Three of three - Thoughts About Finality

Sharon and I are trying to complete the necessary medical questionnaires for us to be able to be medically approved once we complete our upcoming Stateside Assignment (called STAS - I still prefer to call it "furlough"). Because of this health questionnaire, there are some questions that we did not know the answer to, so we made some calls to our parents in the States. I think that I understand the basic reasons why the questionnaires, especially for the missionaries, are so extensive. But I still don't like doing them.

Well, because of this questionnaire, I called my dad to get some family history information. My dad turned 85 and my mom 84 in February. During our last furlough my dad had to have colon cancer surgery. I was attending a missions conference in Texas when I was told about dad's surgery and was able to change my flights and be there with my mom and dad during dad's surgery and recovery. It was a time that I was glad that I was able to be a part of. Living in Brazil limits me from most of these life changing events.

Yesterday, when talking to dad, he gave me the information that I needed for the questionnaire and some information that I am still trying to process. Dad said that the doctors have discovered that he has another cancer in his colon. He said that on May 10th he will undergo another surgery. He told me that without the surgery he will probably live about a year.

This was information that a part of me never wanted to hear. The reality that my dad is finite and that some day he too may no longer be living really hit me hard! I realized that I am feeling very selfish right now. I want my dad to live until he's at least 100! I realized something else as well. My wife, Sharon, lost her mother to cancer during our first furlough (June 1998). As I was feeling sorry for myself, realizing the finality of my father, my wife has had to deal with her loss of her mother for almost 10 years now. Sharon's daddy also has been sick with emphysema for several years and she has had to deal with the struggle of her sick daddy living on the other side of the hemisphere and being powerless to be there anytime that she wanted.

Please pray for Sharon's dad (Jay) and mine (Dick) as they face the finality of their lives and as we face the reality of having to let them go. Pray also for us as we begin preparing for returning to the States for our next STAS (aka "furlough") which will begin in late June of this year.

Thank you for your prayers.

Jeff Renard - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Two of three - The best catch I've ever made!

Sixteen years ago I caught a precious gift. Sixteen years ago, Sharon was in labor with our third child. We have always been parents who didn't want to know the sex of our children before they were born. With Wesley, the first born, he came on his due date. Everything about him was textbook delivery. I was her Lamaze Coach, I was there faithfully encouraging her to (as Bill Cosby said) "push 'em out, shove 'em out, way out!". Naaman was a bit more of a challenge and required the help of Petucin to help be delivered. A couple of years later we were pregnant with baby number three.

We have a dear friend and medical doctor who delivered Naaman. So, with baby number three, of course we called in the best! In between contractions I was out getting a very quick cup of coffee. Our doctor friend was sitting at the nurse's station, also drinking coffee, when I asked him if I could help catch this one. I wasn't sure how this question was going to go over, but our doctor was totally open to my suggestion. Totally with the doctor's help, I dressed and gloved up and the rest, as they say, is history.

Well, here we are sixteen years later and I have to admit, that for a person who is athletically challenged, it was the best catch I've ever made!

Happy 16th Birthday, Willa-Ann Marie Renard

First of Three - Aracruz, Espirito Santo

Hello once again from Rio de Janeiro. I wanted to give those of you who are praying for us a quick update on my trip to Aracruz, Espirito Santo.

A couple of months ago, Pr. Luciano (pastor of the First Baptist Church of Aracruz, Espirito Santo) asked Sharon and I to consider speaking at their first ever Semana Santa (Holy Week) retreat. I began creating, editing, refining and more refining a series of talks and PowerPoints for this event. Pr. Luciano gave broad strokes for guidelines. He wanted me to talk to the married couples about healthy marriages, utilizing some of the materials from Celebrate Recovery and to "preach" a couple of times.

Sharon was originally supposed to present a series of talks to the Young Adults, but this was later changed to working with the children. For those of you who know Sharon, you know that she has a gift with kids. However, for that past 6 weeks to two months, she has had some inflammation in her neck, been to two doctors (colleagues with each other), a couple of x-rays an MRI, they gave her two different sets of antibiotics. Needless to say, Sharon had to cancel her participation in this event. An update on her, no, she still is not completely better. We've contacted the ENT of this doctor team and he is out of town until after this week (we're in the midst of two holidays back to back, Tuesday and Thursday).

Back to the retreat. When I got there it was a great event. I spoke with all of the participants Friday evening (173 people), around 20/25 couples for two workshops (Saturday and Sunday mornings) and then to around 700 for the church's evening worship. There were several who gave indications of wanting to receive Christ into their lives and many rededications.

Thanks for your prayers. Please continue to pray for Sharon's health.