Monday, December 10, 2018

A Big Thank You



The past year has been the darkest year in my life. Many times I thought it was the end, I would die, but Jesus brought me through. In November 2017 I was diagnosed with rectal cancer after I had been in severe pain for months. I went in for surgery, a colostomy, but the surgeon botched the procedure and two weeks later I had to go back for another operation, during which some gut content was spilled in my abdomen. This resulted in sepsis. I was rushed into theater for emergency surgery to clean out my abdominal cavity. When I came out of surgery I went into ICU where I lay the next month. I was allergic to the sepsis antibiotic that they gave me and I got seizures. They expected me to die. Around Christmas they informed my wife to let the family know to come and see me before I die. During this time I died twice and was resuscitated. A doctor that was in charge of ICU over the Christmas period suspected that I was allergic to the medication and also determined that some of the monitoring equipment was faulty. She had the equipment calibrated and changed the antibiotics. From that time onward my condition started to improve.

My wife informed some believers about my situation and many were praying for me. At the end of January 2018 I was discharged from hospital in a wheel chair.  I had lost 40 pounds, was weak. I could not even comb my hair. I could not walk. I had open wounds on my stomach and had to carry a vacuum pump with me. My wounds had to be dressed every day. There was no available space in rehab, so my wife took me home and took care of me. A nurse came around to the house to dress the wounds every few days.  In all this time nothing had been done to treat the rectal cancer for which I went into hospital. I had to first  recover    before the cancer could be treated.

After two months I had recovered sufficiently to undergo chemo and radiation. I had 28 treatments, which were extremely painful. Once again I had to recover from the radiation before extensive surgery could be done, to remove the rectum and the cancerous ulcer, remove my gall bladder, and do reconstructive plastic surgery on my rectal area and core that was totally destroyed by all the previous surgeries. That was a 7 hour operation that took place in June 2018. Once again I had to go through painful recovery.

During all this time my wife was by my side, day and night. She nursed me back to life, took care of my wounds, drove me to hospital and back.

I can say with the psalmist in the 23rd psalm: "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me."  The Lord is my Shepherd. I have felt His rod and His staff. I have experienced His comfort when all hope was gone.

I am much better and still recovering. I still have issues, but I am off the pain medication. I still have wounds that my wife attends to every day, but I am alive.

I thank Jesus for keeping me alive. I thank every brother and sister who prayed for me.  A big THANK YOU to those who financially supported  us and still do.  May Jesus reward and repay you both now and in heaven.

When I was so sick in ICU Jesus spoke to me and said to me that I still have much work to do. During this time of sickness, my wife and I have been blessed to continue our work, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, leading souls to Jesus, even though some days were extremely difficult..

 We started on the internet in 2008 and by His grace and mercy we have never stopped. It is our desire to keep witnessing for Jesus and build His kingdom until the end of our lives, no matter what comes against us.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for your love, prayers and financial support. What you have done to us, His least servants, you have done to Jesus. Your reward is with Him.

May Jesus bless you much.

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