Finally!

            Several years ago, Terry and I went to Greece, on a mission trip with Global Missions Project, to play with the Celebration Orchestra, led by Camp Kirkland, a good friend from Nashville. So, I receive regular emails and updates from Global Missions Project, and recently I’d received one relaying the need for string players to go to Curitiba, Brazil in June. It may have come previously but I probably deleted it, knowing that while I was in “hard” chemo, there was no way I could travel out of the country. Even my domestic travel had been somewhat restricted while my immune system was compromised.

            This email, however, caught my eye, and stayed with me long after I read it. My heart is partly in Brazil anyway. I’ve adopted 4 Brazilian children, and spent a total of almost 2 months there during the processes. The people who helped me with the legalities of those adoptions have remained good friends, so I’ve visited them many times, in several cities where they have lived through the years. Each time I go, we visit orphanages, finding out their needs, and the last time, I was interviewed on a local TV station in Joao Pessoa. At that time, June of 2011, I learned of another ministry that needed a lot of help with construction and renovation, so my intent was to return in October with a crew of people to help with that.

            I presented the need and the plan to our church, at that time, a young church plant near our home in Georgia. There seemed to be interest, but the timing just wasn’t right. We were to learn the reason soon.  Funny thing about our plans. Life happens. God definitely had a much better idea--doesn't He always?            

            In July 2011, Terry and I had a recording session in Nashville, and while there, spent a day with Mike Haight. Recently, the instrumental director at Broadmoor Baptist Church in Madison, MS, had resigned, and of course, that’s exactly what Terry is best at. Mike invited us to come to the church for an interview the next week, which we did. We met many wonderful people, who have now become good friends. The short version is that August 15, 2011, was Terry’s first day as the instrumental director of Broadmoor.

            Our excitement at being there has not dimmed one bit. Though we had been looking for this type of position for almost 6 years, God definitely brought us to Mississippi in His perfect timing.

            I’ll backtrack just a bit here. 2 days before Terry’s 1^st anniversary at the church, I discovered a lump in my breast. Because of a dear friend, we were able to get an immediate appointment with her brother-in-law, a wonderful doctor, and he “fast-tracked” us to the hospitals for tests, biopsies, and meeting with surgeons. My cancer diagnosis was August 23, and in less than a month, on Sept. 10, I had a radical bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. On October 19, I began a six-series treatment of chemotherapy. The loving way the people in the music ministries cared for us was absolutely overwhelming. We felt surrounded by thoughtful, praying friends, and God worked mightily through them as they poured their love into our lives. From unpacking moving boxes, to making meals,  “babysitting” me after surgery, picking me up to take me to lunch, to texting or calling with encouraging words or Bible verses, to making window treatments, and even doing our laundry, these friends were the hands and feet of Christ in action! Several came to sit with us in the hospital for each procedure.

            The way God worked everything out for us was definitely more than we could have asked for or even thought. And, once again, His timing is certainly much better than ours. Right in the middle of the cancer discovery and surgery we received 3 very precious gifts from Him. On August 19, Teddy and Jack Williams arrived to Bobby and Mary Lynn, and on August 21, Noah Yepko met his mommy and daddy, Hayley and Jason, for the first time. Of course I could take up the rest of the post writing about my new grandsons, but suffice it to say that pictures of them brought me such joy on some of my lowest chemo days.

            Since I love ministering to the people I meet on all my mission trips, I felt like a caged lion during the months when I could not travel overseas. So, when the email about the Curitiba mission trip kept nagging at me, I wondered if God was calling me to go. First, of course, I would have to ask my oncologist if my immune system numbers were approaching normal. The trip also needed to be in between chemos, because even though I’m finished with the hard drugs, I still go every 3 weeks for a 35-minute “chemo lite” drip. Checking the calendar, the dates worked perfectly. When Dr. Young called me back and said lightheartedly, “Go, and have a great time!” I felt such freedom and relief.

            Next morning, Terry and I had our usual Bible reading, along with the devotional books we also read, and one of the verses was Malachi 4:2. “For those who revere the Lord, He comes with healing in His wings, and you shall leap like calves released from the pen.” Are you kidding me? My eyes tear even as I’m typing this, because that is exactly how I feel. One translation uses the illustration of frisky colts in the pasture. I wasn’t leaping and running on the outside, but my heart definitely did a few flip-flops.

            I only had 3 weeks to prepare, and find a way to finance this trip. God brought money from unexpected sources to cover my entire trip. I guess He really did want me on this one. 

            There's so much more to tell you, but we have a rehearsal in 20 minutes for the evening worship service. I'll write about this morning's service, but if you want to see for yourselves, look up www.pibcuritiba.org.br 

            Til later.