God has done amazingly!
I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done! Ps 118:17. You've got to see the VIDEO Hannah put together! Today we saw Hannah's main doctor. He said he is very positive about her recovery, as all the health markers from labs are going in the right direction up or down. While in the hospital, her active lupus level indicator, which would read below 5 for a normal person, read 634! Today it is only 10! Because of the overall improvement, the doctor is lowering the dosage on some of her blood pressure pills and steroids (prednesone...). The $4000/IV rituxin(sp?), which she received twice by IV, is still coursing through her body continuing to work for another 6 months. She still will be on CellCept for a couple more years, helping control the Lupus autoimmune response. But, the doctor is also quite hopeful Hannah could be off of kidney dialysis within 6 months. She'll see the doctor again in two months. Thank you for your prayers! We praise our heavenly Father for watching over us!
So, how much longer will we be here in the U.S.? Elijah and Esther will stay this time. Elijah had quite a test, gearing up to go to Mozambique, selling and purchasing things, getting there and buying a motorcycle to get around the city and help others, then having to sell it for a much lower price to recoup some cash. Elijah will now stay here and continue to work at Vetter's Autobody where he is being trained - another PRAISE the LORD. Esther will stay on after we leave to help Hannah manage the household. We're grateful that, while we weren't long enough in Mozambique as planned to save up for Esther a car, the extra funds from you all will take care of this big need and enable Esther to be a great support to Hannah. We'll miss Elijah and Esther tremendously!!! God took them through a test, as they both on their own decided to return to Mozambique to serve, and yet, the Lord had other plans and it is obviously best they stay here now. Melissa right now is doing a phenomenal job helping Hannah around the house, as Hannah's energy level isn't fully back yet. We're enjoying the grandkids like never before!!! Melissa and I are considering returning to Mozambique in early January. By that time, Lord willing, Hannah will be much more able to take care of things.
Another piece of GOOD NEWS is that during this time Melissa and I are continuing language training. Each morning Melissa reads from her Portuguese Bible and I help her with pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar... She's progressing marvelously. I'm also studying Makua and loving it - just wish I could speak fluently! More GOOD NEWS is that each day I'm completing the Portuguese training resources we need for church planting/discipling and will have them translated once back in Mozambique. Among other things, I had previously completed all the questions in Portuguese and Makua for the key stories of Genesis. I'm 80% done with all the rest of the questions on into the life of Christ! By November, Melissa and I hope to be back working on the marriage training for the Makua, providing a simple way pastors can circulate this encouragement throughout the churches. So please pray for our spiritual vitality in the Lord as we pour over these things.
Finally, we thank God for His generosity through YOU. Extra beyond our airfare came in and has made it possible to cover all our other extra expenses in the U.S.!
Praising the Father for His Dear Son - our Lord Jesus! Daniel and Melissa with Elijah and Esther Ph#: 913-240-1887 (U.S.) Ph#: 913-871-6490 (U.S. & even Mozambique via internet Skype.) |
