Cancer, pain and death

I said we had two "encouragements at church last Sunday. In reality one sufferer was so ill she couldn't get to church, and another told of the death of her sister. It gets worse! The friend of a member died that same day from cancer, leaving a husband, a three and a six year old. We only heard about it yesterday.

We had a phone call from another of Jan's friends who completed her radiotherapy yesterday, she was triumphantly looking forward to a rest. Yet in reality her skin was so burnt she could not sleep, wear a bra or tight fitting clothes, and she was told the skin reaction was yet to peak, it would get worse for at least the next 7 if not 10 days.

I also worry about a UCSF Professor whom I had used for diet tips. I have had no response to my emails, and her regular blog suddenly stopped on 18th March 2008. Is she too ill to continue?

Sadly Samantha Hughes, a 4 year old's death from cancer hit the press today. A tribute to her is here. Beware, it is begging for money! Seems God does not shield Christians from the problems that everyone else has, we have no charmed life.

And another sadness, we had a letter from "Telling the Truth" by Jill Briscoe, apparently Laura Meleski, who had been their administrator has had to stop work due to progressing cancer. Interesting list of prayer concerns from her church...

Yet we still welcome and need this contact, we would rather cry with others than be isolated. We are told Christ shares our sorrows. Isaiah chapter 53 verse 4 reads "Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows."