We Missed Our Flight Home...

"The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9

When we left Haiti on June 1, we had big plans for the summer. We had prayed through these plans and felt they were God-directed. Even looking back at how some plans weren't quite coming together before we left makes me realize that they were God-directed. He knew what we were going to find out on June 23rd. 

My cancer diagnosis sure threw us for a loop, as it would anybody, but on top of that we were faced with so many questions and decisions to make: where to go for treatment, choosing the treatment option best for us, where to live, where to send the kids to school, etc. We were faced with so many changes for how we thought our summer was going to look and even bigger how the next year is going to look. Through July we were able to still do many of the fun things we had planned, but once August rolled around we had to put off our plans so we could instead make new plans to start treatment. At this point, all the changes suddenly seemed more real than ever. Now we weren't just talking about cancer treatment, I was starting treatment. Now we weren't talking about where to live, we were moving into a house. Now we weren't getting the kids ready to go back to school in Haiti, but registering them for school in the US.

Yesterday, August 30, was the date we were were supposed to fly home to Haiti. Many of the other missionaries have already returned or return in the next few days and the kids' school for the last 5 years starts on Monday. Yet we aren't home. We weren't "supposed to" still be in the States on this date (at least according to our plans.) More and more we are realizing that life and ministry in Haiti is going on without us.

Yet I am embracing this place we are calling home for the next year or so. Embracing the experiences our kids will have at a new school and living in the US. I'm not sure I am embracing cancer treatment, but I'm doing my best to "roll with it" and so far, recovery from surgery has gone much better than I anticipated. This new path is all so much more "real" than ever. My "assignment" for the next year is not what it has been the past few years (missionary, bookkeeping, menu/team planning, teaching, etc) but rather receiving treatment to rid my body of cancer. This means being still and waiting, which is not easy for me! My prayer as I go through each step of this journey, is to take each step relying not on my own strength, but on the strength of my Heavenly Father, to carry our family through this trial and bring us all into a deeper, more intimate relationship with Him.

The kids started school today! Here they are ready to go:

Drew ,6th grade, Tessa, 5th grade, and Braden 3rd grade.

Treatment Update...

We got some disappointing news last week from the pathology reports after surgery. The primary tumor was closer to the skin than they could see in films and scans. What that means is they weren't able to say they got a "clear margin." To be sure there was no spread to the skin, I will go back in this Friday, Sept. 2nd, for a small surgical procedure to remove about a quarter-sized area of skin. At the same time I will have a port placed for chemo. Both of these things are same-day, out-patient surgery.

We met with the medical oncologist yesterday and now have a chemo plan. Chemo will start Tuesday, September 20th. I will receive two drugs once every two weeks times 4. When that is finished, I will receive another drug once every week times 8. If all goes according to plan, chemo will take about 4 months.

Prayer Requests...

• Pray for a smooth surgery and port placement on Friday, September 2nd. Pray for the surgeon and for a positive report of "clear margins" after the skin is removed (meaning all detectable cancer has been removed plus a good cancer-free margin around the site.)
• Pray for the kids as they adjust to a new school, as well as school in the US. Pray they will make friends and quickly feel like they are a part of the class. Pray for them as they adjust to a longer school day and get back into the homework routine. Pray for a good adjustment to new curriculum.
• Pray in advance as we anticipate the start of chemo on Sept 20th.

Thank you and we love you all.

Becky

A Short Update from the Thompsons...

Surgery is done, and it went extremely well.  Becky was able to go home within 24 hours of finishing surgery.  Frankly, we are amazed at her progress.  She is certainly tired, and moving slowly, but we are grateful that her spirits are high, the incisions are clean and doing very well, and physical range of motion is more than we anticipated.  God is answering the prayers of many.

Here are some updated praises and prayer requests...

• Praise for good surgery.  The Dr.'s were very pleased, we are pleased, and the at home nurse was amazed at the good work that the Dr.'s did.
• Praise for coming home so quickly and praise that the recovery has not been as hard as we expected it to be.  This doesn't mean it isn't hard! ;)
• Praise for the HUGE numbers of people praying and supporting us.  Watch for another update on this soon.
• Praise for meals coming over the next couple of weeks from friends.
• Pray for continued recovery.  Pray for no pain, greater strength and endurance, and no infections.  There are drains involved, and we are praying those drains stop draining quickly so they can be removed.
• Pray for good follow up appointments on Wednesday, Thursday, and next week.  We are expecting to hear from the Dr. on Thursday how successful the surgery was.  After surgery, they run tests to make sure they got all the cancer.   These results also will determine how aggressive we need to be with chemo.  Pray for good news and shorter chemo!
• Pray for us as we anticipate chemo starting 3-4 weeks.
• Pray for the kids as they prepare to start school on Aug 31.

Tessa, yesterday, with her 10 year old
Birthday gifts from grandparents.

Treatment Update and Prayer Requests...

After what feels like a million doctor appointments, consultations, tests, a second opinion and being flooded with information and statistics, it is finally time to start treatment. So ready or not, here we go...

Surgery comes first and is scheduled for this Thursday, August 18th. Please pray for the surgeons, for clear steady hands and wisdom during surgery. I expect a 1 to 2 night hospital stay and then home for recovery. Please pray for us as family during the recovery time, as Rob will step up into many of my usual responsibilities and for the kids as they adjust to Mommy resting more.

Chemotherapy will start a few weeks after surgery. They will look thoroughly at the cancer removed during surgery and use that pathology as well as how many lymph nodes they find affected to decide the course(s) of chemo. The oncologist sees two options for chemo that depend on the aggressiveness of the cancer they find. I may receive a less aggressive and shorter course of chemo or a more aggressive, longer duration and multiple drug course of chemo. It is also highly likely that I will have radiation once chemo is finished. That decision is also dependent on how many lymph nodes are affected. Right now we know there is cancer in one lymph node, but surgery will reveal if there are traces in other nodes.

I can't say enough how much we feel your prayers. We are seeing God taking care of needs that we didn't even know we had! I have never felt so loved by my Heavenly Father as I have since we received this diagnosis. He is using so many of you to show us His tender, loving care for us during this time.

How can you pray?

• Praise for the providence of God through the faithfulness of His Church in our life.
• For successful surgery August 18th and good healing and recovery.
• For wisdom for the oncologist as he makes a decision on the course of chemo and wisdom when to start in relation to surgery healing and recovery.
• For our family, as we adjust and learn what life is going to be like over the next months.
• For our kids as they start school August 31st: for a good transition to a new school, new friends, and life in the US.
• For Rob, as he takes primary responsibility of caring for our family over these next months.
• For Rob, as he continues his role of Haiti Field Director from a distance and picks up some additional development roles made possible by his presence here in the States.
• For the RMI team in Haiti as they step up in responsibility and leadership over the next year.  They are more than ready and more than willing, but they will be stretched in new ways as ministry continues at an aggressive pace.

On our way to go clamming and crabbing with
G-Mom and Pop Pop.

Overwhelmed with Gratitude...

We are just overwhelmed with gratitude and thankfulness...

When we came to the US for a 3-month furlough, we never expected to find ourselves staying here for a year. Cancer was not on our radar at all. Within three weeks of landing on US soil, we were stunned and looking at a much different reality for the year ahead than we ever imagined.

Since my cancer diagnosis, life has been a whirlwind of doctors appointments mixed with working in the fun things we had planned. We've really been able to enjoy fun times with our family and with extended family and cousins. Rob and I still got to take the 2-night anniversary getaway we had planned months ago. We are really thankful for these opportunities amidst the madness of a million appointments.

As you can imagine, we've been working hard to figure out our living situation for the next year and make a decision on school for our kids. When we first arrived, Rob's parents graciously made it clear to us that we could stay with them as long as we needed to, even if it was for the whole year. In fact, we've set up beds for the kids and fetched some other furniture to help settle them in here. We desired a place of our own as a family, but we couldn't imagine how we were going to afford to go out and rent a place, furnish it, etc, while maintaining our home in Haiti, and paying for medical expenses. It just seemed an impossibility. In the meantime, Rob reached out to supporting churches in the area to see if they knew of any housing available at a minimal cost.

In the course of a week, the Lord opened some doors that we never expected! A supporting church of ours who has a sister church in Haiti, owns a home right next to the church and have offered for us to live there. It is perfect for our family and we are really excited. They are working on a few maintenance issues as well as replacing some things in the bathroom and we hope to move in before my surgery. Rob spent yesterday demoing the shower to prep it for replacement and the kids and I spent yesterday cleaning. We are gathering furniture and all the necessaries for a home (kitchen, bedding, etc) and so far we've bought very little. God is providing what we need from different places, family and friends who have extra of this or that to help make this our home for the next year. We are beyond thankful!

Did I also tell you about our vehicle situation? A friends of ours in this area left in March for a two year missions stint in Africa. She left her SUV with my brother's church to be used as needed. We already had planned to use it for the month of July while we were here. Well, she's graciously allowing us to use it for the year while we are here. It has more than enough room for our family. God is good and is revealing His love to us so many ways.

Figuring out where to live has helped us make a decision about school for the kids. My alma mater, The Pilgrim Academy, is only a ten minute drive from our new home. We visited last week and the kids are excited to get registered there in the next few days and start at the end of the month. One of the things they were worried about was going to an American school. It's the first time for all of them! Rob and I felt that a smaller Christian school would be the best transition for them for this one year (the public schools are quite big here). We are thankful for how supportive the school has been already. The kids are excited to go to school where two of their cousins are.

Surgery is in the next few weeks to start treatment. I will post an update on that in the next few days, including specific ways you can be praying for us. Please don't stop praying. We are convinced it is the prayers of many that are getting us through each day, each decision, each situation, and we are thankful.

God is providing for our needs in amazing ways, ways we could never have imagined or expected, and we are thankful. All glory to Him!

Here we are in front of our soon-to-be home away from home...