While it’s been hard to be apart and communication has sometimes been challenging, our two worlds are slowly headings towards being together again. Lots of momentum has been building in the past two days since our last update, so here we go!
Chris has started chemo
Chris started high dose methotrexate chemo regimen on Friday morning at 7am. Chemo was delayed a bit due to trying to get his body’s pH raised enough to protect his kidneys from the chemo. Saturday, day 2, was a bit of an off day and where they give me leucovorin as an “antidote” for the methotrexate. Sunday, day 3, I received Rituxan, an immunotherapy drug. Once my methotrexate levels are safe, I hope to be discharged from the hospital on Monday afternoon, to be determined.
Becca and the kids are making final preparations to leave Chiang Mai
Chiang Mai is experiencing a 50-year flood
Chiang Mai is in crisis with massive flooding. Our home is not in a location where we would anticipate any problems directly to our home, but the picture above is on a road near our home, where we have driven countless times. Thankfully, the airport has not been affected and they do not anticipate additional flooding in days ahead. Please pray for many of our teammates and friends affected by the flood.
Prayer requests
Lord, help us pack, it is getting tiring to make so many decisions in the midst of life and unknowns.
Lord, help Luis, Lucas and Emalene in extraordinary ways as they have many lasts this week.
Lord, continue to protect our family from illness so that Chris can continue his chemo regime without delay. We ask for healing from cancer and a long healthy life for Chris.
Details ahead
Becca and kids leave on Friday night (Friday Morning USA)
Chris goes to Northwestern on Wed for a consultation with Dr. Gordon for overall treatment planning
Kids start school Oct 21st
Chris’s 45th birthday is Oct 22nd!
Praying for good recovery and healing with the chemo.
For all the logistics and decisions and stamina as Becca and the kids pack-up and for good goodbyes.
Chris our hearts are with you and yours in this unexpected and unwelcome journey. We are grateful that God is with you and will never forsake you. He is a good father and a tender shepherd. We think of you and your family in the palm of his hand. Keeping hopeful with you!!
Bonnie and Philip
May God help you with all the decisions, packing, and all the other things that must be done. May the meeting with the doctor for the chemo plan be guided by God hand. In Jesus Name, Amen!
Thanks for the update. We are praying continually for you. Our hearts go out to you. Remembering the times Chris, his brothers and my sons would play together.
Thank you for keeping us knowing what is happening, where each of you are presently and what you want us to ask of the Lord on your behalf.
Today in SS, we continued studying “The Doctrine of God”: class 5, Sovereignty of God (His Power, Will and Authority)
Sovereignty (per our lesson today): God is the supreme Lord who rules over all.
I noted these practical applications of God’s Sovereignty: (there were more but these stood out)
–Trust in God’s promises: the promises of Scripture are from the Sovereign God
–Submission in sorrows: we can rejoice in the Sovereign Power of our Heavenly Father
–Hope for the salvation of others: only a sovereign God can grant eternal life to the spiritually dead
–Boldness in prayer: our sovereign God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.
Chris, we are praying for you and your family daily. We will not stop. We trust the Lord because He cannot do less than His perfect will for your life.
Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.
He’s always with each of you, He counts each of you as precious. Grace
Praying for health and strength and grace and peace.
Thank you for the update. We continue to pray.
Praying for all of the family, for all of the decisions needing to be made and for wisdom, insight & sensitivity to Holy Spirit’s promptings. Special love to Emalene from Esther ❤️
Chris, we’ve been praying Psalm 91 for you for your chemo treatments and your family as they prepare for their departure. We know that you are living in the shelter of Almighty God and that He is your refuge, fortress and deliverer. We are claiming the closing verse of Ps. 91 for You:
“Because he (Chris) loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. WITH LONG LIFE I WILL SATISFY HIM AND SHOW HIM MY SALVATION!”
Thank you for the update. We continue to keep y’all in our prayers.
Praying for you all.
Hi guys. It’s a real bummer that its happening again. I just listened to Chris Wark’s intro video on how he beat cancer. I found it very encouraging and am thinking of making lifestyle changes myself. He is a believer and has a real mission to help people to overcome the cancer in their lives This is the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_k3B0y0tjCg Not too long at 11 mins 30 Praying for you guys Becca as you pack again in the midst of a muddy, wet flooded Chiang Mai.
Chris, continuing to pray for wisdom and discernment for the Dr’s and for you and Becca as make medical decisions. Also praying the same thing for you both as you make all the logistical decisions about moving the family back to the US. Finally praying for the peace he promises and for sleep for all of you.
‘We are praying for all of you. May our Lord be with you in your treatments and travels.
Praying for you Chris – for healing, the treatments do what they are intended to do, and difficulties being away from Becca and the kids (praying for them too).
Chris (and Becca), your update reveals such a deep well. Your trust is God is inspiring. We are praying earnestly for God’s peace, protection, and steady presence. Lord have mercy, Christ has mercy. Love, Scott & Jill
Continuing to pray for God’s mercy, grace, healing, and loving presence for each of you in this unexpected and difficult journey.
Praying for you and yours through this time that your every need will be met and you will see God’s guiding tender mercies in answers to every detail.
‘I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.’
My prayers continue to be with you and your family.
So glad you are surrounded by family and friends! Becca, great decision to go ride elephants! I’m praying the Lord will carry you and give you strength, grace, and uncommon patience and understanding in the coming days.
During my son Colin’s leukemia treatment 11 years ago, he had 8 rounds of inpatient high dose chemotherapy. Hydration before and after is the key to getting MTX in & out of the body. Drink more liquids in the preceding days so you don’t have the pH delay.
A primary side effect is with nausea & lack of appetite. In order to prevent dehydration after treatment, Colin was discharged with 3-4 bags of saline. We used a home IV pump to dose one bag a day & it really helped.
My second tip is to ask the nurses to stagger your dosing. Colin used Zofran, Benadryl, and Tylenol around the clock during high dose MTX. Meds were dosed every two hours. It’s easier for the nurses to give meds all at once, but when they wear off the pain & nausea will spike and you can’t take anything. If the meds are staggered you can stay ahead of the pain and nausea.
On the third day after MTX Colin usually got a massive headache that only morphine could subside. He couldn’t tolerate any noise, light, or smells during that time so we kept the room dark & silent. Ask for Ensure for your meals, that can usually be tolerated. Fruit and soft foods like pudding and mashed potatoes also worked during the post treatment days.
It’s rough but you can do it!
Praying, Praying.
May your own witness be a comfort to you and a well to continue to draw upon in the days and weeks to come.
Chris and Becca,
May our only Hope is Life and Death, our LORD and Savior, Brother and True Friend, Jesus be your Rock in this season and always! May he Strengthen you and make your path smooth and straight!! May He make this yoke easy and lighten the burdens you are carrying!! May you find Joy in the in these afflictions!! God preserve you and help you persevere!! Press on my friends!!
Thank you so much for the updates! I have been keeping you and your family in my prayers daily.
Lord, please grant Chris a long healthy life to continue to bring you glory! Continue to keep his family safe during this period of separation. Grant full peace to all of them during all these changes.
Love,
C.J.
Dear Chris and family,
we continue to lift you up during this challenging season. Chris, I gotta say, I love your cycling shirt. I’ve got one just like it from our boutique here in Calgary that says, “Some grandpas take a nap, real grandpas go cycling, then take a nap”. I’d like to make one that says exceptional grandpas go unicycling then take a nap. ha ha. Where did you get your shirt from?
Anyway, love and prayers!
You are in my heart and in my prayers. Going through chemo myself for ovarian cancer. I see God working in extraordinary to see me through this and I’m sure you are too. He is my strength when I am weak. He is my, Song and my Redeemer. My Redeemer lives.
Dear Chris and Becca
Thank you for your heartfelt letters and specific prayer requests. KNow we continue to pray and lift you UP.
God is at work, even when you don’t feel it or see it…praying you will continue to see answers in the little & big things surrounding you like being able to drink some nutrition, get labs approved for the meds you need to make transitions to the next facility for treatment & for the family to pack, leave, travel safely & start school & transition to the USA in a few days with a joyful BIRTHDAY celebration to come as you all are re-united together!!! God is sooo good and is providing for you behind the scenes each step of the way and we give thanks to be part of this team praying for your needs and will continue to LIFT you UP entrusting YOU ALL to Him. May He continue to be your strength and refuge.
Praying on for God’s best- in packing, travel, treatment plan & chemo & for peace of God to keep you all.
Be assured of our prayers for all of you on both sides of the world. We are also praying for the medical team treating Chris. May God grant them wisdom as they make choices regarding Chris’s fight against this cancer.
Blessings.
I have been thinking of and praying for you so much this morning Rebecca. I am so very aware of how much you are carrying for your family and pulling together so many details. I have and do grieve with you as you figure out how to say a more permanent good-bye to Thailand for the time-being. I love the richness of community within which you thrive here and in the States. May the doctors, especially, have wisdom as they set the healing trajectory for Chris. May you be safe and of sound mind as you reset life again in America.
Prayers offered for the above items. Safe travels to the rest of your family.
Daniel
Praying especially today for the consult with Dr. Gordon at Northwestern!
Praying for peace and strength and healing and joy for your whole family amidst your trials. God is faithful, and He will do it.