Following the prayer request from last week, we learned that doctors told Marj Friddle that the mass in her abdomen near her liver is cancerous. They also found a cancerous polyp in her colon.
Marj and her husband Jim Friddle will be meeting with an oncologist to determine the next course of action. Marj remains in good spirits. She told one of her friends, “I’m good with God, so I’m all right!”
Please continue to pray for Marj and Jim.
Please pray for Marj Friddle, wife of retired GCI pastor James (“Jimmie”) Friddle. Marj had been gaining about a pound a week around her abdomen and having trouble breathing. Tests found a mass near (possibly wrapped around) her liver. It may be that the cancer that she has battled in the past has returned. She has been hospitalized for further tests and to have fluid drained from her abdomen.
Marj, who for 50 years served with Jimmie in the pastorate, is admired for her compassion, hospitality and faith—a woman who never gives up!
Please keep Marj and Jimmie in your prayers. Cards may be sent to:
Mrs. Marjorie Friddle 7404 Stillwater Dr Bayonet Point, FL 34667-2293This update concerning the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy is from John Newsom, pastor of GCI churches in Queens and Manhattan, New York City.
We in New York City and Long Island continue the long recovery from the storm. We are thankful that none of our GCI members were harmed bodily, however some suffered damage to their homes, especially those living near the ocean. Most all New Yorkers and Long Islanders experienced lengthy power outages, downed trees and gasoline shortages.
The coastlines of New York City and Long Island were severely damaged by the storm. Some of that damage is unimaginable, with entire neighborhoods and homes wiped out by storm surge or fire. The compassion of New Yorkers has been amazing. Many from both religious and secular groups have rallied in support of those affected. Several GCI members work at businesses that have not yet reopened; as a result, some are not being paid. We have established a relief fund to help our members repair storm damage and meet other emergency needs.
This weekend we celebrated the first full worship services in our congregations as most members have power and gasoline once again. However, some of our members living near the ocean remain in damaged homes without power. A few went out to help a family who literally had the ocean dump the beach and boardwalk into their home. Much sand and debris remain in their neighborhood. They were able to join us for worship, testifying to the storm’s power and the Lord’s glory and steadfast love.
In services this weekend, we focused on words paraphrased from Ernest Hemingway: “Life will break us all, but some of us will be strong in the broken places.” We gather and gain strength in times like these, because Jesus has assumed our humanity, and joined to his humanity we are healed and strengthened. We are resolved as congregations to embody the heart of Jesus as “the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” Wherever possible, members will participate in direct action projects, especially as we head toward Thanksgiving with many still displaced by the storm.
The photographs above were taken near a GCI member’s home where the boardwalk was thrown by the storm surge into the neighborhood.
As of today, we’ve not heard of any GCI members in affected areas who experienced significant property loss or any loss of life. For this we are grateful, knowing how horrendous the damage was (see the pictures). We ask for continuing prayer for all who are suffering and grieving.
Here are prayer requests and updates received at the GCI home office concerning Sandy’s aftermath. If you know of others, please send them using the comments feature on this page.
We are saddened to learn of the death of Ratu Epeli Kanaimawi, the first elder to be ordained within GCI in the Pacific island nation of Fiji. Following is a tribute from Rod Matthews.
Ratu was a hereditary chief in his Fijian tribe on the island of Taveuni, hence the title “Ratu” (meaning chief) was the term of endearment and respect given him throughout the church in Fiji and among his friends. It is with the deepest sadness that I announce that he died on Sunday evening, October 28 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia at the age of 74, following a short battle with lung cancer.
Ratu has an amazing life story. He was a student at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia in 1965 when his attention was drawn to the church through The Plain Truth magazine. God’s work in his life led him to be baptized in 1974, ordained a deacon in 1977 and an elder in 1979.
His career path took him to the level of a senior civil servant in various government departments in Fiji and included the office of Director of Agriculture. He was appointed chairman of the Grants Commission of the University of the South Pacific which is based in Suva, Fiji – a responsibility that sometimes required him to visit the 12 extension campuses in other Pacific nations, including Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Kiribati. This turned out to be a God-inspired responsibility because when he traveled on university business, as an elder he also took the opportunity to visit the remote members we had in some of these nations.
As chairman of the Banaba Trust Fund, he served the people from the remote Pacific island of Ocean or Banaba Island who had been resettled on the island of Rabi in the Fiji group by British authorities after World War II. Ocean Island was a British owned phosphate island mined to exhaustion but not rehabilitated. Eventually it could no longer support the native population, and after an extended legal battle in the British courts, the Banabans were given some compensation for the “inconvenience” of losing their homeland to the business interests of the phosphate companies. For a time Ratu Epeli chaired a board of trust administrators to oversee the proper and expeditious use of the funds to best serve the Banaban people now settled in Rabi.
In 1986 he was asked by the Church to take on the role of a full-time employed pastor for the church in Fiji and some neighboring Pacific countries and left government employment to do so. During this time he also served as a negotiator for the Great Council of Chiefs of Fiji, playing a significant role in the negotiations to resolve the standoff arising from the coup attempt of 2000 and he was a leader in the Association of Christian Churches of Fiji. Then in late 2008, he was appointed by the Fijian government of the time as High Commissioner to Malaysia (equivalent of Ambassador within the British Commonwealth) and Ambassador to Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines. This required him to reside in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
What was a remarkable honor quickly took on a different perspective when, within two months of his appointment, there was military coup in Fiji and the new leadership of Commodore Frank Bainimarama rescinded virtually all the Fijian diplomatic appointments overseas. Because of Ratu Epeli’s relationship with and appointment by the previous government and his involvement as an intermediary and negotiator in the coup of 2000, which had been severely misinterpreted by some Fijian powerbrokers, he was advised not to return to Fiji. So for the last six years he and Sofi, his wonderful wife of 45 years, continued living in Kuala Lumpur in virtual exile with the assistance and understanding of the Malaysian government. He simply turned his attention to serve with dedication the church in Malaysia, giving occasional sermons, helping with the church’s local magazine production and distribution and even as a van driver facilitating the travel of members to and from services each weekend.
He developed an excellent relationship with the Sidant Injil Borneo (SIB) church close to where he lived in the suburb of Brickfields in Kuala Lumpur. He was asked to conduct a Christian education course for their young people using our Discipleship 101 course. He also spoke occasionally to their congregation. More than 70 from this congregation joined with our members for his funeral service in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday, October 30, conducted by Malaysian senior pastor, Wong Mein Kong. In addition to eulogies from GCI members, the service included a heartfelt and moving tribute to Ratu from Pastor Edwin Agong from SIB and a group of SIB youth sang a song. Pastor Agong plans to establish a scholarship fund for young people in SIB to be named after Ratu Epeli.
Throughout their six years in Malaysia, the Kanaimawis have dearly desired to return home to be with their children and grandchildren but apart from occasional visits to Malaysia, Skype© has had to provide the blessing of ‘virtual’ contact with the family.
In early October, Ratu experienced significant breathing problems and was advised by the doctors not to attend the church’s annual retreat and festival in the Genting Highlands because of breathing difficulties at that altitude. He had to have fluid drained from his left lung on several occasions.
These circumstances prompted Epeli and Sofi’s daughter Alisi, her husband James Panuve and their son Dovi to travel to Kuala Lumpur the week prior to Epeli’s death, so that all of his immediate family was present. He was cremated on October 31 and his ashes will accompany Sofi back to Fiji next week where a memorial service will be hosted by the Suva congregation.
Ratu was a man of exuberant spirits, with an always-positive disposition that reflected his vibrant faith. He was everyone’s friend, embodying a humble attitude of acceptance and service not often found in someone who held the high offices he did. He left a fine example and legacy for his country and for our fellowship through his life and family. He was one of those special people whom we eagerly anticipate embracing when we pick up on our relationship in the resurrected life around the table of the Lord. I know that Sofi and all her family appreciate your love and care expressed through your prayers.
Cards may be sent to:
Grace Communion International PO Box 16697 Suva, FijiHere is an update from Charles Shelton concerning his previous request for prayer.
I want to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, e-mails and such. It means a lot to know y’all are there for me!
I had a PET and CT scans recently. I am happy to announce (to God’s glory!) that my cancer (follicular lymphoma), is in REMISSION! No more chemo treatments are needed.
All three lymph nodes as well as the rest of my body show no signs of active cancer. The doctor said they will need to do another scan in three months and keep an eye on things.
God has heard your prayers, and I pray that you will continue to pray for me.
I still am not up to full steam. It will take some time for my body to regain strength. My immune system is still weak, but I am feeling good and am getting stronger every day.
In the last Weekly Update we asked for prayer for Grace Stokes. Here is an update from her husband James.
We have good news—Grace is now back home, following a time of hospitalization. We thank you for your many heartfelt prayers and ask you to please continue them as she continues to recover.
Your prayers are requested for Grace Stokes, wife of retired GCI pastor Jim Stokes. Grace encountered problems with a defibrillator/pacemaker installed in late September below her collar bone. She recently was admitted to the hospital with blood pressure problems. Though her blood pressure, blood-oxygen level and pulse are back to what they should be, her heart is working at only about 20% efficiency. Unless God intervenes, this apparently will not improve. She is not eating much and sleeps quite a bit.
Cards may be sent to:
James and Grace Stokes 5115 Beechmont Avenue Sarasota, FL 34234-3054Please pray for Raul Ramos, one of GCI’s pastors in Southern California.
Recently, Raul had the flu and his blood sugar rose to a dangerous level. He was taken to the hospital where, at first, the doctors were unable to bring down his blood sugar level. This caused Raul’s kidneys to shut down and he became incoherent. His wife Sylvia was told that his condition was not good. Thankfully, over the next couple of days, his condition improved and now he is able to converse normally and his doctors believe that Raul’s kidneys will start functioning again.
Raul and Sylvia thank everyone for their continued prayers for his complete recovery. You may send cards to:
Raul and Sylvia RamosJan Kalamaha reports that her husband Surgay is improving and has been moved to a rehabilitation facility in Minot, North Dakota (click here for the previous update about Surgay).
Surgay’s kidney and liver functions are back to normal, and his upper body strength is good—however, he still has little strength in his legs. He is now involved in rehab exercises to regain that strength. He is still on some medication, but the doctors are gradually decreasing the doses.
Please continue to remember Surgay in prayer for his health and for everything that goes into running the family farm.
