We are thankful to know that God guides our path. Every step, every turn. We don’t always know HOW He uses it for our good and His glory, but we can ALWAYS be confident that He DOES. And that is enough. This update also includes a video! You can view it by clicking on this YouTube link. We hope you are encouraged by it!
Bethany’s Cancer Update
For the last eight months, Bethany has been following a strict holistic regimen in the hope of managing her cancer long-term. From April, however, soon after her second three-month scan, her tumor markers started trending upward. In September, the third round of scans confirmed our suspicions. The cancer has spread to other parts of her body besides just her spine. None of her vital organs have been affected yet, for which we are thankful. But this has confirmed the need to include more aggressive treatments alongside her holistic regimen. A week later, Bethany began the first round of treatments. The most critical side-effect of this treatment is a significant decrease in blood counts that affects her immune system. Because of this, she needs to be checked every two weeks to make sure her numbers stays above the “danger” threshold. It’s still too early to tell whether the treatment is working, but please pray for the treatment to work well, and that her blood levels stay above the threshold. The other major side effect of this treatment so far has been a lot of fatigue. Please pray that her body adjusts to the treatment quickly.
Steve’s Trip to Japan
After confirming the scan results with Bethany’s doctor and then working through the treatment plan, I needed to go to Japan to care for things that have been needing my attention here, including finding a smaller place to live that is more suited to our current situation. God provided a place just a week or two before the trip, so, with the help of our church family here, I have been working on getting us moved. Most of our furniture won’t work in the smaller house, so it’s been fun giving most of it to folks in our church family. The move should finish up in another week or so, just in time for Bethany and Asher, who are returning for a short trip (between doctor checkups) to extend their visas. Our church family is REALLY looking forward to seeing them! So am I!! It’s been a long month! 🤣 Please pray the trip isn’t too hard for Bethany!
It has been good to see how God is caring for our church family. It’s definitely been a hard season for them too. But I’m encouraged to see how God is raising up the young adults to help meet many of the needs in our church. They have been helping in many aspects of the services, caring for others in the church family, and have been growing spiritually in so many ways! At the center of our young adults has been our missionary partners from our home church, Joe and Sierah Pliska. God brought them to us at the perfect time. Even as they are learning to speak Japanese (which is a HUGE undertaking), they have been discipling and walking alongside the young people as they follow Jesus. We are so thankful for them!
One of the great joys of my trip here has been to baptize one of our young men, Masaru. It was a river baptism in the fall. Boy was that water cold! Masaru was ready though. It was such a pleasure to see his heart for Jesus as he gave his testimony by the river! The second great joy is coming up in a few weeks, where I will have the privilege of performing the wedding ceremony of another one of our young men:
Yuji, and his fiancé Joy! Both of them have such a great desire to serve Jesus!
YOU have had a part in their growth in Christ as you’ve given and prayed for us and our church family here in Japan. Thank you! May God be praised for how HE works through each of us to display His glory!
(For a printable pdf, please click here.)
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