Dear prayer partners and friends,
This has been a very difficult week. When Robin went to visit her parents, along with Andrew and Emily, and Grace, last weekend, her dad was able to get around and was doing OK. His health has been going down slowly over the past couple years. But, in the last week things have progressed very quickly.
Saturday a week ago he was able to be up and around and Andrew and Emily enjoyed a nice visit with him. On Sunday his health began deteriorating quickly. By Sunday evening he was barely able to hold his own weight to stand up. Sunday night was a bad night. By Monday morning, Robin had to help her mom get him out of bed into his wheel chair because he had no strength to do it himself. His speech also became very difficult to understand. He was having trouble swallowing too, so he has virtually stopped eating, except what is fed to him.
Robin stayed to help her mom care for him for a couple days, but needed to get back to GR on Thursday. Because his health has gotten so bad, we have encouraged our kids to get up and say their goodbyes. Hospice was called on Monday to begin assisting. On Friday they brought a hospital bed for him, and catheter etc, to help make the end more comfortable. We are all preparing for the worst.
Robin was able to bring Hannah and Bradley up to see him and say goodbye on Thursday. Unfortunately her dad was in such poor health, although Hannah got to see him, and present baby Bradley to him, we aren’t sure how much he was coherent enough to recognize them. But, Hannah was glad for Robin to take her up to see him. Friday, Robin had to get Hannah back home, after their short visit. Friday Caleb was also able to go up, before he headed back to Bible School.
Robin will return on Tuesday to help her mom care for him.
Please pray! This has been a very difficult week. It seems very sudden for us. We haven’t been around to see his health going down, and now it feels like it’s all at once. It’s hard to know how to pray. If this is his time, we don’t want to see him suffer long. But, on the other hand, it’s hard to see him go.
Pray for Robin’s plans to return to PNG. She has tickets booked for 17 August. But, with her dads condition, if things prolong, we aren’t sure what to do. It’s really the pits for me to be in PNG while Robin is in Michigan going through all this without me there. But, on the other hand, we are so thankful that she is there right now, rather than having to make last minutes plan to try and travel back quickly.
Anyway, I think I have said enough for you all to know how to pray for us. We really don’t know what to think, or what to pray, so we appreciate you all praying for us and on our behalf.
I was reminded of Psalm 61:2-4 this week, “Lead me to the ROCK that is HIGHER THAN I, for you have been MY REFUGE, a STRONG TOWER where my enemies cannot reach me (NLT).” And Psalm 62:6-7 “He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.”
Pray for us that God would be our refuge, our strong tower, our fortress, and that we will not be shaken.
Thank you for standing together with us. We value your prayers greatly right now.