News from Rose & Juanita

I wanted to let you in on some of the things Rose went through in being at her father's side during his last days. I want to thank you for your prayers for him and for our family during this time. Rose is now back in Hawaii and gearing up for school. Following are some emails Rose sent out. - Sandy

Rose’s Dad Report

May 30, 2009

Thank you for your prayers for my Dad. He is sleeping almost all the time. He has not urinated for about 31 hours, and no BM for 6 days. It seems his body is shutting down. His wish is to die at home, so that is where he is. I am just staying by his side and sleeping there so when he wakes for a second, he knows I am there. It is so funny the things he says to me now. Things like "I love you like a bushel of potatoes!" I am trying to joke with him and make him smile. I told him tonight that I was thinking of calling Guiness World Book of Records to see if they have a record of someone not peeing for the longest time! I said they would probably bring a whole film crew! He thought that was funny. Dad seems pretty much at peace, but I am hoping for one more opportunity where he is coherent enough to talk to him about his salvation and eternal peace. It is hard with people always here. I want him to be able to be honest and really be ready to be with his Maker. I am so thankful I have a God of forgiveness and second chances. I love my Dad and want him to get his new body and home...

June 5, 2009

I am in Alaska taking care of Dad these past 5 weeks. He has gone from being able to sit and eat to now a vegetative state. He signed a comfort one agreement and a living will which states no intravenous liquids or feeding tube. This part is hard for my brother Roger and me, but we know it would only prolong his suffering. We have him at home and have one caregiver during the day. Otherwise, it is us on duty, though we rarely leave. (We actually fired his primary caregiver for Medicare fraud, taking financial advantage of Dad because she had his bank card, incompetence, and not following his medicine instructions) We are helping to administer meds for comfort and I have learned to use the suction machine and at least can help in that way. I think Dad is ready to leave this world spiritually. He is pretty much unresponsive now. We are just praying he does not have to suffer long. We made funeral arrangements today. Thank you for your prayers during this time.

June 10, 2009

Just a note to thank you again for your prayers. My Dad passed away on the evening of Saturday, June 6th after a very long battle with COPD. My brother Roger, his wife, Marlene, and myself were with him as he passed away in his home as he wished. This was a sad and difficult time for all of us, but during his last days when he could still communicate, he assured us that he had accepted the Lord, he was at peace and he was ready to go home. When I was crying he said "You are supposed to be happy now". I said that he was right and I was happy he had a new home and body to look forward to. His wish was to be cremated. We are seeing if we can arrange a gathering next year in North Carolina at Crawford's Creek where my Dad grew up. We would have a memorial service and put his ashes there. Thanks again for your prayers and encouragements.

Juanita’s Majuro Report

From June 26th to July 6th I had the privilege of being the Guest Speaker at a Women's Conference in Majuro, Marshall Islands. I was invited by the women of the Reformed Congregational Church in Majuro. I was to teach 4 mornings, basically all morning. They allowed me to choose the subjects, so I decided, after prayer, to have 2 different streams of teaching, with crossovers between the two. One was on the Book of Jonah and the other on Family Problems - like Anger, Fear, Unfaithfulness and Selfishness. The title I gave to the teaching was: "Do you ever feel like running away?" The key verse was Rev. 2:10b: "Be faithful, even to death, and I will give you the crown of life. "

The conference began on Sunday morning, and 1 was asked to give the morning message. I spoke on "Bringing Life Out of Death" using the story of Naaman from II Kings 5. The church was packed. I was thankful for such an opportunity to make the gospel clear. 2 of the pastors of the church expressed their appreciation to me afterwards for the message. To God be the glory!

I was pleased that the 30 or so women who attended all the sessions brought their Bibles. They followed along in their Bibles and many of them took notes. They seemed to be very interested and attentive - not easy in a hot and humid climate like Micronesia. I learned that they had been anticipating this conference for a long time and had been fundraising by making things and selling them. That paid for my plane fare, hotel room and food, as well as food for all the participants, which they cooked every day.

On Friday we all went by boat to a tiny island across the lagoon for an outing and picnic. It is owned by one of my former students. We had a lovely time there, enjoying the beauty of God's amazing creation, and eating local food cooked over small firepits. We ate land crabs, fish, breadfruit, coconut, etc. That night we were all invited to the first birthday party of Catherine & Kaje's grandson. First birthdays are huge celebrations in the MarshalIs, so there were probably 200 people there, with mountains of food.

One of the special treats for me while I was in Majuro was to see some of my former students from Bethania. I was able to see 20 different ones, some of whom I haven't seen for many years. A few were able to attend the conference, but most could not because of their work schedules. Some of them came to the hotel room to visit with me. On my last night in Majuro the Bethania alumnae invited me to have dinner with them in a restaurant. It was a fun time, with the singing of some old familiar songs, and brief stories about their lives today. It made me so thankful to God for the privilege I have had to be involved in the lives of hundreds of young women during my years at Bethania and since.

I arrived home in Hawaii at 2:30 AM to live a second Monday of the same week. The first Monday was in Majuro on the other side of the International Dateline and the second in Hawaii on this side of the Dateline. I was exhausted, but very grateful for God's care for me during those days, and for the kindness and love I enjoyed with my Marshallese brothers and sisters in the Lord. Please pray that the Word of God that was planted will continue to bear fruit in their lives, and the lives of their families and church.