas to California!  We met many "old" friends along the way and made heaps of new friends.  We were blessed with a place to sleep every night, wonderful food, and a faithful car that became our home!  We met face-to-face those of you who are our strong and faithful supporters.  More than any previous home assignment, we noticed that God opened the door for us to connect with many friends and family - some that we had not seen in the last 30 years!  You provided gracious Christian hospitality that warmed our hearts and renewed relationships.   Sometimes we were treated like royalty and sometimes we were just part of the fam.  It was all SO good!  Your faces and words of encouragement are fresh in our minds and hearts!  We praise God for his protection and blessing and provision!

"Thank you" is such a feeble way of expressing our deep appreciation.  We hope in your generosity that you have known the joy and satisfaction of being channels of blessing because that is what you have been to us - channels of our prodigal God's abundant love!

Enjoyed Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice in Delaware Park with Jeff.
We've enjoyed our weeks of vacation here in Buffalo.  The highlights have been a weekend and an evening of Shakespeare in the park with Jeffrey and an entire weekend of caring for our grandgirls while Joel and Bekah celebrated their 5th anniversary with a 3 day bike trip.


Sylvia picking a tiny flower in the park.
 In this last week of our vacation, we were beginning the task of packing our suitcases, distributing all the stuff we had accumulated to take back with us so that each suitcase was under 50 pounds.  On Tuesday, Sylvia had a breast biopsy done.  We thought it was a case of her doctor requesting the latest available means to make sure that the usual suspicious things seen on her mammogram were simply cysts.  On Thursday, the radiologist called to confirm that Sylvia has breast cancer.

Dora among the daisies.

Our departure from the US, scheduled for tomorrow, was postponed and we started a journey on a new path that we've never walked before.  Sylvia will be anointed for healing this Sunday morning .  There are lots and lots and lots of questions to be answered and decisions to be made! 



In the midst of all this, we have both been experiencing tremendous peace and are encouraged by Moses' words to the Israelites in Deut. 31:6, "Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give [this news] a second thought because GOD, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you” (The Message).  We appreciate your support in prayer for our family!