Tim Tam: update on Catarina Ishim

Hello Everyone,   I saw Caterina yesterday.  She came with the doctor to drop some items for our mission team to bring to Belize this week.  She jumped out of the car and ran up to hug me.  She was smiling, as usual.   She has the chemo treatment each Wednesday so she is preparing for another one tomorrow.   She had her wig on as she has lost her hair from the treatments.  The doctor said she was more upset about her eyebrows falling out than she was about her hair but she knows her hair will come back in after all treatments are completed.  The doctors are amazed at how well her body has taken the chemo; she has had very little nausea and continues to have a good appetitie.  Praise!    I will be in Roaring Creek Village, Belize from August 16 - 25 so you probably won't hear from me until our group returns on 25th.    Blessings,  Carla Tim Tam The Word at Work Cell. 806-671-9673 www.twaw.org

Belize update: Catarina Ishim

Hey Everyone,   Just got message that Juan and Caterina Ishim will be on the 6pm news tonight in Knoxville, Tennessee; channel 8 local or channel 5 cable.  Don't know any details but probably just an update with one of the doctors.   I saw Caterina a few days ago and she was laughing and smiling as usual.  She has lost her hair from the chemo treatments but has had very little sickness from the treatments.  These treatments will continue into November.    I just got back from Belize last Saturday.  Our group visited Caterina's village and dropped off items that Juan and Caterina had sent back with us.  One of our group supplied funds to deliver food to the families so we were able to do that along with distributing some donated clothing.  We prayed with the family and friends that gathered and Korie Williams shared scripture that seemed to soothe their pain.      The Ishim family viewed the first photos they had seen of Caterina since the tumor was removed.  It was very emotional for them to see the results of the tumor removal.  Juan had told them by phone but when they actually viewed the photos, it was hard to take.    The surgeries and chemo treatments have well exceeded the $500,000 US that was initially expected.  Once the cancer was confirmed and chemo came into the picture, costs have exceeded $1,000,000 US already.   Many have asked about the reconstruction and we don't have details regarding final decisions on that at this time.  The surgeons have stated that reconstruction will be delayed until Caterina is older.  If the eye socket and nose is replaced now, it will have to be reconstructed as her facial features change with growth.  So, no definate answer but will let you know more as I hear more.    Blessings,  Carla

From Tim Tam: Caterina Ishim?

Talk about a strange Coincidence Our girl with the tumor, Caterina Ishim comes from the far South of Belize. I recently met another Cateriana Ishim, yet it was in Central Belize in The Valley of Peace......a rural village where we partner with the local Belizean churches to help the poor in their community....(VALLEY of PEACE PARTNERS or VOPP).  Catrina  is one of 3 families  that VOPP  have selected this year as destitute and in need of a home.  Her husband was killed 2 years ago and left her widowed with 8 daughter's.  so, in a couple days we will be getting a start on a house to be built by her neighbors and a visiting mission team.  I asked her about the coincidence of her name and it turns out that they are related...... this is her great aunt........ her namesake.  the grandfather that took Caterina  to the states for surgery is her brother-in-law.  she explained that the family had been praying and were very worried but were unaware of what has transpired.  I assured her that God had answered their prayers and that I would return in a couple days and share recent photos with her.  Throughout the ordeal of Katerina's tumor we only asked for prayers. everything financial had already been taken care of.  so, if you are looking for another way to give, we need to raise $3000 USD for materials to build this house.  please let me know if you are in a position and willing to help.  Thanks,  TT in BZ Tim Tam The Word at Work Cell. 806-671-9673 www.twaw.org

Home Again

Our wonderful team of 21 has returned to Arlington after a great trip to New Orleans.  It was a great trip for so many reasons. 

One of the highlights was getting to start new relationships, and to reconnect with some friends we have made in the previous years.  We have previously mentioned Ms. Ruby.  We had the privilege of being able to work on her home in 2011, and it was wonderful to see her this year.  She joined us for our block party on Wed night, she gave us a tour of her home (and how it's been updated since we left).  We had the privilege of meeting her nephew, and just had a great time with her.  

Our group this year was a TON of fun.  We were so busy working and enjoying being together that we only managed to slow down once for a group picture (and this one was at the block party Wed night). 

One of the highlights for me is being able to work with EFCA's Touch Global.  It's an extremely well organized group, and the staff is amazing.  We had gotten to know some of the staff last year, and we loved reconnecting with them this year.  This is Ronnie, Jen, Katie, and Chelsea.

It was a great trip, and I'm sure it may not be our last trip to New Orleans.  Katrina may have hit awhile ago, but 25% of the homes in New Orleans are still not lived in, and 40% of the homes in the 9th ward have either been leveled are uninhabited.   Keep praying for New Orleans, EFCA, and for all those living there!

Work Days 4 and 5

It's been a full but good few days. 
We have continued working at the various sites, and building relationships with the various home owners.

Mary Hart was so appreciative of her team, that she bought them a good ole Louisiana meal for lunch on Thursday (catfish, fried chicken, sweet potatoes, gumbo on rice, cake).

The group at Walter's house all but finished the fence today (fri).

The group at the Upper Room Church took on a massive project of trying to scrape of the old layer of floor to leave just the concrete underneath.  They made good headway.  And in the mean time had some good conversations with neighbors in the area. A highlight for Scott was getting to join a few of the local teens in a pick up basketball game.

The 4th team spent a few days working on the house of a man named Michael (a fascinating man, who it turns out is a very talented musician). 

Tonight we are going out to dinner to enjoy some time together and the food!

Tomorrow morning we will get on the road early to start our drive back to Arlington. Please pray for safe travels.

Work Day 3

Yesterday marked our half way point, and a good day of ministry.

About half our group started the day on a prayer walk at the House of Hope (a relatively new church ministry in the upper 9th ward).  We were able to walk through the neighborhood, meet a few people. A highlight of our time there was stopping to visit Ms. Ruby.  Part of our group worked on our house last year and really built a strong realtionship with her. We were able to check in with her, see how the work on her house is coming, pray with her. It was wonderful to see her!

All of the crews continued on their jobs with good success.

Later in the day, we had a block party at the Upper Room Church. we cooked a few dozen hotdogs, handed out some bottles of water, played games with a few of the kids. We met a few of the neighbors, and learned a lot o what it has been like to live in New Orleans post-Katrina.

Today the other half of our group will be spending the morning doing a prayer walk at the House of Hope, and then we all are working on our sites

Thank you for your prayers!

Work Day 2

The crew working at Mary and Tiny's house had another busy but full day. They made enough progress that they were even able to start painting in places.

In the midst of their productivity, the team took a prayer walk and had a great time interacting with the community.

The team at Walter's house continued working at putting up his fence.

Two exciting things happened though as the day unfolded.  One is that we are hoping to begin work on his neighbor's property by the end of the week to get it to the point where it wont be fined (and thus taken over by the city). Hopefully the necessary paper work is being filled out now so that work can start ASAP.  Praying for everything to fall into place.

Also, a lot of the neighbors just started stopping by the see what was happening, and why this crew of volunteers was helping out their friend Walter. And this is in a neighborhood where a lot of the houses have been destroyed and their are a great deal of vacant lots - but word got around, and people came by. And several of those people stayed to help. It was a great chance to get to know people, hear their stories and share the real reason we are down here doing this work.

The team at the Upper Room Church spending the day sanding down the pews in the balcony, and painting the balcony.

While on a prayer walk, they met a guy named Fred, who shared with them photos of his house after Katrina (which had nine feet of water in it). They had a chance to pray with and for him.

This morning most of our team is starting off the day with a prayer walk at the House of Hope in New Orleans.

We will then divide into 4 teams (one extra work crew today), and finish the day with a block party at the Upper Room Church.

Please pray for our day at the worksites, for productive work, for good interactions with people in the community.

Pray for Trevor, who has tonsilitis.  After resting all day yesterday and getting the right mediciation he fells a lot better but would still appreciate your prayers.

Pray for our block party tonight.

Thanks,

The New Orleans Mission Team