The second Agape day camp started yesterday in the children's shelter in a village right outside Kherson. We know from before that working with these kids is really hard emotionally. Many of them are right in the middle of really heartbreaking situations, and their emotional wounds are often very obvious. Please pray for health and strength for the team and for another great camp with these kids.
Also, I have to be really vague, but now there's something going on with a friend of Jaan's, a struggling family, this shelter, and our church. Please pray for everyone involved, especially for wisdom and compassion for the church leaders.
Again, there are photos available on Facebook. Here are a few to start with.
And then there was our Kyiv trip:
Raia and I got back late Tuesday night, and she jumped right into the beginning of camp Wednesday morning. I stayed in bed. Our trip did go really well. We went first class on the way there (above) and "sitting" (last class?) on the way back, daytime both ways, which was beautiful, but also made the trip seem really long. It also meant that we enjoyed two nights at a very international, fun hostel. Raia took photos of lots of the signs there. Here are just two:
Our time at the clinic went really well, too. My blood work was fine all around. I told Raia that after anaemia one time and liver trouble the next, I was almost expecting something else to pop up. But, no, it was all good. My doctor confirmed something that I was thinking: the tumours we can feel seem a little smaller to her too. We won't get a conclusive answer until they do scans, but it does seem like the Keytruda may be working. I did get the super sleepy anti-allergy medicine again, so I have had both general fatigue and intense sleepiness to deal with, but they're already going away, and I certainly can't complain!
Next time should be August 5, but I was just looking at the tickets Will had gotten for me, and they're for the 6th. I don't know if it will be better to change the tickets or my appointment. Either way, that should be another routine treatment. They clarified something I hadn't been sure of: does diagnostics "after the fourth time" mean on the fourth or fifth trip? It means the fifth. So, next time won't be anything different, and the time after that--August 26--will be the moment of truth.
Raia's one request was to find a bookstore, so after the clinic I slept for an hour, and then we went out. We had checked online to be sure that it would have a place for me to sit, so I just had to walk there, sit while she looked, and then walk back. Still, that felt like a lot to do on clinic day. But we were both very happy.
Also, I have to be really vague, but now there's something going on with a friend of Jaan's, a struggling family, this shelter, and our church. Please pray for everyone involved, especially for wisdom and compassion for the church leaders.
Again, there are photos available on Facebook. Here are a few to start with.
And then there was our Kyiv trip:
Raia and I got back late Tuesday night, and she jumped right into the beginning of camp Wednesday morning. I stayed in bed. Our trip did go really well. We went first class on the way there (above) and "sitting" (last class?) on the way back, daytime both ways, which was beautiful, but also made the trip seem really long. It also meant that we enjoyed two nights at a very international, fun hostel. Raia took photos of lots of the signs there. Here are just two:
Our time at the clinic went really well, too. My blood work was fine all around. I told Raia that after anaemia one time and liver trouble the next, I was almost expecting something else to pop up. But, no, it was all good. My doctor confirmed something that I was thinking: the tumours we can feel seem a little smaller to her too. We won't get a conclusive answer until they do scans, but it does seem like the Keytruda may be working. I did get the super sleepy anti-allergy medicine again, so I have had both general fatigue and intense sleepiness to deal with, but they're already going away, and I certainly can't complain!
Next time should be August 5, but I was just looking at the tickets Will had gotten for me, and they're for the 6th. I don't know if it will be better to change the tickets or my appointment. Either way, that should be another routine treatment. They clarified something I hadn't been sure of: does diagnostics "after the fourth time" mean on the fourth or fifth trip? It means the fifth. So, next time won't be anything different, and the time after that--August 26--will be the moment of truth.
Raia's one request was to find a bookstore, so after the clinic I slept for an hour, and then we went out. We had checked online to be sure that it would have a place for me to sit, so I just had to walk there, sit while she looked, and then walk back. Still, that felt like a lot to do on clinic day. But we were both very happy.
