April 1, 2010
May you all have a wonderful and very blessed and happy Easter. This certainly is a time of rejoicing for Sharon and me. Firstly, we rejoice that Jesus Christ is alive today! Secondly, we are so grateful that He took our sins and sicknesses upon His own body and nailed them to the cross. Can we even begin to imagine the pain and suffering He went through on our behalf? But oh the joy He must feel, when we receive our robes of righteousness and our healing, and press on to lead a victorious life as trophies of Christ’s victory!
This email is for no other reasons but to say, “Thanks be to God, Who in Christ always leads us in triumph (as a trophy of Christ’s victory) and through us spreads and makes evident the fragrance of the knowledge of God everywhere.” 2 Corinthians 2:14
Our prayer is that you may smell the wonderful fragrance of God’s love as we share our Easter Miracle with you.
I’m sure you all remember our “Christmas Miracle” email we sent out to you shortly after my emergency air evacuation on Christmas Eve, followed by open chest surgery and the cancer diagnoses. Satan’s destructive and evil nature stared us in the face. Our only hope was for God’s intervention as we held onto the promise of His faithfulness and mercy in our great time of need. Yes, Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Christ, but for Sharon and me, it will always carry a greater meaning. “God sent His Son, Jesus was born, so that we might have life and life more abundantly!”
At the time this all happened, we were told that the operation (to remove the 12cm tumor surrounding my trachea) was major, the cancer was aggressive and that chemotherapy certainly would have many challenges. But since then, the hours, the days, the weeks and the months that have unfolded we totally give to the glory of God. Yes, it has been all about our total trust and confidence in Him, and Him alone, but it certainly has also been about His wonderful grace upon our lives. How do you explain walking out of ‘high care’ 4 days after open chest surgery, being back at work 2 weeks later, and then not having one single side effect after 4 (now 5) chemo sessions???……….. you don’t! To God be the glory……..for He has done great things – praise His holy name!
A Christmas miracle that now has become an Easter Miracle.
Yesterday, I had to have a full CT scan, as I am now half way through the 8 chemo sessions. Apparently, at the half way stage a scan is needed to see how one has responded to the chemo treatment, and to make any changes that might be needed to the chemo medication. They reassess your treatment, depending on the scan report. When we met with the oncologist today, prior to my 5th chemo session, she explained in detail the results of the scan. Two sets of scans where lit up on her display panel above the side of her desk as we walked into her office, and my file lay open before her. “Please sit down,” she said to both of us. With no expression on her face she said, “Let me explain. On the first scan you can still see parts of the tumour around your trachea, unable to be removed by surgery. Now, on the second scan, you had yesterday……….. IT IS GONE!!!” As Sharon and I stood up to examine the scans, we could plainly see what was once there on the previous scan, had now completely disappeared! We both let out a big sigh of relief, as we were holding our breath when she began to speak. Sharon said all she could hear were the words of Jesus when He hung on the cross…… IT IS FINISIED!!! The oncologist then went on to say, “In fact, the scan report says……. a dramatic response in such a short period!” We know she was referring to an amazing response to the chemo, and we do thank God for positive medication, but we also know that the “dramatic response” she was referring to was really God’s saving grace and His mercy.
At this point, the oncologist gave mention of the blood clot that had formed in my neck after the operation. As I explained in my first email, this was due to the intravenous needle in my neck while I was in hospital. I am on blood thinning medication for this for a limited period of time, and we were under the impression that it was fine. Due to this happening, we have learnt that a blood clot does not disappear, but becomes a scar on the wall of the vein. According to the scan yesterday, the oncologist said the blood clot is still there but is now attached to the wall of the vein. She explained that it could still dissolve and become a scar, or when I am finished my chemo treatment she will refer me to a Vascular Surgeon who will then make a decision how to deal with it. Because I am on medication for this at the moment, she is not concerned and has even allowed me to return to the gym and my cycling.
The devil holds on like a bull dog. He is so nervous during these last days – he knows his time is running out. But……..praise God, Jesus did not die on the cross in vain. His healing power is working in all our lives today. His Word says, “We are filled (through all our being) unto all the fullness of God (we have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and have become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself)! Ephesians 3:17, 19 Amplified Bible. If we are filled and flooded with God Himself how can Satan place sickness on our bodies?………..he can’t. He can only look for openings in our lives, to place symptoms. But, if we stay under the blood of Jesus, in fellowship with Him, flooded with God Himself, Satan will not be able to stand against that divine Presence!
Please stand in agreement with us that this blood clot will dissolve, as the devil is a liar and a deceiver. The “blood” of Jesus flows freely bringing healing, and washing us as white as snow!
Indeed, an Easter Miracle! Praise God. I’m sure you can imagine the gratitude, relief and joy that we both felt and are feeling right now! A Christmas miracle and now an Easter miracle.
The way forward. I only have to do one more chemo treatment (which makes 6 sessions instead of 8, as previously planned). This will then be followed by a month of radiotherapy; apparently one still has to complete the cycle. Chemo treatment is very expensive and we praise God for our Medical Aid scheme, but they had only agreed to pay for 6 of the 8 treatments –which then meant, we would have had to pay for the last 2 sessions. We will now no longer be deprived of our finances and, yes, another shout of victory for God!!!!
Both Sharon and I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued prayers, support, concern and love that we know helped guide us through the days, weeks and months since January.
We can only praise God for exciting days ahead as we continue to trust in Him totally.
Warm regards and God’s richest blessings.
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PAOC/ERDO has worked with Dave van Rensburg for nearly 30 years in Southern Africa. He is currently working with PAOC in Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Below you will see the health challenge he is facing. Please do be in prayer for him.
January 7, 2010
On Christmas day as death stared Dave/Beano in the face, against all odds, we were given the greatest gift we could ever wish for………….the gift of life!
To our dear and special friends, may the year ahead be filled with Gods richest blessings and may the Lord grant you and your loved ones the desires of your heart according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
This is just a quick email to share with you, ALL the recent events that occurred in our life over the Christmas holidays. What the devil meant for evil and destruction God took and created a Christmas miracle!
As 2009 came to an end we were relieved to take a break from a very busy but fruitful and successful year, with projects around Africa and in particular Malawi. Now it was time for us to prepare for a Christmas break. We had booked a trip to the States to spend Christmas with our son and his wife in Colorado Springs. The process of having our US visas approved and accepted was behind us and the pressure of what gifts to buy everyone was also behind us! Our case was packed with winter clothes and jackets – Ty, our son, had assured us we would be walking knee deep in snow. We were so excited. Dave’s mom was also going to be with us from England and Emily’s parents would be there too. We were looking so forward to spending our first family Christmas in our son and new daughter-in-law’s home. With our air tickets in hand we were due to fly out on the 23rd December.
Not to turn this into a long story and also not to give any glory to the devil I’ve explained, in point form, how our week before Christmas unfolded.
15th December I developed flu systems, so decided to see the doctor. Started on an antibiotic but didn’t seem to help.
18h December Still no improvement so the doctor decided to put me on cortisone.
21st December We decided to cancel our tickets as an 18hr flight with a chest infection was not advisable. We then thought it might be some sort of an allergy, as my neck was swollen and I was finding it difficult to breath. The doctor then started me on anti histamine and a nebulizer. She also said I could be developing asthma.
23rd December The Dr. then decided to put me in hospital to run tests.
24th December A CT scan immediately showed a 12cm growth around my tracia and my tracia was closing. I was literally breathing through the hole the size of a straw! Within a few hours I was airlifted by helicopter to Pretoria to a Throat/Chest/Heart Hospital
Christmas Eve I was on constant oxygen and they were trying to stabilize me. The growth was spreading rapidly.
Christmas Day A very traumatic day in High Care, I was even scared to sleep in case the small hole I was breathing through closed altogether. If I panicked it would close so I had to concentrate on my breathing and stay as calm as possible. They did not want to sedate me as I had to be in control of my breathing at all times.
26th December At 7am I was wheeled into the operating threatre. They performed open chest surgery. It was a three and a half hour operation and they managed to remove 95% of the growth. The tumor was malignant and the 5% remaining needs to be dealt with by chemotherapy.
After the operation I only spent 2 days in High Care. Gods amazing healing power allowed them to move me over to a general ward in the Oncology section. The surgeon who performed the operation and the nursing staff were all totally amazed at the progress I was making.
They then ran further extensive test which included full body CT scans/bone marrow/heart/ liver and all seemed normal, and I was released.
The type of cancer (B cell Lymphoma) had attached itself to my tracia and is aggressive. The good news, it responds well to chemo and has a very high success rate.
Has the devil forgotten that we serve an uncompromising, powerful and mighty God, especially when the devil tries to kill, steal and destroy? Jesus came for that very reason, so that we might have life and life abundantly. Praise God
29th December Five days after a major operation, Sharon and I drove back to Nelspruit and walked into our home!
4th Jan Further tests today confirmed a blood clot has now formed in my neck, and the cancer has started to spread in my throat. They started me on Warfin and some other blood thinning medication tonight
Will need to start aggressive chemo tomorrow, but with all the resent holidays the Medical Aid/Insurance company are behind in their admin etc. We now have to wait for authorization/approval to start treatment. !
Within a space of two weeks, from living a normal active life including training, cycling/swimming to having to recuperate from cancer surgery and all the ongoing repercussions has been an extremely difficult challenge that we have had to face. Without God we could never have faced this evil attack.
I’m very positive, Sharon even more so and we know that this is no surprise to God as He is watching over His Word to perform it. We are so grateful that God’s Word does not return void. Amen!
Please believe/pray/stand/intercede and trust with us for nothing less than 100% recovery.
What can wash me white as snow, nothing but the Blood of Jesus.