Update Tuesday 24/04/12 - Honesty

To be honest, I was a little nervous.  I had already postponed our monthly outreach to the homeless due to weather the previous week and that was after missing the previous month altogether for unforeseen circumstances.  The postponement meant that our numbers were a little down and I did not know how we were going to enact our usual methods of delivering our supplies throughout the streets.  To top it off, the weather was still "iffy" at best.

George looking on as Kim chats with Jim

Kim chatting with Jim whom we have served before

George having a great conversation

 We arrived at Gore Park downtown and after setting up our coffee station we began to separate our supplies into bags, having decided that two of our adults would stay with the coffee (and the kids!) while two of us would go throughout the streets.  A strange thing happened as I was bent over separating our supplies into bags, I noticed a change in the shadows across the cement of the sidewalk.  The sun was beginning to peek through from behind the clouds, and in short order it managed to break through completely with the double effect of brightening the day and warming the spring air.  The afternoon ended up being a very pleasant, bright and warm April day.  With the warmth of a spring day comes more foot traffic in the park, and by the time I had the supplies sorted out there was already a line at the coffee station.  As it turns out there was no need to go and search the streets for those in need because they were all coming to us.  They came to us, and because it was a nice day (and there was a bit of a line) people we were serving hung around for a bit, allowing us many conversations throughout the afternoon.  We talked of life,  faith and even had the opportunity to share about our Fellowship extending invitations to a number of people who seemed interested.  As it turns out, there was little need to be nervous as once again God proved His faithfulness.
If I continue with being honest for a moment then I might share that it has actually been a tough couple of months around our house, and there have been more than a few moments of nervousness and discouragement.  Our oldest son has actually been in and out of the hospital for the last seven weeks as we struggle to figure out what lies behind some health struggles that he has been facing lately.  After weeks of of struggling to find answers (much of the time feeling that we were at odds with the hospital treating him) everyone agreed that a second opinion and transfer to a different facility was needed.  He has been transferred for more testing with a new team.  Although we feel more confident with this new team, and feel closer to finding some answers that will help us move forward with treatment options, we are still not quite there.
In the midst of this, we found a lump in the chest of our six year old daughter.  After an ultrasound last week, the doctors are fairly certain that it is not a tumour, and not cancer but they have no idea what it is.  We have been referred to some more specialists and the search continues.
My wife Kimberley, as well as facing the stress of these other two situations, has been dealing with questions about a lump that we discovered a few months ago.  After the initial tests it was determined to be just a common cyst, but since that time it seems to have changed in some regards and continues to grow larger.   She is scheduled for two more scans next week followed by a referral to a surgeon.
Things have been a little busy around here lately with many trips to the hospital, doctor's offices, labs and specialists.  Before any of this transpired, my son Liam had made a commitment to spend his twelfth birthday by putting a team together for the Spring Sprint, an annual fundraiser for the Brain Tumour Foundation.  This is a foundation that offered (and continues to offer us) so many resources and support while we dealt with Liam's brain tumour in 2008.  We were very proud that he would want to give back in this regard.  I thought that there would be more time and I would have more energy to invest in helping him with this goal and so I feel a bit bad that I have not been able to do more with and for him.  We have a great team, however, and I know that it will be a great event on May 5th.  With only a few weeks left we are slowly making our way to our fundraising goal.  If you think that you might be able to contribute towards this goal then please follow the link below:

Spring Sprint Sponsor Page 

In the midst of all the turmoil, it has been good to reflect back on that time with Liam in the hospital, facing the unknown and reflecting on all the things we learned during that time.  We learned a lot about faith.  We learned a lot about God- His faithfulness, His goodness and His promises.  We learned that in all things God really can work for the good of those who love Him and that He does in fact keep that promise.  Even though things have been a bit hectic around here lately, we also continue to see God move and work and we continue to look with hopeful anticipation to the things that He is going to do.  We appreciate the continued support and prayer.