Dear prayer partners,

We are writing to share with you a personal/medical issue that's been going on for nearly a month now. We desperately need your prayers. Thomas has been suffering from what is most likely chronic prostatitis (he has colorfully described it as being kicked in the nether regions over and over again). We have gone to 3 different hospitals and have made 2 emergency room visits. For the past week he has not been able to work because of the debilitating pain. We seem to be at a point where we have no choice but to take medical leave and see a specialist in the States. We are awaiting final approval of the medical leave this week.

We feel terrible that this is happening at this point in our ministry, and we worry about how our coworkers will cope without us. But we also trust in God's divine guidance and providence. We always imagined that the possibility of having to take medical leave would only happen when we grew older, but if there's one thing we know about missionary life is that it is unpredictable--forcing us to draw even closer to Him.

Please pray:

1) Healing for Thomas, both physically and emotionally, and for our family's unexpected adjustment. It feels like Tyler has just begun to thrive again here in Taiwan.

2) That He will continue to give us guidance and also guide to a a good prostate specialist somewhere in Tennessee or Texas who can help Thomas deal with this very complicated medical issue. We have exhausted our options in Taiwan.

3) For the ministry we need to leave behind for the moment. Next Sunday Thomas will preach an Easter sermon--please pray that the Lord will give him the strength to do this, as his pain tends to be at its worst in the morning.

4) For our relationship with OMF, which has been a bit strained as we navigate this emergency.

Thomas & Jennifer