Today was a milestone in WB's life. She paid off her car that she had pawned to pay for her sister to be buried. Faye died unexpectedly and there was not enough money to pay for burial. She has worked so hard to pay off her debt. As a celebration, we all ate at Zaxby's!
WB met Marc Phillips, the singer, at Zaxby's today - WB loves his song - "Through the Fire". We sang it probably 50 plus times on our way to Monroeville almost a year ago.
‘He has a desire to live’
Jennifer Williams Eagle Reporter
Daily Mountain Eagle Newspaper - Jasper, Alabama
Januray 29, 2009
Two-year-old Braxton F is so active that the washcloth tied around his neck is the only sign of how sick he is. Braxton was born with tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF). "His esophagus grew so far down and then it grew into his windpipe, his trachea," said his mother, Darlene Foy. Doctors had to put Braxton on life support as soon as he was born because he could not breath on his own without choking. As an infant, he gagged each time he swallowed because the fluids were entering his airways instead of his stomach. Braxton has had many surgeries in his short life to fix the problem.
In the first surgery, doctors unhooked his esophagus from his trachea. However, the two organs were so close together in Braxton's small body that a fistula, or abnormal connection, formed. Food continued to leak into Braxton's airway through the tube. After two more surgeries, doctors tried to wrap the esophagus in glue. They did multiple surgeries using the glue before a major complication arose. "In the fifth surgery, when they went in to use a synthetic glue, they shot too much of it and it dried down his trachea. They had to scrape all of that off," said Larry Foy, Braxton's father. Braxton had so many surgeries that his esophagus eventually began to deteriorate. Doctors went in again to cut out the dead part of the esophagus and reconstruct it. However, the stitching left a small hole. Braxton began to get recurring infections because what he swallowed still leaked into his chest. Doctors then stapled the esophagus shut and rerouted the rest of it to the side of his neck. "It's called a spit fistula. Everything that goes in his mouth comes out his neck onto a rag," Larry Foy said. Braxton is now fed through a feeding bag. A tube in his neck connects to a Mic-Key button on his stomach. He can only digest liquid milk. He can also have ice and water by mouth. Solid foods are forbidden for Braxton because of the dangers they pose. Larry Foy gave him a piece of an orange slice recently. Since Braxton didn't know how to chew it, the food stuck in his throat and he had to be rushed to the emergency room to have it removed. He has now learned to lick foods such as fries and chips and then give the solid portion back to his parents.
In all, Braxton has had 27 surgeries to correct his TEF. In addition to enduring all the work on his esophagus, he has also had part of his lung removed. "All of the saliva that was building up in his chest caused pressure in his cavity. So the upper right lobe of his lung had to be removed," Darlene Foy said. He is still in need of at least one more surgery. Doctors plan to take six inches of his small intestines to build him a new esophagus. However, Braxton's father is concerned that one more won't be enough. "He's coughing now. When he coughed before, it meant he had a fistula formed. So he may have one up higher now," Larry Foy said. The trials Braxton has faced in the past two years have had no affect on his attitude. He is a happy, energetic little boy most of the time. Darlene Foy said her young son is an inspiration to her, and she hopes other parents find hope in his story as well.
"He has a desire to live because he has been through so much," she said.
GOD BLESS YOU IN YOUR MINISTERS,HOW ARE YOU?
PRAISE GOD MY FAMILY IS OK, MY CHILDREN STARTED THEIR SCHOOL, AND THEY ARE HAPPY,
I WAS WORKING WITH ANOTHER PASTORS HIS NAME IS HERNAN SOSA AND ROSA DE SOSA, I SHARED THE PASTOR CONFERENCE [ABIDE] WITH THEM, AND THEY ARE HAPPY WITH THE MATERIAL, AND CONCORDANCE, THEY SAY THANKYOU VERY MUCH.
LORD WILLING, THE NEXT I AM GOING TO SHARE THE PASTOR CONFERENCE WITH ANOTHERS PASTORS, THEIR NAMES EDUARDO GUDIEL AND BERNICE DE GUDIEL, PLEASE PRAY FOR ME.
YOU GAVE THE MATERIAL (CRAFTS, BALOONS, TOYS.......) I GAVE TO THE PASTORS AND SUNDAY SCHO0L TEACHERS, AND THEY ARE HAPPY WITH THIS MATERIAL. Immer Ramirez
Cherokee Legend -
Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of Passage?
His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a MAN.
He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own. The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.
We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him.
Moral of the story: Just because you can't see God, Doesn't mean He is not there. 'For we walk by faith, not by sight.
From Immer Saul Ramirez.....
Is wonderful to talk by e-mail also, Lord willing I am going to teach to anothers pastors in this year, the beautiful thing is I have my material, and I am going to make more and more copies.
The picture was when my oldest daugther finished her High School, Praise God.
My Rick and Lisa, thankyou verymuch for the money, thankyou, thankyou.............................I am going to use for the School supplies for my Children (Jeherzely, Andrea, Vicente and Pedro). With all my heart again God bless you in your lives, you are God´s Instruments for to bless many people around the world.
God bless you,
Immer
While in Guatemala last week, our team did a Celebration Party at the local school, Escuela Rafael Tellez. Pizza and Koolaid was served to over 300 children. Bean bag toss, Go Fishing, Spin Art, Balloon Animals and Face Paint were the booths we set up to entertain the children. The children on our team performed the Christmas Story with costumes for all the Guatemalan children and we danced to the ChaCha Slide. What a fun time for everyone.
Our team this year was comprized of several school teachers. Our teachers and the Guatemalan teachers had a question and answer time together. Our teachers gave them tips on how situations and lessons are handled in America. Toward the end of the meeting - one last question to Guatemala: If you could have one thing, what would that be?
Kindergarten: Reading Books
1st Grade: Reading and Math Books
2nd Grade: A Chicken for each Child!
teacher - ”My children in second grade have to work the fields beginning at 5:30am every morning, then be at school by 7:30. When they arrive they are hungry, dirty and tired. This teacher wants to make a difference in their ability to learn by giving them an egg to eat. Wow - He requested one chicken per child and a coop to house them”
This is an exciting project! - Chickens for Jesus! $7.00 per chicken.
Scatter Christ (Seed)
Tonight was wonderful! We shared Christmas with two families from Choctaw County in our home. After much work and many phone calls, Tikisha Brooks-Graham, the social worker for Choctaw County Schools, was able to get a van and bring a family to Birmingham for the first time. Bobbi Bolden and her six boys, Imani, Edna Brooks (Kesha's mom), Kari, Demondre, and Mrs. Anderson, the school counselor arrived around 6:30pm. Mr and Mrs Santa Claus arrived with gifts and stockings for all of the children. Many friends and family attended to bring good tidings and hugs for these precious children. Bullen and Andrew from the Sudan were here, as well as Ricky Barwick from the Alabama Children's Home. We had chicken fingers, cupcakes and sweet tea. What a blast to watch these precious children look to Santa with respect and love. Rick told the Christmas Story about baby Jesus to all of the children. This will be a night to remember always. Thanks you Jesus for allowing our family to provide many needs to these families. Our prayer is that seeds were planted and each and every person present will know you as their personal Lord and Savior.
Tonight was wonderful! We shared Christmas with two families from Choctaw County in our home. After much work and many phone calls, Tikisha Brooks-Graham, the social worker for Choctaw County Schools, was able to get a van and bring a family to Birmingham for the first time. Bobbi Bolden and her six boys, Imani, Edna Brooks (Kesha's mom), Kari, Demondre, and Mrs. Anderson, the school counselor arrived around 6:30pm. Mr and Mrs Santa Claus arrived with gifts and stockings for all of the children. Many friends and family attended to bring good tidings and hugs for these precious children. Bullen and Andrew from the Sudan were here, as well as Ricky Barwick from the Alabama Children's Home. We had chicken fingers, cupcakes and sweet tea. What a blast to watch these precious children look to Santa with respect and love. Rick told the Christmas Story about baby Jesus to all of the children. This will be a night to remember always. Thanks you Jesus for allowing our family to provide many needs to these families. Our prayer is that seeds were planted and each and every person present will know you as their personal Lord and Savior.
Tonight I met some new friends. Jennifer, Donna, Amy & Pat. They all live in the Lovelady Center in Woodlawn. Woodlawn is not the best part of city and as we arrived to have a Christmas Party with these ladies - an armed robbery was taking place at the center. Guns were pulled and the ladies running the front desk lost their purses and belongings. God protected us as we went in to minister and share the love of Jesus with these ladies. TCAB provided new Bibles for these ladies as gifts and we had subway sandwiches and chocolate desserts. It was so much fun to talk and share our life stories with each other. Janet Thorn and Janet Tatum will be continuing their Bible study with each of them on Monday's after the New Year. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to come to the party.
What a great story I have to share with each of you reading this blog.
I am the co-leader for our trip to Guatemala leaving on Christmas Day at 5am. This means that for the past 6 months many lists have been made, sermons selected, international phone calls and translators scheduled, parties planned, crafts constructed, meetings with our team, money collected and raised, hours of planning for reservations and travel, etc etc. Mission trips involve much time and effort as you prepare to be Jesus' hands and feet in a third world country.
About the time this journey started, David Platt preached to our congregation about helping the poor and how God commands us to share. Dr. Platt encouraged each of us to take a hard look at ourselves and our material possessions. Great friends of ours, Robin and Jana Roberts, talked with us about donating funds for our trip. Robin told us that God had been speaking to him about giving lifelong gifts such as houses, property for farming, plots of land or something that the families could use for years to come. Robin asked us to check on how to purchase property or land while in Guatemala.
Of course, my wheels begin to turn and the search on google started for housing information in Guatemala. Each search produced information about cooking and stoves in the Mayan Indian villages around Lake Attilan. More research showed that most of the families cook on what is known as a three-stone fire. I found a construction team in Canada that travels each year to Guatemala to do nothing but build stoves. I emailed the "contact us" for information on the Guatemala Stove Project. The response led me to another source located in San Marcos, who selects families and schedules for stoves to be installed as they are purchased. I then began trying to connect the dots between how much do they cost, how do I transport them to Solola, who will build them, who will receive them, how will the family be selected and the list goes on and on. I had no idea where to begin to put this together and was very frustrated by lack of contacts and information. Little did I know (although I should have) that God was at work. He is in control of all things -EVEN STOVES in GUATEMALA.