Less than two weeks ago, we were meeting with our team of Camino Global missionaries. You remember them, right? We serve in three different cities here in central Mexico. One couple was missing – being currently in the USA for a few weeks.
A couple of days after our meeting, one of our team members (not from our local team – serving in another city) began to experience some flu-like symptoms. When the normal treatments didn’t seem to help, a blood test turned up the real culprit – cancer.
I won’t mention her name here (though it’s not a secret – contact me and I’ll tell you), but I’m sure she would appreciate your prayers. Three days after the blood test, further tests had narrowed down the type of cancer. And five days later, yesterday, treatment began. She will be in the hospital undergoing treatment right up until Christmas, at which point she will take a break before continuing.
Talk about your world being completely turned upside-down in a matter of days. She and her husband were planning to spend Christmas with family in the USA – but it looks like that visit will have to wait for several months now.
Cancer has been a common and unwanted theme. In the spring, a former team member (who is now living in the US) was diagnosed with cancer, a slow-growing form of leukemia. He is doing well but the leukemia is not in remission.
Another team member on temporary assignment in the USA for a few weeks had a checkup and discovered he had cancer as well. After surgery, it looks like he’s free and clear, but we continue to pray for his recovery. They extended their stay out of the country, but plan to travel back to Mexico soon after New Year’s Day.
All three would appreciate your prayers. But I especially encourage you to pray for our friend who was just diagnosed. She has good care here in Mexico, but of course she and her family are concerned. She would especially appreciate your prayers that she would not have nausea from the treatments, and of course that the treatment would be effective, or that God would heal in another way.
This is going to be a month of travel for me (Jim), starting today. Lord willing I’ll be heading to Texas for an evangelism summit in Frisco, and then a series of Camino Global leadership meetings in Van (both near Dallas). Then I’ll pop back to Ixtapaluca for a day to lead worship music at our church, before heading to Tecolutla Veracruz for a retreat with our Camino Global team here in Mexico. This will be a time to update everyone on what I learn at the other meetings, as well as – I hope – a much needed time of refreshment for all!
