Please Pray for Jan Moses

The Moses family are with Southern Baptist. She first wrote to me way back when we first arrived in the Philippines. She had been given my name by Mary pride as someone who could anwser her home schooling questions, as a missionary. We have corresponded over the years and have seen each other several times. The most recent time was when I was the speaker for all the home schooling SB moms a couple years ago in Luzon. She is a very intelligent woman and kind of unconventional and fun. They have 6 kids, the youngest, Jonathan, is about 10 now, I believe. Their oldest, David, is about Luke's age. I got the following letter from her in March:

"Yes, God is good ALL THE TIME and we certainly have seen evidence of His love and mercy to our family this year. Don't know if you heard about our wild year, but God has taken wonderful care of us through it all. It was really one of the best years as we were so blessed by people's prayers and provision.

"After surgery in Manila in February, I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer (slides had to be sent to U.S. as pathologists here rarely see it). I went to MDAnderson Cancer Center April 2 and had 2 surgeries. It had spread to the lymph nodes and they thought it was in the lungs.

"Mark (her husband) called April 28 as he had just been diagnosed with a large kidney tumor! He and the kids had a hectic week trying to pack and sort, not knowing if we would come back. He had surgery in May -- also in his lymph nodes and they thought it was in his leg.

"Things looked pretty grim last June, but long story short, the doctors can't explain what happened with my lungs or his leg, but no progression of the lesions, so they said they are not cancer and we were given clearance to come back. (God knows!) We have all been here since December.

"We live with the daily awareness that the cancer could come back at any time -- Mark is stage 4 and I am stage 3. These cancers don't respond to chemo or radiation; the only follow-up is observation. But that is in God's hands and we don't want to miss any of the opportunities He has given us.

Then this week I got this letter frm her:

"His Ways are not Our Ways":

"During my many tests at Makati Medical Center in Manila this past week, I meditated on Psalm 139 and other Scriptures. When the interventional radiologist delicately guided the needle to the most accessible liver nodule, I reflected, "O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise... You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways." (Psalm 139: 2-3).

"After the technician attached the electrodes to my brain for the EEG, I thought of how God knew already what was going on in there. "You  hem me in -- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain." (vs. 5 - 6)

"As the MRI machine banged and rattled my brain, I was comforted to remember, " Where can I go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." (vs.  7 - 10)

"When the radiologist called me back for more bone scans of my arm, I thought, " All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (vs. 16)

"And what of the days ahead? It seems from the results that the cancer has returned with a vengence. The liver biopsy was positive for melanoma. My liver has over 50% involvement, my spleen enlarged with large nodules. There are metastasis in the legs, hips and arms, especially the right arm at the original surgery site. We are shocked at the speed of it all (I had a normal ultrasound in April).

"We are packing up this week to return to the U.S. How can you pray?

1. For travel on June 4. I started chemotherapy Friday morning for 5 days in an effort to slow progression of the cancer. Hopefully, the side effects will not be too debilitating and I will be able to travel to Manila on June 3 for our early morning Northwest Airlines flight on the 4th. We have paid extra to get me a business class seat so that I can rest easier on the long (24 hour!) flight. Our thanks to FBC Dallas who sent us a love gift before we even knew that we would need it! Right now one of my ribs is very painful so pray that I can have a relatively pain-free flight. Particularly pray for the liver to continue functioning well (praise God it is still functioning amazingly well considering !).

Mark will stay here another week to finish packing and closing up things. (And to have his next set of scans!! ) As a recovering cancer patient himself, he felt it would be too stressful to try and get all of us out on the same day, so this gives him some additional time. (And also frees me just to concentrate on getting on the airplane!)

2. For a house to live in in Ft. Worth. My oncologist has moved his clinic 30 minutes north of Dallas and the house that we lived in last year is not available at this time. It seems that Dallas is closed to us at this time. So we want to be near family and friends in Ft. Worth. I am praying for a comfortable house in a safe and secure neighborhood where Jonathan can ride his bike and make friends. The Lord knows our needs but this is the first time I have had some desires also. I want a special place to have good family times.

3. We need a car. I know nothing about current prices, styles, gasoline prices, and what is good for a family of 7. (Personally, my children had promised me a little bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle for when we retired...)

4. An oncologist in Ft. Worth and God's leading on continued treatment.

5. Many decisions as we pack and sort from our 19 years of life in the Philippines. The International Mission Board is graciously paying for our crating and shipping. What a blessing -- takes some of the pressure off the "do we take this or not?" decisions.

6. For the children as they grieve the loss of their home and culture, friends , dogs and parakeets. That we will have good closure on our years as a family here. It is hard to take time to "say good-bye" when we have so many immediate needs shouting to be done.

For my father Bill Joness as he deals with anger and sadness at seeing his daughter fight cancer (my mom died of breast cancer 17 years ago).

7. For constant electricity. This is our "summer" and it is hot. We have been having brown-outs for several hours every day. I get more nauseated in the heat. I am planning to hide out in our bedroom where we have an airconditioner -- as long as there is electricity! The heat, decisions, etc. make patience run out easier!

"We praise God that there are no brain metastasis. We are so thankful that David arrived this past Thursday and is helping with moving boxes and entertaining Jonathan. We are still trying to get him on the same flight as we are on (so he can be responsible for Jonathan and avoid a "Home Alone" situation! while I am up in business class!)

"Tomorrow, Jonathan and Martha are being baptized at the beach, as have their older siblings done. We had been talking about it for some time. Pray that it is a special time for us all. It will be our "farewell party" with our church members. We had several pastors come by today to offer their support and prayers; we encouraged them to press on in the work of the Lord!

"Your prayers, support, and love mean so very much. These past few weeks, many have shared how God has prompted them to pray for us. Thank you for responding to the Lord and being faithful to lift us up.

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you." (vs. 17 - 18)

Resting in His mercy, Jan"