Wes and Trudy Seng

Brazil

August 2009

To our faithful friends and prayer partners:

This update is a bit late due to minor computer problems as well as the very ordinary lack of energy due to chemo treatments. However, we have many reasons to praise God. I had my last chemo treatment (YEAH!) and can now say good by to the “yecka” feeling (Anna Zaina’s word) in my stomach that chemo causes. After about four weeks, I will begin a series of thirty-five daily radiation treatments as well as begin a form of oral treatment for five years.

Though none of this is pleasant, I am strongly convinced that God had this “time out” for me. Leaving Ammi had been very traumatic, raising questions I could not answer or understand. I love reading, and have had the privilege to pore over many outstanding books besides spending precious time in the Bible. Catherine Marshall wrote after a time of deep spiritual turmoil that she learned we “are never more like the devil than when we insist on understanding God’s dealings with us or rage at ‘unanswered’ prayer”. Yet God has indeed answered many of your prayers on our behalf.

We have been so blessed to be welcomed back warmly on Ammi campus to live in the Dan Snyder home while they are on home leave. Wes has been able to try out his pilot course with two young "T" pastors from a much closer distance than the "The North"; he felt greatly blessed and enriched and it seems the pastors felt the same way. Tonight he is leaving for seven weeks for the "The North" in order to begin building a garage that will serve as a temporary (?) home. This will free us up from the rent and unsatisfactory problems presented by our little home. Besides having no storage space, Wes has no workshop area for the many tasks required for our present and future living in the "The North".

I would love to be in my garage before Christmas. Though we two “wrinklies” will likely be having Christmas alone due to the expense and distance of family, we cannot be sad as we contemplate the “reason for the season”. During the first year in "I" , God gave us some excellent relationships. This coming year, we ask that God will draw those people close to Himself and into His family.

I am NOT looking forward to be far from Wes during this time. But two things will help make this time go faster. I am with Sunny, and Andrew, Aimee and our precious little Anna are just a hop away. Also, I have accepted the challenge to teach a course to the second year students. Since many teachers are on home leave this year, the remaining teachers were slightly overloaded. The course is “Introduction to Translations” – one of my favorite subjects as it gives a history of how the Bible came to us and why we can completely trust God’s Word.

Thank you so much for praying for me. A diagnosis of Stage 3 Cancer was scary. The surgeon was very surprised that the cancerous lymph node was so large when the tumor was relatively small. We believe God used the lymph node to draw attention to the tumor and take me aside awhile for some sessions with the Wonderful Counselor. How grateful I am. Praise God with me – and pray for both Wes and I as we seek to finish this year up to the glory of God.

With deep gratitude, Trudy for both of us