Just 24 little hours

By now many of you may already have heard about the major change in our plans. Friday morning I got up excited about the fact that the rains had finally stopped and the sun was out. Our bedroom had finally stopped leaking. I could finally put away the buckets, remove our mattress from the living room and start cleaning and doing the laundry. A normal day at last!
Then Bob came home about 3:30. And our life changed!
He's been having a sore throat for over two months and had treated it with antibiotics, but to no avail. He had finally developed other symptoms along with pain in his neck, not just his throat.
While doing errands in San Pedro, he decided to look for a lab where he could get some blood work done. The LORD lead him to Clinica de los Ninos, a private hospital, {but not just for children as the name would seem to imply.} There he met a Christian doctor, Carlos. He told Carlos his problems. Carlos also works at another hospital, Musa. He told Bob to meet him at 5:30 and we would go to Musa and there Carlos would do an ultrasound on Bob's neck.
We were very pleasantly surprsied when we entered the room and found brand new, up-to-date equipment! the rest of the hospital looks more like a prison from the 1920's! Carlos did the ultrasound and my untrained eye from 6 feet away could see that there was a problem.
As Bob and Carlos talked, it was obvious that he not only has a tumor in his thyroid, but it has begun to calcify, which probably indicates cancer.
Our life has drastically changed. Hearing him make his phone calls, to David, Lyndie and Shan about broke my heart. As he called others, the sadness continued to grow.
Last week he started a time of training with several pastors. He went yesterday expecting to see the same 14 men...but the group had grown to 20. ALL wanting to be taught! he had to tell them we have to leave the Dominican for a time. He came home drained....he said they encircled him and prayed and wept. They are going to be like the woman of Luke 11, who continually pleaded with the judge until he relented.
Right after that he had to tell the other SCORE missionaries. Then this morning we went to our church in San Pedro. The first 20 minutes of their service was spent in time praying for their country and for the devastation of so much from tropical Storm Noel. Each family was given a huge black garbage bag and asked to return it tonight full with items for those who lost everything! Talk about sacrificial giving!
The pastor then allowed Bob a time to share. By the time he was done, there wasn't a dry eye.
They again encircled the two of us and beseeched the LORD on our behalf. I have never seen Dominican men cry until today!
After the email Bob sent out yesterday, we have received many return emails and phone calls. What a blessing! I think each one makes Bob weep.
Tomorrow many phone calls have to be made. The one probably most important, is the call to the insurance company. Since we do not live in the States, we have health insurance for missionaries. Since we were just in the States for over 2 months, we do not know how much it will cover, if at all, for surgery in the States.
If it won't cover us, we will have to go to Costa Rica, which has an incredible healthcare system.
One of the main hospitals, Clinica Bautista, is as modern as anything in the States. Since the service would be out of the States, the insurance will cover it.
But all of this is in the hands of the LORD. None of this took Him by surprise.
We face an uncertain future from a human perspective, but our Heavenly Father knows all! He has not, nor will He, abandon us! Of this I AM SURE!
Yesterday I was still pretty numb. I wanted to cry but the tears would not come. The time in church this morning with the saints was a true time of encouragment and blessing! As one after another of my brothers and sisters came with tears and hugs, I prayed that the LORD would allow me to understand what they were saying to me. They spoke in words I knew! They spoke of having confidence in God, of His power, and of being strong in the faith, and of their continual prayer for us!
Please pray for us! Particularly, for Bob's throat and this tumor. Pray that he does not loose his ability to talk. The LORD has allowed me, esp these last couple of days, to see the heart that Bob has for these people here in the Dominican. I so want him to be able to teach and minister with them.
Pray for the insurance coverage. We would prefer to go to Tampa, FL. One of the doctors (a brain surgeon)that oversees the medical ministry of CWE (Construction for Worldwide Evangelism) lives in Tampa and within the past two years has had surgery for thyroid cancer. He is going to set us up with the doctor who did his surgery! We already have several places to stay!
We would be taken care of also in Costa Rica, but don't have the same medical connections.
But it is all in HIS hands!
Most likely we will be flying on Tuesday where ever it is we are going.

"I know the plan I have for you," declares the LORD. "Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Please pray for our future!