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for July, 2008.
By admin
Just another short up-date…we were able to go to our house on a “day pass” this past WEdnesday with our therapists for them to help us out with how things will work best when we get home for good. It went Ok except that John continues to not be able to sit upright for very long at all. His blood pressure drops and he feels like he is going to black out. This is caused by the fact that he spent so much time lying down, and now it is really hard for his body to adjust to sitting upright. Please pray with us regarding this matter, that it may improve soon. Thank you for your prayers regarding the bladder infection. It looks like it is totally cleared up, and he will have his last dose of antibiotics tonight.
The Lord willing, we will get to go out on an “overnight pass” this coming Wednesday evening through Thursday morning. We are glad the hospital does this…we will do a “trial run” to see how things go at home before actually being dismissed. If all goes as planned, we will be released on October 3rd, which is coming up quickly. Pray with us that this will be possible.
Thank you for your prayers for Frances, John’s mother. She had her radiation treatment this past week, and needed to “keep her distance” from our kids for awhile because she was highly radioactive. I am sure she didn’t mind the “break” away from them!! I haven’t been gone long enough to forget how “complicated” four teenagers in the house can be at times! Please remember to thank the Lord for Frances and all that she has done for us in spite of her own physical battles, during these past few months. Also continue to remember her in prayer, as we believe that she will be having a “body scan” soon to be sure that the cancer has not spread.
We got great news from Brazil this past week! Three souls were saved at the Coqueiro Seco church. Despite what happened on the doorstep of this new ministry, God continues to work mightily in the lives of the people of that village, and we know that this is a direct answer of your faithful prayers. Please continue to remember to lift up Pastor Lelo, who is coordinating all of the works there in Maceio and surrounding areas. So far, we have truly seen God using him, and we ask that your prayers for him and the believers continue.
Will sign off until next week. YOUR PRAYERS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
Sincerely in Christ,
John and Bev Leonard
By admin
Just a word of praise…We found out that one more nurse named Ruth accepted Christ as Savior just two nights ago. We had witnessed to her and given her a Gospel tract on Tuesday night explaining everything and she took it home,read it, and made her decision by herself. However, John asked if he could pray with her confirming her decision, and she had a desire to do just that. How we praise the Lord that He is truly working in many hearts and lives here in the hospital! We still do not fully understand all of the reasons why God decided to change our “mission field” from Coqueiro Seco, Alagoas, Brazil to Iowa Methodist Hospital, Des Moines, IA, U.S.A., but He is making it more clear all of the time that this is exactly where He wants us to be. Of course, with our entire prayer support team praying for God to continue to use John’s life right now, the unsaved “don’t stand a chance” to reject God’s Word and ways! We KNOW that God is using YOU dear ones and your prayers to help us to have the courage and strength to witness as we should. It actually has seemed that we have the easy part, since the ones we have spoken to seem to be already prepared to hear what we have to say. We know that is God working through the faithful, sincere, earnest prayers of God’s people. Thank you so much for the part you have had in reaching the lost for Christ! Keep up the good work!
John is battling a bladder infection right now. This is the second one he has had, and this particular bacteria seemed to be a little more resistant than the other one he had before. They have changed the antibiotics three times now in the past four days. It looks like the two they have him on now are taking affect, and we are thankful. His appetite has increased, which is a real answer to prayer. He still has a little bit of a hard time with his power chair–not quite enough control in his arm to be able to run it like he wants. There is a chance that we may go to head controls for the time being until his right arm gets a little stronger. John gets frustrated at times, but he is very determined, so that helps him a lot in his therapies.
The kids are VERY happy in our “new” home. They enjoy so much having a place of their own that is comfortable, modern, and close to their school. The Lord keeps supplying for all of our needs…a used computer showed up last night which can be used especially for research on the internet and other school assignments. They seem to be enjoying school. The only thing we have received from the teachers so far was a “Way to Go” slip of paper which told us that “Jeanne is interacting well with all of the students and teachers” and is “very friendly.” Of course, knowing Jeanne, this “friendliness” could later easily turn into borderline “irritation” at times (just ask her brothers and sister!!), but we are still thankful that it seems as if all the kids are doing pretty well at adjusting to their new life in the public schools. Once again…another answered prayer on your part and we thank you. Please continue to lift our kids (Jerrod-16, Jonna-14, Jeanne-12) up before the throne of grace. The school year has only begun…
Must end this for now. Time to get back and see how physical therapy is going for John.
Sincerely in Christ,
John, Bev and family
By admin
Just a brief up-date on the latest here at the hospital and otherwise…We had an awesome weekend as Saylorville Baptist Church had an official “turning over of the keys to our home party” Sunday afternoon at 3:00! The entire time was very special, since there was a large crowd and lots of excitement in the air upon our arrival there in Ankeny. But the best part of all was the fact that John was able to attend!! This was a surprise to most, including our own children, so that was special to everyone. It was John’s first time out since July 9th (the day he arrived here in the hospital from Brazil), so it seemed quite “strange” to him, but he did very well and enjoyed seeing our beautiful “new” home!! It looks, “feels” (and even smells!) brand new because of all of the work that the crew from Saylorville did to it, and we are so honored to be able to live in a such a lovely place. We would like to thank each one who participated in any way to make this house our home. We have already dedicated it totally to our Lord and have a sincere desire to use it for His glory.
John is making progress each day. Yesterday they came to take his “feeding tube” out. He was only on tube feedings at night, and now has gotten his caloric intake up enough to do away with that. His motorized wheelchair is in and he has been “driving it” around. Some days he gets a little frustrated, but he is able to us his right arm to help control it. The hardest part is the fact that he doesn’t have hand control yet, but they are working with him to help him learn the best ways to steer it. He made both a right and left turn yesterday without much trouble, so we are thanking the Lord for the progress we have seen. The therapy team has given us the tentative “dismissal from the hospital date” of October 3rd. This was lots sooner than we had expected, so, prayer team…one more answer to your prayers!!! Thankyou!!
Josh changed seizure medicines and we are seeing if this will help out his appetite some. He had a doctor’s appointment yesterday which told him he could be weaning himself away from his walker and using only a cane for a short period of time and then he should be fine walking on his own. Praise the Lord together with us for yet another answered prayer.
Frances (John’s mother), went back to the doctor also this past week, and they seem to think she is doing OK. They do not feel that her cancer has spread to any other parts of her body, but rather, was totally contained in the surgically removed thyroid. She has periods of weakness, but is gradually building her strength up. Please continue to remember her in prayer.
Yesterday, we moved the final items from Pastor and Mrs. Norman Hoag’s house up to our home in Ankeny, so she and all the kids are truly thankful to not be “living out of a suitcase” now! Once again, we would like to thank the Hoags so much for allowing us to live at their place while they were gone for one month.
We spoke with Adjane (Mauricio’s wife) this past week, and she told us that souls are being saved in all of the works in Maceio and the Lord is truly working in hearts and lives. Since Pastor Lelo has arrived, many who had left the church previously have returned and are attending on a regular basis. Christians are being edified and are busy serving once again. Please remember in prayer not only Pastor Lelo and Mauricio (head deacon), but also Pastors Paulo and Lindoan, who are heading up the other works there. We are really excited to see what the Lord is doing and is going to continue to do in our absence.
Thank you again, prayer team, for your faithful prayers on our behalf! We love you!
Sincerely in Christ,
John, Bev, Josh, Jerrod, Jonna, and Jeanne Leonard
By admin
Sunday, Sept. 11 2005
Article From WHO TV 13
He was shot multiple times while on a mission trip to Brazil earlier this year, this weekend, a true homecoming for Pastor John Leonard.
On Sunday, John Leonard got a first look at the new home he and his family will share when John gets out of the hospital next month. Dozens of people from John’s church spent the past few weeks renovating this Ankeny home. They installed wider doorways, wheelchair ramps, they even did all the landscaping.
John says looking forward to sharing the new home with his family will make the final weeks of rehabilitation in the hospital go just that much faster.
By admin
Guess what John was doing last evening (Thursday, Sept. 1)? He was busy preparing a sermon to be preached this coming Sunday! Actually, the sermon will not be preached “live,” but rather video-taped by one of his cousins who will be attending the large family reunion at his aunt’s home near Adel, IA. Earlier in the week, he was not feeling so well, and he had told me that he didn’t think he was going to be able to do it. But then suddenly late Monday night, the outline of the message “came” to him, and he asked me to get up and write it down in a notebook. From that, he has been able to gather his thoughts, and hopefully, with the help of a few “cue cards,” he will be “preaching” for the first time since July 3rd. Please thank the Lord with us that John still has his voice and a clear mind so that he can continue proclaiming God’s Word, and most importantly the salvation message to the lost.
John has made quite a lot of progress lately…the greatest being the removing of his “trach” from his throat. He is now able to cough up his own secretions, which has made life much easier. Talking is not so difficult now, and swallowing his food and drink is also a “breeze” compared to before. We are thinking that he may be able to get off of the feeding tube perhaps this weekend if he can keep his calorie count up. This morning was his first “self-feeding” therapy. They are working with him to see if this will be possible. Without the use of his hands, it is “tricky,” but they have a brace that makes things easier. His motorized wheel-chair is on order and they are saying he should have it sometime next week. Continue thanking the Lord for the progress that has been made.
Another huge highlight of John’s week was that on Monday evening, he received a very special phone call from a very special person…guess who?…Joni Eareckson Tada!!! She had somehow gotten word about what had happened to John earlier and had made contact with us to let us know that when John felt up to it, she would give him a personal phone call. Well…she kept her word, and what a blessing it was for him to hear her voice! Their up-lifting, positive, and hopeful conversation was ended by her singing the hymn “God Will Take Care of You.” We both were able to hear it, since we had her on the “speaker phone,” and naturally, neither one of us could contain the tears as she began to softly and gently sing the words, “Be not dismayed, what’er betide…” What a testimony she has been to many (literally all over the world!), and what an encouragement she was to us! We wanted to be sure and let you folks, our prayer warriors, know about this wonderful blessing that God placed in our path. He is so good to us!
John’s mother, Frances, had surgery, and unfortunately, the tumor was malignant. However, the doctors seem quite confident that all of the cancer was contained in the thyroid, which was completely removed. She has good and bad moments, since they cannot give her any medication for the first couple of weeks, but seems to be recovering slowly. She is still managing to stay with our children and I think they are all kind of taking care of each other! She has had some extra help from her sisters, and others. We praise the Lord for God’s timing, since she was able to do this surgery here in the U.S. rather than in Brazil. We know His ways are perfect. Continue to pray, since she does have one more test coming up in about a week which will let us know for sure if the cancer has spread or not.
Jerrod (11th grade) Jonna, (9th) and Jeanne (7th) are into full swing with their schooling. They are at three separate schools in Ankeny, but that doesn’t seem to bother them too much. Other than Jeanne still not being able to get her locker open, things are going Ok, I guess. At least Grandma hasn’t received any “bad notes” from teachers or anything as of yet. Josh continues to recover at home and is looking into schooling opportunities. Please don’t forget to pray for each of our children. They are being real “troopers,” to say the least!!
We must close for now. My goal is to write weekly up-dates from now on. Pray also that the Lord will make this possible.
We love you, and appreciate so much your prayers on our behalf!!!!! THANK YOU, PRAYER TEAM–WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU!?!
Sincerely in Christ,
John and Bev Leonard and family