The Other Side

Several years ago, in fact in April 2007, I was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. (You can find several posts on this site related to this journey of illness, treatment, and recovery). I recall that there were hundreds (maybe thousands), of people praying for my recovery. I received communications, usually emails from unknown individuals with promises of prayer and support. During 2007 and much of 2008, the prospect of a long healthy life was a distant, and not certain, expectation. The difficult experience of radiation treatments and chemotherapy sapped my body of its energy and vitality. I had lost about 45 pounds from a top weight of 169. At about 5 ft. 6 inches tall I was reduced to my teenage weight.

There were not many hopeful people. During the episodes of excruciating pain while attempting to swallow, and the loss of appetite during chemotherapy, I often wondered whether I would soon leave a widow and orphans.

Today, I experience good health with an active lifestyle, biking, jogging, and occasionally hiking.

About one year following my diagnosis, and while the light at the end of the tunnel of recovery beamed in the distance, I received a call from a dear friend, a young mentee, who informed me that she was diagnosed with liver cancer. Cheryl was young, late 30's, recently married and a devoted Christian. I first met Cheryl while I was a PhD student at Indiana State University. A teenage freshman from Chicago, I picked her up every Saturday morning to attend church and she usually spent the day at our home - having lunch and bonding with our young children, whom she adored. After her graduation, she returned to Chicago but we remained in touch, always asking about our children, and once coming to Orlando to visit after I had competed school and moved south. In spite of numerous chemo treatments, natural remedies, and the ardent prayers by her church, her family and friends, within a few months Cheryl passed away. Why?

Several weeks later, I sat in church and witnessed a testimony of praise from someone who claimed that her prayers were answered as she expressed her joy of recovery from illness. A few years after I listened to the pastor's wife tell the church how God had answered the prayers of her family as He had intervened in the miraculous healing of her son and later her own healing from cancer. and I could only think of Cheryl and the many other Cheryls I know whose survival was not honored, whose prayers were not answered.

How do parents and friends feel when they listen to those who claim that God answered their prayers, but whose hopes were dashed as their pleadings were not heard? The infant tormented by cancer who finally passes away? The wife who prays for God's intervention into the life and wellbeing of her husband who is then brutally killed on the job by a mass murder?

Their cry: "I prayed and he did not answer my prayer!"

How do we understand prayer? Is it about God or is it about us?

Does God pick and choose the ones he wants to answer?

Do we need to pray? Won't God just do his thing anyway?

So many questions!

Please share your thoughts!

Trusting God

 

(PC-2025-03-12)

Scripture: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” — Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV

The Common English Bible translates it this way: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; don’t rely on your own intelligence. Know him in all your paths, and he will keep your ways straight.”

Trust is one of the most challenging yet beautiful aspects of our walk with God. We often say that we trust God. But it is usually demonstrated in the areas where we feel comfortable—but true trust goes deeper. It asks us to surrender even the parts of life we cannot control, the questions we cannot answer, and the outcomes we cannot predict.

When Proverbs tells us not to “lean on our own understanding,” it is not saying don’t use your brain, it is reminding us that our perspective is limited. We see only a moment, but God sees the whole picture. We see what is immediate and transient, but God sees what is eternal. Trust means letting God be God—allowing Him to guide, even when His direction doesn’t yet make sense. Its a mindset.

Consider a child learning to walk. They reach out for a parent’s hands, believing—even without understanding—that those hands are strong enough to hold them. And if they let go of your hand and stumble, they quickly reach out to grab yours.  In the same way, God extends His hand to us each day. He asks us not simply to believe that He exists, but to rely on Him, confident that His wisdom is greater, His timing is perfect, and His love is unfailing.

I’m sure each of you have had moments when you had to just give up on your own self belief and trust someone, something beyond what you could immediately comprehend. 

And then, you just let go and trust! Trust in God because there is no one you could trust!

Many years ago when my children, Lilly and Nick, were probably just about 6 to 9 years old, we sent them to a kids summer camp. The camp, Camp Timber Ridge located in central Indiana, was surrounded by numerous little caves barely wide enough to fit a small human. On the last weekend of the camp, my wife and a few parents from our little church in Terre Haute, Indiana, went to visit the kids on Sabbath afternoon. Nick and the other kids were winding their way through caves emerging several yards beyond. “Dad!” he said! “Come go through the cave with me!” I viewed the small entrance and said, “No, son! That space is much too small for me!” “No, Dad. I've been through it many times and you can do it!” He grabbed my hand and I followed him to the mouth of the cave with extreme anxiety but finally decided to give it a try. “Hold my hand and I’ll lead you!” he said. Reluctantly, I did. As he entered the mouth of the cave, the space narrowed with barely enough space for my narrow shoulders to pass through.  And as he winded his way, the cave became narrower and pitch black, and I became extremely fearful that I just couldn't do it or I might get stuck. “Just hold my hand, Dad! Don’t let go!”  I held his hand tightly. Light finally appeared as we thankfully emerged from the darkness.

Those words, “Just hold my hand!” 

We live in an age or time when it seems like there is failing trust of our institutions, our governments and the people who lead, and even our churches and church leaders! To some degree we must still maintain some level of trust to exist in society—trust in our leaders, our colleagues, our family, our friends if we are to survive this earthly journey. We can deeply trust only as they follow the will of God.

But we can place our ultimate trust in the God who has promised to direct our paths. 

Prayer:

“Lord, teach us to trust You with all our hearts. Help us to release our fears, our plans, and our desire for control. Give us the courage to follow wherever You lead and the peace to rest in Your promises. Direct our paths today, and help us to walk in faith, knowing that You are always faithful. Amen.

Did God Really Do That To Me?

I recently saw a video posted on Facebook entitled “The Night You Were Chosen". Beside the fact that it may have been a morning, midday or afternoon, the video raised a lot of questions that Christians struggle with and that I have considered for a while. First, I hope that you look at the video (linked above) before forming any conclusions either about the message of the video or the opinions I present for your consideration.

The video posits that God not only knew when you were conceived but played a critical role in the miracle of the single unique sperm which fertilized the single unique egg that became you. It accurately suggests that 500 million (yes, half a billion) sperm were deposited in your mother’s reproductive system and only one beat the treacherous odds of competition, a hostile environment and directional targeting to find the egg and donate it’s DNA to form the unique You. Dare I say that every live normal birth is the culmination of a miraculous sequence of events – fertilization, gestation and parturition that produces You. As the video states, “God chose you the night you were conceived…and promises to journey with us all the days we live…”

As a Christian this is quite a remarkable promise and is an awe-inspiring thought to understand that there is a powerful God who has chosen to walk with us. It is a statement filled with hope for those of us (and I suspect all of us) who struggle with the difficulties we encounter on this journey of life. But here I pause to reconsider the foundation of the conception argument. Beside the slightly misleading suggestion that all sperm compete equally (a significant number of sperm are non-functional or deficient), there are legitimate questions that arise from this theory of God’s role in human reproduction.

Did God choose us the night we were conceived?
Did He select and direct that 1 in 500 million sperm that united with the preselected egg?
Does God know the genetic content of every egg and sperm?
So, does God knowingly select genetically defective sperm or egg which will then form a malformed or defective You?
Is the process of fertilization a strictly random process?

As an example, two parents who are both heterozygous for the genetic disease cystic fibrosis (that is, each parent possesses a matching pair of chromosomes, one chromosome of which carries a gene for the disease and the corresponding chromosome is normal) have a 25% chance of producing a child with cystic fibrosis at every conception. This result is clearly observed in the numbers of people that express the disease. Medical science has discovered numerous diseases that are the direct result of the fusion of sperm and eggs that contain chromosomes with genetic defects and result in babies born with numerous neurological, physiological, or functional disabilities. Many of the products of genetic diseases may spontaneously abort during gestation, die shortly after birth, or may live for a few years enduring intense pain and suffering. It is a disconcerting conclusion to attribute these dysfunctions to a God who knowingly selects these sperm and eggs, directs them to unite, and mandates them to create individuals who would experience immense suffering for the rest of their lives. This theory seems incompatible with a God of love. It belies the idea of a God of love to suggest that He willingly fosters such debilitating pain and suffering on the objects of His love.

Psalm 22:9,10, Psalm 139:13 and other biblical passages illustrate the ancients understanding of God’s role in gestation and parturition. The Bible however, does not seem to suggest that God plays an active role in fertilization.

So, did God really select you before you were conceived or is the fertilization process a random event which God allows? Can we accept that the process of fertilization is just an event in reproduction that sometimes results in unfortunate circumstances? Are we comfortable with attributing such painful circumstances to a sinful, evil environment? Can we be at peace with a God who does not manipulate every event of life but intervenes in our darkest moments to guide us, sustain us, and nurture us through difficult times? I believe that God, in spite of the results of conception, chooses to intervene in the events of our lives as he walks with the broken, the hurting, and the diseased, throughout the difficulties that life brings. God is a defender of the fatherless, the widows, the sick and diseased, but he does not create them. He cares for, and can use anyone, and seeks to save everyone. Even in cases where births are predicted, for example Isaac, Samson, Samuel, or Jesus, it appears that He may be projecting His omniscience – the all-knowing characteristic of God - rather than manipulating the circumstances.

But the notion that God intervened in my conception is fraught with difficulty and a crunch to the hearts of the genetically disabled who would have a valid question, “God, why did you do this to me?”

A God of Reason

When I was a young boy growing up on the island of Tobago in the West Indies, my parents provided my brothers and me with the responsibility of taking care of animals – sheep, goats, cows and chickens. Our duties included taking the sheep and goats out to pasture in the morning where they were tethered to stakes or trees and allowed to graze. In the afternoon after returning home from school, we would bring the animals home for the night. I recall one afternoon we found one of the goats hanging by its rope – dead. It had been tethered on an embankment and had gotten itself entangled and slid down the bank. Unable to gets its feet safely on the ground below, the rope around its neck formed a noose choking it to death by asphyxiation. We hastily called our Dad. He concluded that because its body was quite warm, the animal had recently died. Because of our religious tradition, Dad indicated that it was unfit to eat. He called the neighbor and offered it to them, which they gladly accepted. “Why did you do that?” I asked my Dad. His explanation shaped my thinking and became the foundation for how I have made many decisions in my life with regard to religious, ethnic and social diversity.

Christians and Jews believe that the Old Testament books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy contain God’s laws for living – instructions that govern health, social interaction, diet, and worship. My Dad’s explanation was based on the following passage found in Deuteronomy 14:21 (New International Version). The passage reads as follows: “Do not eat anything you find already dead. You may give it to the foreigner residing in any of your towns, and they may eat it, or you may sell it to any other foreigner. But you are a people holy to the LORD your God.” In the book of Leviticus, God had previously instructed the Jews to abstain from certain foods, including the flesh of animals that had been found dead. In fact, the process of slaughtering and draining the flesh of all blood is still carefully followed today in Jewish culture (Kosher meat). Leviticus 11: 39, 40 (NIV) reads, “If an animal that you are allowed to eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass will be unclean till evening. Anyone who eats some of its carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening. Anyone who picks up the carcass must wash their clothes, and they will be unclean till evening.”

Given the strict instructions previously given, why did God recommend that such unclean meat could be given or sold to the ‘foreigner’ for food? Did he not care about the eating habits of the non-Jew? Was he subscribing to a double standard? What is meant by the ritual cleanliness suggested in Leviticus? Are these values critical to people living in the 21st century? (In a future blog, I will express my opinion about the relevance and timeliness of these laws for society today.)

Lessons Learned
God is a God of reason. I believe that these illustrations demonstrate a God that respects the power of choice; a God that encourages people to live within the constructs of their understanding of Him; a God who does not legitimize the enforcement of values by one people on another; a God who teaches us to be tolerant; a God who allows us to choose to be wrong; a God who encourages us to reach people where they are based on their understanding of Him. Although God encouraged the Jews to be an example to all people, their example was to be one of personal holiness and personal obedience to Him rather than the imposition of our, or His, values on our neighbors. In that boyhood experience, my father taught me that respect for the choices of others is God’s supreme gift for living in a community of love and respect for each other. The current militarism of fundamentalist religious groups, be they Jewish, Muslim, Christian, Bhuddist, or Hindu, does not demonstrate the will of God for human beings living together in a world of religious, ethnic, and cultural diversity. The fusion of political power with the religious legalism is destined to be the death knell of a constructive and ordered society.

Christmas Greetings

Season’s Greetings
from
The Archers
December 2008
As another year-end approaches, it provides the opportunity to reflect on the blessings and challenges of the past year and to share with you, our dear friends, a summary of our activities and God’s goodness to us. After the trials of 2007, battling cancer and the effects of the numerous radiation and chemotherapy treatments, this year was indeed a blessing – recovery, increased strength and energy, and an almost full return to work, exercise and other physical activity. Several PET and CT scans have confirmed the absence of cancer though tissues of the pharynx remain inflamed and swollen. The loving healing hand of God vividly evident to me!

This year we were blessed with the gift of another grandson. Nick and his wife, Erin, welcomed Caleb Nicholas on August 22 – one day after our 31st wedding anniversary - and seems to have inherited his paternal grandmother's green eyes. Proud big brother, Christopher is almost six years old and is happy to be in school with “the big boys.” Nicholas is continuing to enjoy his profession, serving as the Finance Manager of Florida Hospital – Celebration Health and Erin has returned to Altamonte Springs Elementary school after some much appreciated time at home with baby Caleb.

Lilly is about to begin her final semester at Florida A & M University School of Law and is anxiously looking forward to her law career after graduation in May and bar exams in July. Along with her Masters degree in Public Health, she hopes that she will be well prepared for a successful career. This past summer she completed an internship in the legal department of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Along with her brother, sister-in-law, Erin and a few other college friends she leads a vocal ensemble, Made to Worship and served as a panelist on several editions of Hope Sabbath School, periodically aired on Hope TV.

Nichole is doing well, her motherly instincts so vital in doing what she loves most– taking care of us all. The occasional opportunity to use her culinary talents catering for local events certainly keeps her happy. She also enjoys her at home job with Florida Hospital that provides the opportunity to be Caleb’s babysitter. I, on the other hand, have enjoyment of frequently taking Chris to and from school. Grand-parenting is surely a lot of fun. Our family is indeed thankful for the numerous blessings God has provided – improving health, stable employment opportunities and children and grandchildren to dote over. Blessings indeed!

The joys of Christmas and the anticipation of the New Year bring hope, strengthens our faith, and renews the promise of our Saviour. We celebrate his birth and look forward to his return.

Thanks for your love, friendship and prayers over the years, and especially over the last 18 months. Our family wishes yours a joyous Christmas season and God’s richest blessings for the year, 2009.

With our love,

Len, Nichole, Lenis, Nicholas, Erin, Christopher and Caleb

The Former Things Will Pass Away

A few days ago, I informed you about my friend, Cheryl’s battle with liver cancer. I just received the following message relating the news that she has gone to sleep in Jesus.

It is with profound sadness that we inform you of the death of Cheryl Patrick-Johnson. The sad event occurred early this morning, November 4th, at the Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois.

A vibrant, God-Loving, dedicated Christian, Cheryl was well respected and loved by her family, friends, and associates. She was a very caring and supportive person and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Cheryl leaves to mourn her loss, her husband, parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews, and a host of relatives and friends.

We thank you for all the prayers, visits, calls, and words of encouragement, which greatly strengthened Cheryl and her family during her illness. Please take comfort in the promise in Revelation 21:4: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their (our) eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed way." That day is coming soon! We will see Cheryl again! She sleeps, awaiting the call of the Life Giver!

My sadness about the outcome is profound; my hope is unshakeable – hope in the coming of the Lord. “Till he comes!”

Health Update XXVII

It has been one year since I completed my last dose of chemotherapy. Every day I find many reminders of what my life was like 12 short months ago. I often read my thoughts from a year ago – typed messages I sent to many of you expressing the painful steps of this terrible journey. One year ago, I cried out in pain pleading with God for strength to endure the burden of pain and illness; today, I can look back and find much richness in the experience.

Last week, I made a business trip to Washington, DC and had the opportunity of seeing many friends and relatives at the Metropolitan SDA church – Lystra, Evo, Hazel, Adrian, Nedra, Wanda, Brenda, Edsell, Gordon, Bonny, Betty, and many more. To a person, the greetings went like this:

Len: Big smile.

Friends: A look of surprise and wonderment followed by a BIG hug.

Friends: “Len! It is good to see you! You look good! Boy, we have been praying for you!”

Len: (Bigger smile) “Thank you very much! God has been good to me!”

This initial greeting was then followed by the pleasantries of old friends greeting each other – the casual talk and the inquiries about my wife and kids. Inevitably, the conversation migrated back to the many prayers and longings for my full recovery. I have learnt many lessons through this experience but the one that lingers most is the generosity, love, and prayers of my family and friends, my colleagues at work, and my fellow church members. There is a generosity and sincerity of spirit that is often displayed among Christians during times of crisis that we can often take for granted. I have been reminded that among Christians “a friend is always loyal...” Proverbs 17:17 (New Living Translation).

During the mid 1980’s while attending graduate school at Indiana State University, I met Cheryl. She was an undergraduate student who attended our church while she attended college to obtain a degree in nutrition. A devoted Adventist Christian, she became attached to our then pre-teen children. I picked her up on Sabbath mornings for church and she often spent the day with us, taking refuge in our home during the Sabbath hours before returning to the dorm. We remained in touch over the years and during my illness she frequently emailed or called to encourage me. Two months ago, Cheryl, barely 40 years old and recently married, was diagnosed with liver cancer. Please pray for my friend, Cheryl because “… the prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” I know. You have been praying for me.

Today, the lingering effects of radiation include symptoms of neuropathy – numbness of the soles of my feet; trismus – the inability to open my mouth fully; xerostomia – dry mouth due to lack of saliva; constriction of the esophagus and trachea resulting in the restrictions of swallowing and breathing. The oral deficiencies prevent me from singing as I was used to doing. But as I like to say, “other than that, I am perfect.” Perfect, because the God whom you beseeched on my behalf has written a new song in my heart. And for you and me and Cheryl, the greatest privilege we can share would be that of singing together the rich harmonies of the earth made new. The song is called “The Song of Moses and the Lamb.”

Love and Blessings,

Health Update XXVI

One year ago, on August 21, 2007, I wrote the following:

Today is a special day. On August 21, 1977, a beautiful young bride, Nichole Ann Bovell, joined me at the altar of the Caribbean Union College church, where we pledged to love each other till death separated us. Earlier this year, we began planning a special 30th anniversary celebration – maybe a Caribbean cruise or doing some overseas travel without the kids who are now grown-up. We had frequently missed opportunities for anniversary celebrations as it seems that they always occurred during the first week of my college teaching and administrative responsibilities, or just as we were busy getting the children back to school after the summer vacation. This time it would be special. But this morning, I leave home early to continue my second phase of the chemotherapy, which began yesterday. Our plans were thwarted!

It was difficult to write those words as I ventured down the path of the unknown. One year later, the experience is still sharp in my memory. Although I trusted God to see me through this journey of faith, the future seemed dark, not only for survival of cancer, but enduring the excruciatingly painful accompanying experience. This year (August 21, 2008) I had a less intimidating medical appointment, a CT scan. I am reminded of another guided tour I took many years ago.

When my son Nicholas was about eight or nine years old, he attended a pathfinder’s summer camp at Camp Timber Ridge, Indiana. One Sabbath afternoon, Nichole and I went to visit the little campers and discovered them running though some caves and tunnels in the hillside that could barely accommodate a medium sized adult male. I watched as the kids entered the little holes and zipped through the exits a few minutes later. At Nick’s invitation, I attempted to go through the tunnel but was gripped by fear of being lost in its dark underworld or being stuck somewhere in the middle. After hesitating for a while, he grabbed my hand, looked at me in the eye and said, “Dad, I have been through these caves many times this afternoon and I know the way. Hold my hand and I will guide you through.” With my heartbeat increasing with every second, I held his hand and followed. “I will hold you! Keep your head down, don’t let go!” he shouted, as I followed him. After what seemed like an eternity, I could see a small glow of light illuminating the exit. I knew that I would soon safely make it through.

I am grateful to God for holding my hand and guiding me through the unknown. My recovery is still underway. I experience many side-effects of radiation and chemotherapy including, sleep apnea, trismus (restrictive movement of the jaw), xerostomia (dry mouth due to reduced saliva) and constriction of the trachea, among others. But I can see the light signalling the end. I can see the glow of the exit. I like the symbolism of the dawning of a new day and I am intrigued by the promise of Isa 60:20,22.

“Your sun will never set; your moon will not go down. For the Lord will be your everlasting light. Your day of mourning will come to an end. …At the right time, I, the Lord will make it happen.” (New Living Translation) or

“Your sun will no longer set; your moon will not disappear; the Lord will be your permanent source of light; your time of sorrow will be over. …When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!” (NETBible)

What a promise! I believe it. Do you?

Love and Blessings,

Len

Health Update XXV

Many members of the church I attend, the Forest Lake Seventh-day Adventist church, are participating in what our pastor has called “40 Days of Prayer at Forest Lake” with devotionals patterned after Alvin VanderGriend’s book, Love to Pray. I, along with several individuals have volunteered to write a series of devotionals for the event. These devotionals are sent daily to church members as we pray for our church and prepare our hearts for the challenges that lie ahead. As I wrote the first of two devotionals I contributed, I found that the message of the selected scriptural passage resonates with my experience of the past year. I’d like to share with you an edited version of my contribution.

“Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” -Matthew 7: 9-11

Christmas time is a time of giving. Many people spend lots of money giving gifts to co-workers, family members, friends, and often strangers, just to make a good impression. No matter who the recipient might be, or what the value of the gifts might be, the gifts are representative of the giver. Unfortunately, the commercialism of Christmas propels us to spend lots of money to be sure that when the gift is given, not only will it be well-received but it would also speak well of the giver. In gift-giving, the more we love someone or want to impress someone, the more likely is the increased cost or value of the gift.
Sometimes, we present gag gifts at parties. The exercise is usually one of frivolity and fun and is not understood to be a meaningful exercise that illustrates the heart of the giver. No one gives a gag gift as an expression of the heart. Why then would one who loves us supremely give us a gag gift? That is the question that Jesus asks.
God wants the best for us. He loves us more than anything or anyone; more than any lover could, and more than we love our wives, husbands, and children. Will he not give us the best? Oh yes, he will! He cannot but exercise his love for us by providing us with the best he can possibly offer. Sometimes, life brings difficult circumstances and situations that make us wonder about the giver. We can be assured that the giver of the gag gifts of life is the ‘architect of all evil,’ but the giver of all good gifts in our lives is the God of love.
This year I have been reassured of God’s gifts to me – strength and faith to endure the difficult days, daily recovery, and life itself. My second PET scan a few weeks ago confirmed the results of the one I did in February. I have no obvious active cancer though the path to full recovery is a slow one. My friends still pray for and encourage me. What gifts!

Dear Father of love and Giver of all good gifts; we give our gifts to you, our lives, and thank you for the many gifts of love you give to us. Amen!

HEALTH UPDATE XXIV

June 14, 2008


This is a year of reminiscing! Thinking of last year, what was, and what might have been. Every day, I say to myself, and often to my wife or anyone who would listen: “Last year at this time…” At this time last year, I had just completed one round of chemotherapy and two weeks of my seven-week radiation treatment schedule. I had begun to lose my appetite and hence had dropped a few pounds but still had the energy to do a 15 mile bike ride at an average 15 mph clip on Father’s Day. However, I began to anticipate the road ahead as I developed slight throat pain and my radiation oncologist advised me to fill the prescription for the magic mouthwash so I’d have it ready when the pain became more intense. It seems like yesterday. Every experience is etched in my memory and although the journey back to my former healthy life is still ongoing, I can thank God for bringing me through the valley of the shadow of death with renewed hope for prolonged blessings in this life and an eager anticipation for the return of our Savior.

I have two good reports: My friend, Dr. Vernon Andrews, is recuperating well after his open heart surgery and is looking forward to a life of vitality. He thanks you for the many prayers you have offered on his behalf. Also, there has been a significant reduction in the swelling of my throat over the last couple of weeks. Today, eating has become more comfortable and pleasurable. Some of my colleagues at work tell me that the spring in my step is returning.

Those of you who know me well remember me for my love of music, especially singing. I have had over fifty years of the most wonderful experience of vocalizing for appreciative audiences. One of my earliest memories is singing along with the congregation on my mother’s lap in a tent meeting. Today, the physiological and anatomical changes around my vocal folds prevent me from doing any meaningful, audible singing although my doctors promise that my voice will also return to normal. Last Sabbath, as I opened the hymnal to sing the closing hymn with the congregation I could merely complete two stanzas. The sound that emanated from my lips was not what most of you were used to hearing. But as the congregation sang the third stanza, the tears welled in my eyes as I was reassured anew by the God I love and the friend who has been so faithful to me. I could now listen to the sound of my heart.

Lead on, O King Eternal,

We follow, not with fears,

For gladness breaks like morning

Where’er Thy face appears;

Thy cross is lifted o’er us;

We journey in its light;

The crown awaits the conquest;

Lead on, O God of might.

Yes, even in death's shadow, he leads. And I believe that the morning of a new day is soon to come. To paraphrase a popular southern gospel song: “Some glad morning when this night is o’er, I’ll sing again.” Yes, I will sing again. Will you sing with me?

Love and Blessings,

Len

HEALTH UPDATE XXIII

May 18, 2008

I first met Dr. Vernon Andrews in 1972 when, as a student of the University of the West Indies in St. Augustine, Trinidad, I made the unusual request to become a member of the Caribbean Union College choir which he directed. After a short audition, my brother, Austin and I were invited to join the group. We could have never imagined what a life-changing decision that would be. My spiritual and social development, the person I am today, and the life-long friends I have made, including the occasion of first meeting my wife on a choir tour to Guyana, are rooted in this decision. Vernon became my personal friend, musical mentor, big brother, advisor, counselor, and the one I trusted the most to help me with important life-altering decisions like: who should I date or should I go to graduate school. He was the one who substituted for my father-in-law and presented my bride to me on my wedding day. Vernon and his wife, Phyllis, and family remained our endearing friends.

A little more than a week ago Vernon’s daughter, Vernetta, called to inform me that her Dad was experiencing some mild discomfort and indicated that he and his wife were planning to come to Orlando from the Dominican Republic where they were visiting, for some medical diagnoses at Florida Hospital. My son made the necessary arrangements for physician visits and after he completed the initial screening and treatment it was deemed that further tests were necessary. Two days later he visited the emergency room at Florida Hospital, where diagnostic tests indicated an urgent need for an aortic valve replacement and triple by-pass surgery. We praise God for the fortuitous and timely intervention of medical science that was able to reveal his physical deficiencies. He is now resting comfortably at Florida Hospital Orlando cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU), as he recovers from this very traumatic surgical experience and will be our guest for a while.

Unexpected events often intersect the trajectory of our lives with life-changing effects. These events can sometimes be deemed tragic but often bring immeasurable blessings. To a large degree the outcome depends on our faith experience bolstered by the faith of those around us. Without a doubt, that has been my experience over the past year. My journey has reinforced two truths:

1. God strengthens us to be encouragers and supporters of others

2. God has renewed my faith in the promise that “the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16 NIV), or “the prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with” (Message).

Over the past year, Vernon’s friendship and occasional emails, like many I received from some of you have been a source of constant encouragement. Many of you know Dr. Andrews and are his personal friends. Some of you have probably never heard of him. I urge you to join with me and do for him and his family what you did for me. Let’s ask God for his intercession and honor his will that “prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well” James 5:15 (Message). Just maybe, the journey we have been taking together over the past year was preparing us for the role of cheerleader, encourager, and faith-builder for this time.

Love and blessings,

Len

HEALTH UPDATE XXII

April 22, 2008

On April 27, 2007, a tumor was surgically removed from the left side of my neck just below my ear. It was embedded deep in the nasopharnyx, below my Eustachian tube. A pathological investigation revealed a cancerous tumor that had begun to metastasize and required several months of radiation and chemotherapy. Before the treatments began on June 4, a port was implanted into my left upper chest providing access to my left subclavian vein through which I would receive drugs, hydration, and even nutrition. Yesterday, almost exactly a year after that fateful discovery, I was admitted to the hospital for minor surgery – the removal of my port. Although my recovery seems slow (though according to my physicians, normal), this event signals the nearness of the end of a long year of emotional, physical, and spiritual battles. The daily trips to the cancer center; lying on the radiation table to be exposed to the powerful radiation waves; the infusions of powerful drugs designed to selectively destroy cancer cells; the excruciatingly painful attempts to swallow; the dramatic weight loss of more than 40 lbs; the many nights of difficult, interrupted sleep. During these many months the love and support of my family, the prayers of my friends, and the love of God served to stoke the embers of my faith and kept me hoping for this day.

For many years to come, I will reminisce about this experience as I observe the visible scars of surgery, one on my neck for the removal of the tumor and one on my chest from the insertion of the port. I have always sensed a cleansing spirituality in this experience and I have looked for vital lessons from this incredible journey. The scar on my neck will forever symbolize the sin experience, the vileness and murderous effects of its tenure in my life – a symbol of the scapegoat bearing the weight of the tragic experience of evil. To insert the port, an incision was made above a vital vein where the connection of port to blood vessel provided an entry point for the medications that would eradicate the diseased cells and supply the life giving nutrition necessary to sustain me.

And isn’t that like our Saviour, who in paying the price for us, bares the scars for us – scars that represent the evil that is sin and the promise of life that is salvation. And although He will forever bare those scars, when He comes for me, He will relieve me of mine. The newness of my life is but a symbol of the time when he will make all things new. What a hope to hold on to! What a promise to live by! And what a faith to sustain me even now as I slowly return to a healthy physical body!

Please continue to hold me up in prayer as the journey faith is still in progress and the final victory is yet to come.

Love and blessings to you all!

Len