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| March 29, 2008 Greetings from Nairobi!
Hope this finds you all well. We are waking up
this morning in our own house after being away for 5 nights at the coast of
Kenya. Our family was able to enjoy some sun and fun for a couple of days.
We are so thankful for the wonderful time we all had. The kids have a new
favorite memory.
We were able to canoe and snorkel in the Indian
Ocean, ride camels down the beach, and enjoy lots of sun and friends. It
seemed that the place we went was very popular with many people we knew -
with us feeling like we knew 1/3 of the people there. We all had a
wonderful time.
While a couple of you will know about Linda's
upcoming surgery, most of you will not. Linda had some complications last
spring with endometriosis. After trying all the more conservative approaches
over the last year, it is evident that she has no other choice but to have a
hysterectomy. While the "endo" had penetrated the colon last spring, it now
seems to have effected the bladder/ureter and also has created a grapefruit
size cyst. Linda and Lydia will travel to the States today (Sunday) to see
a surgeon that specializes in this type of surgery first thing on Tuesday
morning. The office expects for the surgery to occur after about 1 week of
seeing the surgeon.
Jim, Natalie, and Gillian will be staying back
in Kenya. While it is going to be very hard for all of us to be separated
for the 6 to 8 weeks, it is the best for our family. As we look at the
situation, there just are not any easy options. We are thankful to have no
doubt that this is no surprise to the Lord. We all know that He can help us
through anything that He allows to come our way.
Jim will send out an update when we find out
what day the surgery will be on. Thank you in advance for your prayers for
an easy and uneventful trip to the states without delays, a great and
completely successful surgery, quick and complication free recovery, and
grace for each of our family members to go through this time apart.
The surgery will happen in Memphis. Bellevue
has been very kind to offer a mission house and car until May 15th. Linda's
parents have an extra cell phone for her to use. We feel blessed that all
these details have snapped together in the last 5 days - when we found that
Memphis was the place Linda would be staying.
Linda had written a newsletter about 2 weeks
ago. It was never "shortened" and sent out - due to the crazy schedule
that preceded the vacation. It is much longer than normal - so
get a cup of coffee. It is for the ones that have the time to read it and
want to be updated on the ministry here. Be warned - it is long!
Be blessed! Thank you for standing with us
through this time, and through the ministry that God has called us to.
In Him -
Jim and Linda
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