Follow-up Treatment

After seeing 3 doctors this week, I was relieved that I can start the radiation treatment in January since I will be away for a short holiday during the New Year period. I was privileged to have the radiologist pray for me in his clinic and through him, the Lord again affirmed that it was by His grace and miracle that I could have 3 children despite my inherent hyperprolactinaemia. I feel assured that I am in good hands.

I feel great today. Just managed to finish preparing the decorations for My Hope programme in the function room. Though it is still raining, I trust that the Lord will remove all the obstacles and bring the invited guests. Looking forward to a great night of singing and sharing the Hope we have in Jesus!

Mid Life Crisis

            Sometime in mid November, I felt a soft, painless lump in my right breast. As I have had a benign lump removed before, I was not alarmed. I calmly went for my appointment for mammogram and ultrasound tests. I thought I was very steady but God knows me better. He sent 4 angels (sisters whom I had lunch with that day) to accompany me for the tests. The results showed that there was a small, ill-defined mass and by the solemn look on the radiologist’s face, a terrible fear gripped me – fear of the unknown. I just wanted to know what this mass was. I became a nervous wreck after that. As I had forgotten to bring my old films for comparison, Janet drove me home to collect them. Unfortunately I left my wallet at home and when Janet left me in the clinic, I had no money to pay the doctor. While frantically trying to call Paul to pick me up at the clinic, I left behind the doctor’s referral letter in the clinic. How fear had caused so much stress in me that I couldn’t think straight!

Thank God, when we reached home, we prayed and His Word is a real comfort to me – Isaiah 46 : 4 “Even to your old age and grey hairs, I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” I cling on to this verse that I will live to a ripe old age because God will save me and carry me through.

I decided to delay the operation to remove the lump till the following Monday so that I could celebrate my Wedding Anniversary with my family that weekend . I am grateful for His love and faithfulness that has seen us through the past 28 years. Then on Sunday, when Senior Pastor Kenny asked the whole church to pray for me, I was taken aback. I thought, “Oh, no, the whole church knows about my medical condition.” But on hindsight, I thank God for the power of corporate prayer. When I went into the Operating Theatre the next morning, I had God’s peace and assurance. Indeed “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91 : 1 – 2) The surgery indeed revealed that the lump was malignant but thank God, it was localized, stage 1, grade 1 and has not spread to the lymph nodes and surrounding organs.

Jesus said that only the sick will need a doctor. Truly, when this sickness struck, how Jesus suffered at the Cross suddenly became so real to me (though I have been a Christian for 36 years). He has taken my infirmities and carried my sorrows. He was pierced and crushed for my iniquities. God’s punishment that brought me peace was upon Him and by His wounds I am healed. Teaching about the Holy Communion in GNK and partaking in it last Sunday took on a new meaning for me as I pictured my sickness on His body and claim His healing. He has already paid the Price for me. Because of His great love, God has sent His Only Son so that we can be saved and healed. I am so grateful that I have God with me on this journey ahead and I know He will carry me through.

In a few days’ time, I will begin my 6-week radiation treatment followed by oral medication for the next 5 years.

          I believe that I will not die but live to proclaim what the Lord has done. (Psalm 118 : 17) What satan meant for evil, God will turn it around for good, for the saving of many lives….

The past few weeks have been really busy for me - with teaching in the morning and sometimes afternoon, shopping for Chinese New Year goodies, clothes, curtains & stuff and preparation for GNK Bible lessons....on top of cooking and washing and other chores...... Sometimes I wondered how I could have the energy and time to do all that I needed to do.

It was especially stressful on Chinese New Year's Eve when I had to cook a few dishes for the reunion dinner. That week I was so busy buying things, doing spring cleaning that I had little time to really think through my lesson on Sunday. But God is faithful. When I looked to Him for strength and grace, He never fails to help me. Each time when I totally depend on Him, I can sense His leading in guiding me to use appropriate object lessons and even putting in my heart a closing song after each lesson. It's awesome...

Somehow as I shared with the children such serious topics like the Holy Spirit, the Church, water baptism and holy communion, I could feel His love and desire to reach out to the children in a special way. At times during the preparation, I could feel tears well up in my eyes as I recalled how the Lord touched Cheryl in the past. It was a real challenge to me to bring the message across and at the same time great joy to see the children filled in the Holy Spirit and have the desire to be baptised in water. Only God alone can do such an amazing work in their lives.

It amazes me that I have laid off blogging for more than a month and this is the first one this year. Well, I entered 2007 with an anxious heart, both concerned about what I want to do as well as what course of studies my boys will be embarking on. I was just praying about whether to go back to school to teach when the call came for me to be an adjunct teacher in a nearby school. Of course I was excited. I was eager to try it out for 8 weeks and see if I can cope, not knowing that my patience would be put to the test. I soon found that I had to teach a group of 10 to 11 nine-year-olds who are both weak in Math and English. I just cannot figure out why some of them have no concept of numbers and place values. It is very trying for me to make simple addition sums easy for them to work out. I have to pray every day that I would not lose my temper with them when they just cannot follow the lesson.

Have a break, have a cup of Myanmese tea!

Stting down for a local special - 'morhingar'

Christmas Party for 200 children.

Christmas Story time - That's Charity on the left, translating it into the Myanmese language.

Hands and hearts lifted to the Lord!

People from the community came for a free meal provided by the Shining Star Baptist Church.