Dear Friends
On Tuesday, 2 December 2008, Bishop Willoughby saw an oncologist who specializes in melanoma. Dr Richard Carvajal provided Bro Willoughby with a treatment plan. Bro Willoughby will commence oral chemotherapy today, Sunday, 7 December. This drug, which will be taken daily for 6 weeks followed by a 2 week break, will cause side effects such as nausea which will be the most severe for the first 3 days. Dr Carvajal informed that this drug will not only seek to destroy any remaining melanoma cells but also work on the brain and aid the radiation in being more effective in destroying the tumors. A PET-CT scan will be performed in 3 months time to assess the efficacy of the drugs.
In addition to the oral chemotherapy, Bro Willoughby will commence targeted radiotherapy on the brain tumors on Friday, 12 December. This treatment will consist of 5 high dose radiotherapy sessions each lasting 15 minutes in length.
Yesterday, Bro Willoughby experienced additional symptoms caused by the brain tumors. They include some numbness in his right leg and arm. The physicians at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have adjusted Bro Willoughby’s steroids dosage to reduce these symptoms thus allowing him to maintain his mobility. Sis Willoughby will be undergoing a PET-CT scan on Monday, 8 December to see if there is any cancer activity. This investigation was ordered by her Singapore oncologist because of consecutive monthly rises in her tumor markers and complaints of tiredness and back pain.
Your prayer support for the Willoughbys over the past month has made a tremendous difference in their lives. The prayer pointers for this week are as follows:
- That the PET-CT Scan report will show no cancer activity in Barbara Willoughby’s body.
- That the tiredness and back pain that Sis Willoughby has been experiencing will cease.
- That Bro Willoughby will experience slight or no adverse effects from the chemotherapy.
- That every unseen melanoma cell in Bro Willoughby’s body will be destroyed.
- That the radiotherapy sessions will be effective in completely destroying the brain tumors.
- That there will be no further deterioration in Bro Willoughby’s level of mobility.
Bishop Willoughby has stated that he is committed to a process of faith. He is committed to be like Him and does not intend to take himself off the potter’s wheel. Before I close this email, I would like to share with you a word of encouragement that Bro Jeff Arnold, Pastor, Pentecostals of Gainesville, Florida shared with Bro Willoughby.
God can provide relief but his real goal is restoration. Restoration is a process. Restoration requires faith in the restorer. God’s ultimate goal is to restore us into His likeness and to restore what we lost in the fall. Oftentimes before we fully come to or turn to God, we have to come to the end of ourselves which requires a journey.
Restoration refers to the act of bringing back to a former place, station or condition, the fact of being renewed or re-established. Relief, on the otherhand, speaks of that which removes or lessens pain, discomfort or uneasiness.
Restoration often causes the loss of identity for a period of time to that which is being restored. This loss of identity causes a lack of recognition. But the restorer says ‘If you will trust me, I will put it back together again.’ And so it is with our lives. Do we really believe that God can reduce us to the extent that we lose our identity and bring about not just relief but restoration to our lives?
Relief or restoration? May God give each of us this week the courage and faith to trust in our Saviour, our Restorer and the Author and Finisher of our faith.
Abiding in His Grace
Sandra Subner
On behalf of Timothy Lee and Tabernacle of Joy
January 3rd, 2009 by 
Mei Cheng
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