April 15, 2000

Dear Family,

It is Saturday afternoon here at the hospital.  We arrived about 2:00PM.
I said "Hello" to Skylar (briefly) and then Skye's brother Chris and I
took a walk.  We visited the fountain in the downstairs courtyard and then
walked around the roof garden for a bit.

In the garden there are strands of rope stretched between trees with many
"prayer flags" fluttering in the wind.  These are page-sized pieces of
cloth with people's "prayers" written on them.  As may be expected, the
majority of them contain humanistic philosophy or mere sentiment, wishful
thinking.  Although I know that a positive attitude is of some benefit,
when I see these merely human musings I am saddened to think how many
families have no genuine hope for the future.

Interspersed with these, however, were a few with the authentic word of God;
Romans 8:28, a passage from Jeremiah in which God promises a future and
hope, "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me", and some
other heart-felt prayers to the true Sovereign of the universe.  He is "the
only Wise God, to Whom be honor and glory forever and ever, Amen."  He is
the one to Whom I have committed the well-being and future of my dear grandson
Skylar.

Skylar has had some more breathing trouble today; his oxygen saturation was
falling, and so they have increased his ventilator oxygen setting to 55%.  I
pray that this will soon be reduced again.  Skylar had a good visit with his
brother and his other grandparents; he was awake much of the time and able to
respond with nods of his head.  Their reaction was mixed; like Pam and I, they
were glad to see him conscious and aware but disturbed and saddened (often to
tears) to see his suffering and discomfort.  Please continue with me to plead
with our compassionate Lord to very soon bring Skylar to a state of health
that is improved enough to be free of the ventilator.

I thank God that yesterday morning I had the opportunity to declare Jesus
Christ to our friend Kozi, the owner of the inn where Pam and I are staying.
In the course of telling him about Skylar, Kozi spoke of some of his own
relatives who had been near death and upon whom God had had mercy.  He observed
that regardless of the doctors' pronouncements, it is up to God's purpose and
will whether they live or die.  He told me that there were times in his
business that he needed money for some emergency, and it came from an
unexpected source.  I agreed with him and seized the opportunity to speak my 
mind.

"Kozi, I believe that there is one True and Living God who most fully showed
Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ.  It is my great desire that you 
would know and recognize Who it is that has saved your family members from
death and has blessed your business."

"It's something like this; my wife and I have enjoyed the kindness and
hospitality of this inn as we have stayed here to help our grandson, but
if I did not know that you were the owner and that you are behind that
kindness, I would not know to whom I should be grateful.  In the same way,
I wish for you to know Jesus Who is the source of all your blessings. 
I pray often that God will bless you and your family with the truest of
blessings, with the knowledge of Jesus, and also that He will bless
your business."

"I hear you" Kozi replied.  Please pray with me that the Lord will truly
give Kozi "ears to hear" and "eyes to see" who Jesus is.

Thank you for continuing to pray for Skylar and for us.

Love,

-Dann (for Pam as well)