"PAID" IN CARROTS

      Today, we took Thandi back home.  This was a moment of celebration (although Abby cried because she would miss her).  We had been working for months with the local clinic trying to get Thandi on the right medications and hoping her immune system would perk back up.  The day had finally come where she felt strong enough to head back home.  The granny at her house dug up and cleaned some carrots for Kyle (sometimes he's given avocados or mangos).

      Her going home is incredibly exciting to us, but also a little sad . . . she had become a friend.  Always with a smile, laughing at the girls and joining us in church when she felt strong enough.

       For months, she had been joining the Bible study that Kyle leads during the week at the Care Home.  She wrote down a thanks for us,

                         "I promise that I will always trust God and put Him as my first priority of my life and   pray."                        

MORE DONATED FOOD

The shipment just arrived!  One whole wall in our garage is now stacked with donated food from different sources.  This last arrival is 54 boxes (brown boxes in the picture) full of bags of specially formulated food to be boiled in water.  The meal packets are a combination of good fibers, protein and extra vitamins and minerals.  We've started using these for lunch in the Care Home.  The workers add a little onion, tomato, or green pepper AND it's so yummy.

Not only do we use the food every day at the Care Home, but we also send patients home with packets.  Most patients go back home to absolutely nothing!  It is such a blessing to send them home with some nutritious meals.

A huge THANK YOU to Pastor Dean Graber and Great River Hospice, Burlington, Iowa

SURGERY OVER, RECOVERY ON-GOING

A huge thanks to EVERYONE for all the prayers concerning my surgery in Cape Town.  God's hand was seen so clearly as He directed events and conversations.

To fly the family to a new town, stay in an unfamiliar place, have surgery with an unknown outcome was a little daunting.  BUT, God had gone before us.  Through the missionaries on the Cape Town team, our needs were met- beyond our expectations!
-A member of a missionary's church offered their sea side cottage for our two week stay, another church member lent us their extra vehicle.
-People arranged airport pick up and drop off.
-Missionaries watched our children during the surgery and kept the kids and Kyle overnight.
-Friends of friends let Kyle and I stay the night before surgery at their house because they lived just a              
     few minutes from the hospital. (the cottage we were staying at was an hour drive from the hospital)
-Even the surgeon and hospital has handled through others who could guide and direct us.

Kyle and the girls had a great time exploring the coast and hiking.  It was great weather the first week, and incredibly cold and rainy the second week.

Recovery has been interesting!  There's numbness, lingering nerve pain and a left lower lip that just won't respond to my prompting :)  The doc told me to give it three months before deciding what might be permanent.  Please pray for my patience as I struggle to pronounce some words and deal with the pain.

NOT WHAT I EXPECTED

Many have heard by now, but last week the doctors found a low-grade tumor in my submandibular gland.

What was supposed to be a quick doctor's visit, turned into 5 hours of different tests and waiting rooms!

Praise God, they don't think it is cancerous, but surgery to remove the gland is necessary.  Between phone calls to different missionaries, regional administrator and the ABWE physician, a decision was made to have the surgery done in Cape Town by a surgeon that comes highly recommended through another surgeon contact.

We've already seen God work in so many ways!  Within 48 hours of realizing that I needed surgery, the desired surgeon had agreed to do the surgery and we had been offered a cottage by the sea to stay in.  Within the next 48 hours, a missionary in Cape Town organized a car for us to use for the two weeks we are down there and is picking us up from the airport, Kyle is preaching in their church on Sunday (and presenting the Care Home)  AND another missionary is taking care of the girls the day I have surgery.  God is so good!

So, we will fly down there the 26th, pre-op appointment is the 29th, surgery is the 31st.  We will fly back June 10th.

As it all comes together as only God can do, I wonder why I'm still so frustrated, frustrated about having to take these two weeks out of my life, frustrated with having to shut down the Care Home- yet again, frustrated with the fluctuations with my health!  I'm still learning to rest in God's plans- not my own.  This seems to be a lesson that I'm having a hard time learning :)

A FEW NEEDS

I wanted to mention a few needs that we have for the Care Home, in case anybody wants a way to get involved :)

10 water-proof pillow covers (standard size)
       example at http://bedwettingstore.com/vinyl-waterproof-pillow-covers.html
       just one or all 10 could be purchased

Peppermint tea- can be removed from box and packaged in a ziplock bag

A team of college students is coming over the end of June and would be able to carry these items over in a suitcase.  If you would like to purchase either of these items, please contact me farranh@gmail.com and I will give you a US address to ship them to.

Thanks for considering this!

REJOICING

Change is what I've been praying for.  Change in my heart and change in one of our patient's hearts (previous post).
God provided opportunity for me to serve and then the change began . . . . in both of us I think :)

Sunday morning I always check in on the Care Home and make the grocery list before heading to music practice.  This time, I walked in to find her throwing up her morning breakfast and medications.  I rushed into the middle of things to help the staff, holding the cup of water, helping clean things up, and rubbing her back until all had settled.  Then quietly went on with the rest of my business.

Monday and Tuesday Kyle went in as normal to do the Bible studies.  She was alert and pleasant.  Wednesday, she was all smiles and even complimented him.

I came in Wednesday afternoon to do my normal routine.  She was sitting up in bed watching me very closely.  Then she started rattling off something that was too fast for me to understand, but looking directly at me.  I asked one of the staff what she said.  Thuli laughed a little then said, "She says she likes you . . . you aren't harsh.  She says you are friends."

I almost couldn't hold back the tears (and maybe I shouldn't have).  My heart was ready to explode.

My prayer is that the gospel that she hears everyday would speak even louder, now that "we are friends".

TAKING PATIENTS HOME

The girls love helping with the ministry and today was Abby's turn to help with the transporting of patients.  It was also the first day Kyle was able to use the stretcher he's been working on.  It fits in the back of our car, has a detachable foot board and a metal frame with wheels fits on the bottom.  Should be an incredible help!