Patient Lomi All Better!

Posted by

SUCCESSFUL SURGERY
A final update on Lomi.

The surgeon was able to completely remove the growth without incident and Lomi healed up quickly after his three-hour operation. After a follow-up visit to the doctor yesterday, he and his family were able to go home.

Thank you for praying concerning Lomi’s surgery, and for his parents Malmagan and Salmida. Please continue to pray for them, especially that the help they received would make them open to the gospel.

Meanwhile, translation is in progress and we are working on 1-2 Timothy and Galatians.

SO PLEASE PRAY WITH US…

  • for Lomi and his family – salvation
  • as we also continue the translation work

Reaching Palawanos together with you,

-Bill and Donna

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
Bill and Donna on Facebook

Surgery for Lomi

Posted by

ON TO SURGERY
A quick update on our little Palawano patient. Lomi’s surgery is scheduled for today (Monday) morning, June 21. The doctor thinks it might take as long as 3 hours as they want to go slowly to minimize blood loss with such a small patient.

Please continue to pray for little Lomi and his parents Malmagan and Salmida.

SO PLEASE PRAY WITH US…

  • for Lomi and his family
  • wisdom for the doctors
  • safe, successful surgery
  • for us as we help them
  • as we also continue the translation work

Reaching Palawanos together with you,

-Bill and Donna

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
Bill and Donna on Facebook

Update on Patient Lomi

Posted by

ON TO SURGERY
A quick update on Lomi. The CT scan showed that the growth was indeed the kind of tumor the doctor suspected, but it is totally encapsulated and has not invaded any other organs or bone! It should be 100% operable. We praise God for that and thank everyone who is praying.

Lomi needs to see a pediatrician tomorrow to be cleared for surgery, so our partner Rich will be taking him for that appointment (both the pediatrician and the surgeon go to our church here in Puerto).

The way things work here in the Philippines is that Lomi will need to have blood donated in advance, since the hospitals do not stock it. Rich is O+, so we only need to find one more donor to match Lomi’s blood type and we should be good to go.

Please continue to pray for little Lomi and his parents Malmagan and Salmida.

SO PLEASE PRAY WITH US…

  • for Lomi and his family
  • wisdom for the doctors
  • safe, successful surgery
  • for us as we help them
  • as we also continue the translation work

Reaching Palawanos together with you,

-Bill and Donna

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Palawano Patient

Posted by

POOR LITTLE GUY
We spent today taking a Palawano family to the hospital. They are from another area (not our village down south) but went to our partners for help who then sent them up here for us to take to the doctor.

Their little 4 year-old son has this huge growth so that one of his buttocks is enlarged (larger than a softball but not quite a volleyball). It’s gotten painful recently and is causing problems for him.

The doctor requested a CT scan to determine what kind of growth it is, whether or not it is cancer, and where (and how large) it might be internally. He needs to know if it is attached to the spine or pelvis.

So today we took them for blood work and the CT scan. The nurses were very kind to this Palawano family who are not only far from home, but who feel so out of place here in “the big city” that they might as well have been dropped on Mars. They don’t even speak the national language, Tagalog, much at all. So Nili’s husband Odi accompanied them and helped us interface with the doctors and nurses. Because of various delays it took all morning and Lomi and his parents were really ready to leave the hospital… we were, too, actually, but at least we’re healthy and used to living in town.

The lab work showed very low red blood counts and a high white blood count (possible infection?)

Now we’re waiting for the results of the CT scan and then we’ll have the doctor look at him and decide what can be done surgically.

Please pray for little Lomi and his parents Malmagan and Salmida. They’re scared, uncomfortable and feeling out of place here in town. Pray for healing or that something can be done medically. But most of all, they need to know the Lord. So pray also that this time of getting medical help will be a way for them to see Jesus’ love demonstrated in a way that will make them receptive to the gospel.

SO PLEASE PRAY WITH US…

  • for Lomi and his family
  • wisdom for the doctor
  • for us as we help them
  • as we also continue the translation work

Reaching Palawanos together with you,

-Bill and Donna

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Luke Check Update – Day Four

Posted by

CHECKING LUKE… DAY FOUR

We are grateful for your prayers and the many words of encouragement we have received. God has really been gracious in answering and helping us with the consultant check.

Here are some notes of praise…

After only 3 days of checking, we are more than halfway through the book of Luke. This is way ahead of the projected schedule. It’s actually going so well that the consultant is having Donna change her plane ticket today! She realizes she should be able to go home sooner. Moving quickly through a check like this usually means that the translation is natural in it wording, which is good!

In addition to being able to maintain a fast pace, the check is also finding very little that needs to be changed or adjusted. It is proving to be easily understood, which was our goal in the first place.

We have had no electrical power outages! Well, none during working hours… a couple mornings the power has been out from 4-6 in the morning, etc. So we are able to have power when we need it.

So far everyone is healthy and able to maintain the intense level of concentration hour after hour, day after day.

God is good!

SO PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY WITH US…

  • for clear thinking
  • for energy and good health
  • for wisdom from the Lord
  • for good electricity with no power outages



We’re starting chapter 12 this morning. Keep praying until we’re done with verse 24:53!

The Palawanos will soon have more of God’s Word in their language.

Reaching Palawanos together with you,

-Bill and Donna

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Bill and Donna on Facebook

Davis Update Apr 18

Posted by

OVER FORTY
We’re glad to be back in our home in Puerto Princesa. Another family housesat for us and took really good care of the house, the dog and the cat. But it’s taken us a few days to move in and get settled. This time it’s more than just unpacking our luggage, as we’re unpacking all the boxes we filled when we packed up the house to give the house sitters empty shelves and drawers.

But “why Over Forty?” you might ask. Yes, it’s not news that we’re over forty. Mid-fifties, to be more precise. And sure, we’ve been grandparents now for well over 40 days. But…

…we’re referring to how hot it is here now in the peak of dry season. Actually, to how hot it feels. The temperature in the house during the day is in the low-to-mid 90s and the humidity is around 65%. That means an apparent temperature (or “heat index”) of 105 degrees Fahrenheit. That means that while it’s 92, it actually feels like it’s 105. And 104 degrees Fahrenheit is 40 degrees Celsius, so we’re over forty. And it’s not just us. Even our Filipino friends are telling us this is the hottest summer anyone remembers.

Also, we noted that this means that the difference in temperature for us since we left cool San Diego with its pleasant mid-60s temperatures, is again, over forty. We went almost instantly from 65 degrees to 105. That’s a big gap… over forty, in fact. And meanwhile the air conditioning in our truck is going out, so we’ll be getting that looked at a.s.a.p.!

We’re not complaining, mind you. We’re just melting. And we’re trying to help you understand what we mean when we say “it’s hot.” We appreciate your prayers as we adjust so that we can be energetic and efficient in our translation ministry here in spite of the heat.

And God is gracious. Just this morning it rained. That’s the first rain of the year and a welcome relief for us. More importantly, the Palawanos and other farmers need the rain for their recently-planted rice. And here in town, the water district needs rain. So we’re all thankful.

SPEAKING OF TRANSLATION…
In this case, we’re under forty. It’s also actually less than forty days until the translation check of the entire book of Luke begins on May 15. Please be praying with us about that. Our desire is for the check to go smoothly, but that if anything needs to be changed to make the book communicate better, that we will discover it and easily find the way to best rephrase it.

Just like that newly-planted rice, the Word of God will be sown in the hearts of Palawanos, watered by the Spirit and bear fruit for eternal life! Thank you for your partnership in this ministry.

SO PLEASE PRAY WITH US…

  • for adjustment to the intense heat this time of year
  • to quickly get settled and fully back into translation
  • for the upcoming check of Luke

    • Reaching Palawanos together with you,
    -Bill and Donna
    JOIN US ON FACEBOOK
    See updates and photos and be notified of new blog postings