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About the Gray's About the Gray's • Missionaries to PNG • Began ministering in Kerema • John was adopted into the
Mesaivo Clan and was Ilava • Charity Baptist Academy • Mary went to be the Lord on
March 28, 2011. |
Home to Heaven - March 28, 2011 ![]() Mary went home to be with the Lord on Monday, March 28, 2011 at noon in a home provided by Pastor Nathan Lloyd and the Good Shepherd Baptist Church of Brisbane, Australia. This church has been a tremendous blessing to John and Mary for the past 2 years during Mary’s fight with cancer. God bless them! John and Ilava were near her side all the way these past several weeks. Schedules for memorial services are as follows: Wednesday, April 20 at 11:00am a memorial service will be held at the Parker Memorial Baptist Church in Lansing, MI - phone 517-882-2280. This service will be broadcasted live on this site. Dr. Don Green and all 5 of the ‘Green boys’ will be taking part in the service. John Gray will be bringing the message. The burial will take place for Mary at the Evergreen cemetery in Lansing next to Mary’s mother. Ten memorial services will take place in PNG. URGENT NEED: John will need much financial help from his friends here in the States and around the world for the funeral cost and travel expenses. These expenses will be into the thousands! If every church and friend could do something special, this burden could be lifted. Donate here online or send a check to: Word for the World P.O. Box 849 Rossville, GA 30741 Memo: “Gray's Funeral Expense” John has exhausted all his finances towards Mary’s medical needs. He is not asking us to post this; this is a plea from us to help this dear brother and Mary, who literally gave her life for the cause of Christ. Thank you to all who will give a part in this special offering, For His Glory, Jim & Terri Green 231-547-4302 John, Mary and Ilava Gray
Let me take you back to the
beginning of this journey.... Our daughter Ilava graduated from
the 12th Grade in December, 2005. In the preparations for everything
(including my parents coming for the celebration) I did a lot of
cleaning. I began to experience pain in my chest and felt it was only a
pulled muscle. When the pain persisted, I flew to the city during our
April school break. I had a mammogram and a tumour was found in my left
breast. It was removed and found to be only fibrocystic. But, the pain persisted and I was
persistent as well knowing something just wasn't right. In September I
went back to the same doctor for another mammogram. When the technician
requested a scan to follow, I knew they had found something. A tumour
was surgically removed and sent to the lab for analysis. I returned
home to wait for the results to be faxed over. I can still remember
watching the fax roll out and sighting the word "malignant." Things went well until I went back
for my checkup the following September when another lump was found in
the same site and surgically removed. When the first tumour was found we
were much more disturbed, but this time we felt an overwhelming peace
with calm emotions. While at the same time our families and friends
were over-anxious, we experienced an abundance of God's Grace! The end of October I was referred
to Brisbane, Queensland, Australia for six weeks of daily radiation
treatments. John was able to go with me to get me settled in then he
returned to PNG. I began treatments in November. Being alone to face
the unknown was a life-changing experience for me. It was a wonderful
experience with a daily fellowship with the Lord. There was such a new
bond I'd never known before. I returned for a review in May
with no new findings. The Histology Dept. in Brisbane had finally
reviewed my last tumour and found it was not estrogen/progesterone
related. I had been placed on a different hormonal replacement medicine
in January, but with these results the radiation oncologist took me off
of it. For the next six months I experienced pains throughout my body
settling in different areas for a few days or weeks at a time. They
felt this was a result of coming off the drug "cold turkey." I had
blood work done in the city in September and my ESR was elevated which
relates to inflammation in the body and can even point to malignancy. I
had severe hip pain in December and went for scans in the city in
January (09). The conclusion was a pulled ligament, but they suggested
a bone scan the next time I went for my review in Australia. I wrote my radiation oncologist to
schedule my review in June and requested a bone scan to be done as well
as a CT scan of all other organs. These tests were done the day I flew
in. The following morning I had my annual mammogram/ultrasound scan.
The lady said, "No new findings. See you next year." But following my
visit with her I had an appointment with my radiation oncologist to
review the scans from the previous day. The findings were a shock. There was a tumour on my sternum
and one small tumour in each lung. I then began 5 days of radiation
followed by a course of weekly chemotherapy for 12 weeks. In September
the scans showed the tumours had reduced in half. I continued for 8
more chemo treatments. Then I was given a six week break, so I returned
home to Kerema. It was great to be there, especially for the holidays. I returned on my own to Australia,
20 January, for a CT scan and review. The plan was to return to PNG for
six weeks then come back to Australia for another scan/review. But, the
results of the scan were shocking (even both of my oncologists were
shocked). The cancer has spread to the liver. There are two tumours -
one 8 x 5 cm and the other 6.3 x 4.1 cm. The latter is in the center of
the liver; surrounded by blood vessels; thus, surgery is out of the
question. The tumour on my sternum is unchanged and the ones in both
lungs are still there. I am presently having an aggressive chemotherapy
given every three weeks for a total of four treatments. After the
fourth treatment I will have another scan/review. Our lives are in God's hands. He is in total control. His grace and strength have been abundant and constant. We serve an unfailing God. He has met our every need through the lives of others. Especially through the folk of Good Shepherd Baptist Church. He is faithful! Our faith is in His plan for our lives. He is Able! |
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©2010 John and Mary Gray. All
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