Last May was an unusual month. In April, I made the difficult decision to have an ICD procedure after careful consideration. Then, on May 8, after receiving the date for the procedure, my wife was diagnosed with her third recurrence of ovarian cancer. This was her fifth cancer diagnosis in the last 15 years. Each time I hear a cancer diagnosis, it feels like a big mountain is standing in front of our family. 

  This time, the mountain loomed even larger. Fortunately, my surgery was scheduled for May 8th and my wife's surgery was scheduled for May 20th, so I thought I would be okay, but when I was ready, my wife's surgery was canceled and postponed. The rescheduled date was June 9, so I had to worry for a long time. However, by the Lord's special intervention, the surgery was rescheduled to June 3, and she had a successful surgery four days before this writing.

  The main reason why the surgery was so grim this time was because of the surgery. When they open the stomach and remove the cancer, they have to resect the entire intestine if it has metastasized to the colon, including the bowel. This meant that I had to have my colon removed and a colostomy fitted permanently. After two rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, a stoma was a terrible fear for my wife and me. 

  In the midst of this fear and bleakness, a colostomy-free surgery is at the center of their prayers. Friends in New Zealand, Australia, Korea, and the United States prayed for us. On June 3, the surgery was completed after a nervous wait. I received a call from my second son who was in the hospital. I received a call from my second son, who was in the hospital, saying that nothing had happened and the surgery to remove the cancer had gone well and according to plan. As I answered the phone, I was moved to tears and thanked God.

  And then I looked up the word that had terrified us: stoma. It comes from the Greek word stoma, which means mouth, speech, entrance, utterance. It means mouth, speech, utterance, entrance, orifice. So, while the mouth is important for eating and drinking, it's also important as an outlet and an opening to the back. I realized in a new way how important our stoma is.

  “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4) There is joy in holding onto God's stoma and getting back on our feet.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)