The cover of Cheryl's 15th international testimonies book,scheduled for publication in June
Never giving up
[The jailer] then brought [Paul and Silas] out and asked, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household. . . . The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family” (Acts 16:30-31, 34, NIV).
How many years would you believe this promise of salvation for your family without seeing some results? We once heard the testimony of a Japanese woman who prayed faithfully for her husband for 50 years before he was saved. We were amazed.
But then on April 25, Bernie had the privilege of baptizing a woman in her mid-60s named Nose-san (Noh-say-sahn). Sitting on the front row of the sanctuary to witness this joyful occasion was her 90-year-old mother (who looked 70 at most). She had prayed for Nose-san’s salvation from her daughter's birth. As the years passed, surely she was tempted to think that her earnest prayers weren’t making any difference. Still she never gave up, and her prayers were answered. Through the English-Bible classes at Tarumi Church—and particularly through conversations with Millie Michael, our special assignment missionary there at the time—Nose-san was finally able to commit her life to the Lord. It might never have happened without her mother’s persistent and believing prayers.
Also present for the celebration was Nose-san’s daughter. Perhaps she’ll be the next person baptized at Tarumi Church as a result of the prayers of mother and grandmother and their belief that Paul and Silas’ words were both for the jailer’s family and for theirs.
An update on Cheryl
We also are never giving up on the power of prayer for Cheryl’s healing from cancer. Thank you for praying with us and for us. We are so grateful that Cheryl was able to begin taking a brand new medicine, Afinitor, on April 20. (The Swiss-made anti-cancer drug only became available in Japan on April 16 and in the United States in March 2009.)
At this point, one week after beginning the daily dosage of Afinitor, Cheryl’s blood test on April 27 was most encouraging. The CRP (C-reactive protein) in her blood—which seems to be an indicator of cancer activity in her body—dropped from a way-too-high 28.29 to 15.85. (Normal is 0 to 0.2.) Additionally, although her hemoglobin count is still quite low, one week of Afinitor has helped it to rise slightly, which may be why Cheryl says she can “smell” energy just around the corner. The three weeks between drugs taxed her body quite significantly, especially her energy level, so it is wonderful to see that the hemoglobin count is on the upswing.
Please do continue praying for us, especially that we will know God’s guidance in the decisions that most likely will face us at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center shortly. Cheryl is scheduled for a consultation with a kidney surgeon on May 26 to hear his opinion about whether or not there is a surgical option for her. Then on June 2, she will have a battery of almost every medical test known to mankind. (Okay, that may be a slight exaggeration, but with tests beginning at 8:15 a.m. and going until after 3 p.m., it seems like every possible test in existence has been scheduled.) The next day, on June 3, Bernie and Cheryl will meet with her kidney cancer specialist to discuss all related consultations and test findings to determine the best course of action onwards. No doubt our heads will be spinning with the volume of information that comes our way. Truly we need God’s wisdom in order to know which way he is leading us. Thank you for your continued and faithful prayers.
Additional prayer requests
●Pray for the Holy Spirit to touch hearts during the three special Bible camps for Tamagawa Seigakuin students between May 12-14.
●Please pray for Pastor Fujiwara as she teaches Bernie’s Bible classes at Tamagawa Seigakuin while the Bartons are on medical leave from May 19-August 19. Pray also for Fujiwara-sensei as she carries full responsibility for Tamagawa Church in our absence.
●Pray for the new special assignment missionary couple who will come to Japan on August 19 to begin their new assignments at Tamagawa Seigakuin and Tamagawa Church. In the space of the next few weeks, they will be graduating from university, getting married, taking an on line course in TOEFL (teaching of English as a foreign language), applying with the Japanese government for certification to receive their visas, and more. Needless to say, they have much on their plates and would appreciate your prayer.
●Pray for the successful and on-time publication of In a Besieged City, the 15th in a series of international testimonies books Cheryl has compiled and edited since 1993. (On time means in plenty of time for its debut at North American Convention in late June.)
We are so thankful for your prayers!
