Category: Prayer & Updates

Prayer is requested for Linda Holladay, wife of Charles Holladay who pastors GCI’s congregation in Bloomington, Minnesota. Linda has a spot on her eye that has been diagnosed as melanoma. It is small, was caught early and is treatable with radiation. The procedure is involved and difficult and she is likely to lose much of her vision in that eye. Thankfully the doctor at Mayo Clinic has done this treatment hundreds of times. The procedure will be conducted the week of July 21.

Cards may be sent to:

Linda & Charles Holladay

111 S Willow St

Belle Plaine, MN 56011-1706

Prayer is requested for Charles Shelton, a GCI elder in London, Kentucky. Two years ago Charles was diagnosed and treated for follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. The cancer went into remission, but tests in June showed that it had returned in three areas.

In September Charles will have a PET scan to determine the growth rate and type of cancer so that a program of treatment can be determined.

Cards may be sent to:

Charles & Gracie Shelton
2674 Climax Rd.
Orlando, KY 40460-8939

Please pray for Nsama Kaoma, wife of Kalengule Kaoma, GCI mission developer in Africa. Nsama’s heart problems have returned. Her heart is enlarged and currently is working at less than 50% capacity. Doctors are concerned and have ordered bed rest. This puts a strain on Kalengule who spends a lot of time traveling throughout Africa. In August he has pastoral leadership meetings scheduled in several countries and was planning to be away from home for several weeks. It is a difficult time for the family.

Cards may be sent to:

Nsama Kaoma
PO Box 50117
Ridgeway
Lusaka, Zambia

John Connors, Boston-area GCI elder, is battling pancreatic cancer and suffering from severe pain. John would greatly appreciate your prayers for God’s healing.

Cards may be sent to:

John Connors

232 Pearl Street

Newton, MA 02458-1345

Kay Persky, the wife of Bob Persky (senior pastor of GCI’s Pathway of Grace Church in Mesquite, Texas), underwent triple-bypass surgery on Monday. As of this writing, she is recovering in the hospital. The surgery went exceptionally well and now the concern is to avoid post-surgery complications.

Please pray for Kay’s rapid and complete recovery and also for Bob, the rest of Kay’s family and their congregation, as they go through this difficult time together.

Cards may be sent to:

Kay and Bob Persky

129 Star Point Lane

Weatherford, TX 76088-6409

Here from her husband Larry Dietrich, is an update on the previous prayer request for Ginny Dietrich.

We have positive news to report! And for that I want to thank all of you for your thoughtfulness, well wishes, outpouring of love and concern, and most of all your prayers.

Following surgery, Ginny had been in a medically-induced coma to allow her body to fight the infection and recover from the shock of surgery. On Friday, the surgeon told us he had stopped the sedative, and she would begin to wake up slowly. Well, today (Sunday) she was awake and much more responsive. She still has the ventilator, so she can’t speak, but nods her head to respond, turns her head to look at us. She had a normal cat scan of her head, showing that her brain is fine. Her lungs are clear, blood pressure and temperature normal, and they are reducing the ventilator assistance.

So that means she is ready for the next step, which is to transfer her to a “high level rehab” hospital in La Mirada, where they can continue her care, wean her off the ventilator, and continue to work with her as she further awakes and responds. We are very encouraged by this news. Thank you again for your concern and prayers. Please keep it up. The family is coping better with this news. It was pretty rough for a while.

Cards may be sent to:

Larry and Ginny Dietrich
11791 Onyx Street
Garden Grove, CA 92845-1213

This prayer request is from Woodrow (Woody) Corsi, associate pastor in GCI’s congregation in Portland, Oregon.

I recently learned that I have cancer in some of my lymph nodes, my pancreas and spleen. Though the doctor says it’s slow-growing, it’s life-threatening. I’ve been referred to a cancer specialist to see what, if anything, can be done.

Just before receiving the diagnosis, I was reading these encouraging words in Scripture:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all (2 Corinthians 4:16-17).

May our loving God watch over us all.

Cards may be sent to:

Woody Corsi

7205 SE Villa

Hillsboro, OR 97123

This prayer request for Ginny Dietrich is from her husband Larry Dietrich, a member of the pastoral care team in GCI’s Long Beach, California church.

Ginny recently had surgery to deal with a tumor in her bowel. What they found was not good news. The entire colon was found to be diseased and had to be removed. But worse than that, the doctor found evidence of cancer throughout her abdominal area. He said that she likely had cancer for at least a year or more, without any symptoms until just recently. The doctor says that she is very ill. Naturally, this is not the result we had hoped for. The next few days will be crucial. I’ll keep you posted. Please pray that God’s will be done.

Cards may be sent to:

Larry and Ginny Dietrich

11791 Onyx Street
Garden Grove, CA 92845-1213

Retired GCI district and church pastor Don Lawson updates us here on the health of his wife Sue.

It has been over three years since Sue was in the hospital with leukemia. She has now been cancer free for over two years, for which we are extremely thankful. However, Sue is having problems from the chemotherapy, including memory loss and weakness.

We appreciate your prayers.

Cards may be sent to:

Don and Sue Lawson

78406 Hampshire Ave

Palm Desert, CA 92211-1954

Here is an update from Mike Rasmussen on his previous prayer request. Mike is battling prostate cancer and recently underwent surgery.

Thanks to all of you for your love and support for Juli and me. We have felt your love and prayers lifting us up in miraculous ways. The cards, letters and emails you have sent remind us that we are not going through this alone. We have felt God’s grace and loving embrace throughout this experience.

My surgery in Dallas on June 19 went well. After I had been just one night in the hospital, Juli drove me home to begin the recovery process. A couple of days ago, we returned to Dallas for a follow-up with my doctor. He shared the pathology report. The bottom line is that they were not able to remove all of the cancer in removing the prostate. But the good news is that the lymph nodes tested were cancer free. The doctor says that the hope is that the cancer remaining in my body will die off since it’s small and the prostate has been removed. They will watch my PSA level closely going forward. If it rises, there likely will be follow-up radiation.

Once again we find ourselves in God’s hands. He is the only one who knows our future. In him, we trust no matter how uncertain the future may seem. We know that he loves us, and has a plan for our lives. And we know that his plans are perfect and his timing is perfect. Every day we have is a gift and every breath is an opportunity to share his love and grace with others (with me!).

I will keep you updated. Please continue praying for God’s will in my life and for my family. We can do nothing on our own, but in and through Christ, we are more than conquerors—the victory already is ours in our beloved Lord and Savior.

Cards may be sent to:

Mike and Juli Rasmussen
12012 Surrey Ln
Yukon, OK 73099-8139