Sunday

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you so very much for going before the throne of God on our behalf. Unfortunately we have been unable to send regular updates, but as each of you have written encouragements, you received a reply with your questions answered and an update given. The exception is those of you who have written in the past couple of days. Below we have listed the answers to your prayers.

On Friday evening the 13th, Freda had the opportunity to ride in a ambulance in Budapest expanding her list of adventures. She was admitted to the neurology hospital and you can be sure she could write several interesting chapters of her opportunities to be a servant and exhibit Christ likeness. The hospital provides nothing much except a bed and medical care. Your level of expectations will change quickly in such a place and therefore your level of appreciation when you begin to have need of such things such as water and toilet paper. The hospital was also under quarantine because of the flu epidemic in Budapest and there were times no one could get in to visit her. She was blessed to have a cell phone provided by our member care staff, and therefore she could call to make her needs known but often it could not be arranged in time to fill her needs. It was not until Wednesday that they did a brain stem electrode test and on Thursday evening she finally was given the long promised MRI.

On Friday morning, February 20, colleagues and I were able to take her clean towels, wash cloth, bed clothes, and other needs. Upon returning to the Eden House we received a call from Freda saying that she had been released. I was unable to go with the colleagues to pick her up or to go to the clinic for a evaluation visit with a neurologist at 5:30 PM and the general doctor at 6 PM. The second doctor said, “I understand that after two days you were up assisting other patients in your ward”. That was true and one day Freda may have an opportunity to tell you how God burdened her heart and used love to communicate when there was no common verbal language. In the middle of the night Freda was found to be helping a elderly lady with Parkinson’s down the hall to the bathroom when she had been told to not get out of bed herself. Freda made many trips each day with that lady and even gave her a warm water foot soak and washed her feet when she complained of her feet hurting. I will leave additional stories of this lady and the others to Freda to share with you.

The results of the evaluation are that Freda had a light stroke – that the Lord apparently healed except for a little balance problem that should resolve itself in time. It could be a few weeks or a few months before she is back to normal balance. We believe that this is a direct result of your prayers. It was determined that the pain in the side of her head and the very sore spot under her jawbone is a stopped up saliva gland and she has a scan scheduled for that on Monday the 23, unless she can clear it with lemon and sucking as saliva flows.

As previously shared, Freda got excellent reports on all other test except for having a very low iron level, and the problem with the Trolov Cysts on her spine. She has an appointment at Johns Hopkins Medical Center on April 23 to do a final evaluation to determine the steps they will take in correcting the problem.

My surgery was not the normal procedure but much more extensive. The doctor had said that he would only do half so much and that the remainder would have to take place a few months from now, but the doctor decided to go for 90% of the process and it was almost too much. Last Tuesday I had a follow up visit and the same evening began to pass huge amounts of blood and had the presence of mind to take pictures of the results keeping the reputation of taking pictures of unique subjects. On Wednesday I went to the clinic for a blood count test but the doctors wanted to quiz me first and upon seeing my pictures got very serious. The surgeon was called and Thursday morning at 8 AM, I met the surgeon at the hospital where I was examined with a scope and it was determined that during the surgery and in the hours following the surgery I had accumulated a great deal of blood in my colon. I was told that to expect blood (in much lesser amounts) for up to six weeks. I continue to experience pain, discomfort and inconvenience. The surgeon discharged me but suggested that I spend a week in the city before departing and try to restore my system to normal as healing takes place. Now I suspect that there might have been a hidden thought that something could still go wrong, but trust that the Lord will continue the healing process. This has been a very humbling experience and I have grown through it in many ways. Not only will I have better health but will have grown as a person. “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7)

We praise God for our good health because we actually are healthy and able to serve Him. Thank you for keeping us lifted before His throne.

Please pray for continued healing; opportunities to witness; that we will know His will for our lives and that all our decisions will honor Him and His perfect will.

Praise Him for the blessing of confidence in His promises; For the healing and protection He has provided; That we are allowed to call Him “LORD“, and have the opportunity to serve Him: Praise Him for the many ways He reveals Himself; Praise Him for the assurance that He hears and listens when you pray and for answering your prayers.

May He bless you with His joy.

In Christ’s love,