A Missionary's Departure: Part 1-Leaving A Sick Sister

Anyone who hears the statement, "I have cancer" knows that it changes your life and the lives around you immediately and significantly. My youngest sister, Meredith, made this statement just a short time ago, in December. Shortly after Christmas, she began a series of tests and doctor visits that led to a treatment plan. The first stop on the journey was surgery-a full mastectomy on one side with re-construction. Now she is healing from the surgery and scheduling more treatment: chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. Although numbers don't tell the story of an individual, they can help focus prayer. Meredith is in stage IIIA breast cancer with a prognosis of 5 year survival. She is doing well and according to the doctor, her "cancer has all the right characteristics for being susceptible to treatment."

Meredith is an amazing person and her strength is showing in a unique way during this journey. She is staying positive and doing well. She is surrounded by people who care for her and help her. She has people praying for her from all over the world. Her husband and young children are showing their love and caring for her in ways that continue to amaze me and make me proud of them. I have been glad to support her and encourage her in whatever small ways I can during the last couple of months.

But I am leaving for the Czech Republic in a week from today. I must admit that I am struggling with "leaving a sick sister". I suppose it is the older brother in me that wants to do my part in protecting her and being with her through this part of her journey.

My sister and I have not been the closest but definitely close through the years. We have many fond, childhood memories and I have pictures to prove that we got along, for the most part. Whenever we are in the States, we get together semi-regularly for family meals at my parents' house. She lives close and our younger kids love to play with their kids. Our kids will miss their kids a lot and Dora and I will miss their family a lot.

We will miss talking face to face during the upcoming battle. With modern technology, we will certainly be able to stay in touch...but it is not the same as meeting face to face. This is hard on me. As I struggle to find my place in Meredith's journey, one week before I leave for the other side of the world, I realize that one of my contributions to her story will be to motivate people to pray for her. As a missionary, I have developed somewhat of an ability to report on what God is doing in order to marshal prayer.

Since I wrote about my sister's illness, I have been grateful for the outpouring of encouragement and prayer. So many of you have said you are praying and added Meredith to different prayer lists. Thank you! As an older brother leaving for the mission field, one of my departing gifts to Meredith is a gift of prayer. I have been praying and will continue to pray for her. I ask that you join me in this journey on her behalf. I will definitely be reporting on Meredith's journey in my communications but if you are interested in hearing directly from her, you can follow her Caring Bridge site at: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/meredithn/createorsignin