12:25 PM, May 2, 2007

Mom really enjoyed William's baptism last night. She eased off on her pain medication so she could be cognizant and alert for it. It was easily the highlight of her day.

It is becoming more and more difficult to manage Mom's pain and keep her comfortable. She is herself less and less. Her pulse rate has been extremely high, over 130, and her blood pressure has been low for several days now.

I was not able to read any emails to her yesterday because of her condition while I was with her, but I encourage you to continue sending them and I will read them to her at the first opportunity.

We have received so many testimonies of what Mom has meant to the lives of those she has touched. Our plan is to bind them all in a book and keep it as a legacy that our family can appreciate for generations.

Throughout this entire situation, we have all been blessed by evidence of the Lord's care for our family. One such incident happened last year. For years and years, one of the desires of Mom's heart was to go to Africa with a ministry called Reaching Souls International. Dad and I had been with them nearly 15 years ago where we helped train indigenous pastors in evangelism and discipleship techniques. We then spent a week preaching the Gospel in the streets and marketplaces of Bujumbura, Burundi.

Mom had never been able to go. A trip is a 3-4 week long commitment, and there were always young children to care for and other responsibilities she could not leave for that amount of time. Finally, in 2006, she was able to go. My sister Grace went with her. They spent a week training pastors and their wives and then preached the Gospel in the public areas of Arusha, Tanzania. They saw over 6,000 people come to know the Lord.

You can hear Mom's testimony about the trip by going here:

http://www.reachingsoulsinternational.org/multimedia.html

She returned from Arusha in August, and in September she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I know the Lord's timing was in it. He gave her a desire of her heart before He put her through this trial. It's just another evidence that He cares about all those who serve Him and desires to give them good things.

Mom has been blessed, as has our family. Thank you all for your continued prayers.

Josh