Nearing the End.

As I write this post, I am recovering from my last round of chemo. It has been quite the whirlwind since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in February. This season of my life has definitely been the hardest. There were definitely some hard days and I have hated being away from Mozambique and all the street boys we minister to. But I know that God has purpose in it and that He will reveal those purposes to me in time. Until then, I continue to choose to walk with Him each day, trusting that He is in control. I will start my radiation treatments next Monday and when I complete them at the end of September, I will be on the first possible plane back to Mozambique!!!

In Mozambique, there are 2 other full time missionaries as well as 6 Mozambican staff members that I work with and they have done a wonderful job of carrying things in my absence. Since January, 8 boys have left their lives on the streets and returned home! Most of them spent a month living at our project prior to returning home where they were able to receive more in depth teaching on family as well as have a time to get used to having rules and responsibility again. There have also been around 15 street boys that have stayed for a few nights, as they’ve needed a place to recover from sickness or injury. The project continues to average around 30 street boys a day at our day-center. Those 30 boys are daily lavished in the love of the Father through the missionaries and workers and taught from the Word of God. Their basic needs are also met as they receive breakfast and lunch, are taught basic literacy education, and have a place to shower and wash their clothes.

As I prepare to return to Mozambique, I am doing my fundraising for 2012 since I won't return to the States til the end of next year. I have to raise around $23,000 for the year. If you are able to help, it would be much appreciated! All gifts are tax deductible. If you want to give online, you can do so at www.unveiledfaces.co by clicking on “Mozambique – Sarah Olds.” Or you can mail a check made payable to Unveiled Faces with "Sarah Olds" on the memo line to: Unveiled Faces, PO Box 8235, Atlanta, GA 31106. If you are interested in giving on a monthly basis, please let me know and I’ll help get that set up.

Thank you for all of your prayers and support as I’ve battled this cancer. I truly believe that my experience with cancer – from surgery to chemo and hopefully radiation too – has been easier than expected because of the great cloud of witnesses I have surrounding me in prayer and encouragement.

CaringBridge

Sorry for abandoning the blog. I have a CaringBridge site that I am using to post updates on my cancer treatment. You can access it by clicking here.

I am in regular contact with my housemates in Mozambique and things are going well with all the boys. I still miss them so much. When I finish chemo at the end of August, I will be able to go to Mozambique for a month before returning to start radiation. I can't wait!!!

1 Down, 7 to Go

It's been almost 1 week since my first chemo treatment. It has been a hard week adjusting to the effects the drugs have had on my body. I've been nauseous most days. I'm exhausted and have to plan my days around being able to take a nap. I'm having to depend upon other people to take me places as I am too loopy to drive myself. All in all I I just don't feel like myself. But 1 down and only 7 more to go! Then I'll be able to return to Mozambique!!!

Here's what's been going on in Mozambique while I've been away:

Anselmo has gone home!

Aderito lived at our house for a month. He was the first boy I helped reintegrate when I started working with Masana in 2009.

Gildo has gone home!

My housemates got a new puppy!

The Worst Test Score Ever

Tuesday I got the test results back from my Oncotype. This test is designed to determine the likely hood of my cancer recurring. I got a 47. That puts me in the category of "high chance of reoccurrence." So not what I was expecting. What does this horrible test score mean? It means I have to undergo 4 months of chemo therapy. I will be starting in the next week or two.

I had my hopes set on being able to return to my beloved Mozambique in June. Instead, I am settling in for 7 more months worth of treatment (radiation after the chemo). I was tempted to opt out of chemo, complete my radiation, and return to Mozambique in June as I had planned it out in my head. But I received some wise counsel from one of my doctors that forced me to look past my immediate circumstances and into the future. . . that giving up a year of my life to fight this cancer will allow me years and years to continue my ministry in Mozambique or wherever God takes me.

If I'm learning anything through this battle with cancer, its that I'm not in control. I am very quick to come up with a plan A and B and sometimes even C. . . ready for whatever the doctor throws my way. Chemo was not in my plans. But I choose to trust in God. I trust that He will get me through this treatment. I trust that He will give me joy and strength.

Throughout this whole cancer thing, I've come back time and time again to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace. After being removed from the furnace by the king, Daniel 3:27 says, "They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was the hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them." Will you join me in praying this verse as I begin chemo. Pray that the drugs will attack the cancer cells and not the rest of my body. . . that I will come out of this chemo unharmed.

Waiting

It has been over 8 weeks since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. And suddenly my life looks so different from anything I imagined. I miss Mozambique. I miss my beautiful boys. I miss being woken up at 6:00 in the morning as the littlest boys arrive, gushing with joy to see us. I miss being a part of restoring families as street kids choose to leave the streets and return to their families. I miss visits in the villages as we check in on boys who are beginning life back with their families. I miss 5:00 tea on the rooftop with my housemates. I even miss the frustrations of my life there....being ripped off at the market because I'm white or dealing with boys who steal from the very hands that care for them. I miss Paito's humor and Tilfo's quite strength. And oh how I miss sweet little Felix and that grin of his that could brighten any day.

It's hard to be content here when my heart is 8,643 miles away. I can't stop the tears when the doctor tells me it will be at least 2 more weeks before we have the test results back on my tumor and can make a decision about the next step in my treatment. And the tears really come as the doctor explains that, if chemo is necessary, it would be 3 or 4 months of treatment followed by a month and a half of radiation. My heart breaks at the thought of having to be away from Mozambique for that long. I find myself praying constantly for God's mercy that chemo will not be a part of my treatment.

And it's all selfish, these prayers of mine. Because I just want to be back in Mozambique...not because of the work that I have to do there or the decisions that need to be made at the project. Those things happen with our without me. No, I want to be back because its there that I feel most alive . . . sitting on the back porch helping Felix with his reading or walking to the pharmacy with yet another boy covered in sores or dishing up heaping servings of rice and beans for 35 boys.

They don't need me. I need them.

I have no doubt that I'll beat this cancer. I'm not afraid. I know that my God is good and will never leave me. I know that He promises to work all things together for good. I know that He has a plan for me...to prosper me and not to harm me. I am confident in His love.

It's the waiting that is the hardest. Waiting to go home.

Recovering

So the surgery is done! I went in on Wednesday and had a lumpectomy and a biopsy of lymph nodes. It was an out-patient procedure so I was back home by 7pm. And straight to bed. At first, the pain was pretty bad but its getting better now.

So now I get to sit here and recover because the sooner I recover, the sooner I can start radiation and the sooner I start radiation, the sooner I finish radiation and the sooner I finish radiation, the sooner I return to Mozambique! So what does recovery look like for me? Reading lots of books. Yesterday I read "Quaker Summer" by Lisa Samson. Today I'm starting the "Mark of the Lion" series by Francine Rivers. If you have any good book recommendations, pass them along!

I go back to the doctor on Tuesday. The doctor should have the results from my pathology by then. They are running tests on both the tumor and my lymph nodes. I hope to find out more about radiation as well and begin getting that set up.

Thanks for continuing to remember me in your prayers! Please pray for a speedy recovery from surgery.

Surgery

I wanted to let you all know that I will be having surgery this Wednesday morning. I am having a lumpectomy which means the surgeon will remove the tumor. So far, it appears the cancer is located in one place which is great news! The tumor will be sent to a lab where a few tests will be run but as long as things come back as the doctor thinks they will, no chemo! Once the incision heals, I'll begin 5-7 weeks of radiation. I have been told that it takes anywhere from 2-6 weeks for the incision to heal and before radiation can begin. Praying its more on the 2-week side of things!!

As far as I know, the surgery is outpatient so I will be back at my parent's house Wednesday evening. Thanks for continuing to carry me in your prayers!