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Dear Praying Friends,

I greet you all in Jesus precious name. It is indeed a joy to beconnecting with the group again - even if it is only by email. I want tothank each one of you personally for your love & prayers and for yoursupport in more ways than one.It is by His grace alone that I am able to sit before the computer andtype this email to you all. But for a touch from the Lord, this would nothave been possible. When I decided to come down to India for my treatment,Logic worked against me. Why would someone want to leave all the facilitiesand benefits in Canada and travel to India for treatment? Why would anyonewant to travel at all when they are in pain? But the Lord closed all otherdoors and opened this door alone and made it clear to me that that was thepath he wanted me to take. At that time it was not easy, it was not pleasantbut I had to TRUST Him and take on that journey.

Many of you know the pain I went through during that time: unbearable and many times excruciating. I often didn't have strength to doeveryday things around the house. Fevers and medication robbed me of manythings. I lost 7 kgs (14 pounds) during that time and didn't realize it till later.

I prayed, I cried out to the Lord but got no answers. I asked the Lord "Why" many times. But it looked like the Lord had turned His back to me. But how wrong I was forall the time He was right there by my side supporting me and literallysupporting my neck.December 5th, 2005 I was rolled into the Neuro causality in CMCH, Vellore.While I waited to meet the duty doctor, a series of x-rays were prescribed.I met a couple of doctors following this not knowing what to expect. Theduty doctor started with his routine questioning, but the moment he saw thex-ray he stopped even talking and IMMEDIATELY told me what the problem couldpossibly be. The x-rays were showed to other doctors as well. I am sograteful to God and to the team of doctors for that one moment that turnedmy life around. It was in that small causality room, that I was to learnabout God's faithfulness, His timing, His wisdom and the wisdom he has givento man.The doctors later told me that I had an infection in the cervical region(neck bones) and that the extent of damage was worsened by wrong diagnosisand unnecessary physiotherapy. The entire cervical column was infected andC4, the fourth cervical column had completely collapsed. One doctor,speaking in layman language, described my neck as an earthquake zone,another said it was like a crumbled eggshell. The fact that my spinal cordhad not been touched in spite of this extensive damage is purely God'sgrace.Doctors checked my hands and legs for sensation and I could feel everyfeather touch. I had perfect sensation and movement in my hands and feet.Doctors were amazed that the medulla had not been affected and the spinalcord had not been damaged even though the column had so much of damage.They said if I had delayed my diagnosis by another 10 days I would have beenquadriplegic or even worse have died, as the neck carries all the leadingnerves that feed the hands,  legs, and all vital organs. But the Lord saidthus far and no further and that's the miracle that saved me. That's thetestimony I want to share with you all. The Lord showed me what a faithfulGod He is, in spite of my weaknesses and my doubting. He never changes!!Praise the Lord.Doctors at Christian Medical College Hospital took excellent care of me.State of the art technology was used and skills of these doctors is beyondwhat we can imagine. (and I am not being biasedJ ) The two days before the surgery,

I was given a crash course on what CMC has and what they can do J, as I had to haveseveral scans and tests done within that short time. I had a CT scan, anMRI, nuclear scan, blood tests, allergy tests, well the whole works.There was an MRI study done on me, which lasted for 4 hours.There was only one doctor present with the technicians, but all otherdoctors on that team were studying my case live sitting in their own cabins.Doctors said that I needed an emergency surgery and Dr Roy Thomas Danielthe chief surgeon in this surgery, came and explained the surgery to me on8th December. As C4 had completely collapsed, doctors decided to reconstructit with a bone graft taken from the hip bone. They also had to stabilize thewhole cervical column. So they had Titanium implants put in. C3-5 platingwas done. On left of C1-2 there is a screw fixation and right of C1 isanother mass screw. Left of the C3-5 is a lateral mass screw and rodfixation. December 9th, 6:45am I was taken for the surgery.I was in the theatre for 13 hours and a team of 8 doctors did the surgery.Well I was knocked off and for me it didn't look like too long, but for myparents waiting outside it was like 13 years. The general surgeon andorthopedic surgeon were called upon to first get a chip of bone off my hip.Then the thoracic surgeon opened the front of my neck and handed it over toother doctors to put in the plating, bone graft, etc. After which the backof my neck was opened to fix in the other titanium fixtures. At 10 pm waswhen I came around and the doctors were wheeling me out of the theatre. Theyask you for your name, etc and see if you are still sane J I was taken tothe ICU immediately. In the ICU I was kept under observation for another 14hours and when I fully came around, doctors asked my mother to feed mesolid food!! I was then taken to the ward. The aftermath of the surgery wasjust three plasters on the three incisions and a big Philadelphia collar. Noblood, no dressing, no mess. The reason why I give you all these details isto tell you of another miracle. Before the surgery when the doctors wereexplaining the surgery to me, I had a strange sense of peace and comfort.There were no tears, no fears and that is a miracle of the Lord's touch onme, for normally I am a fearful and tearful person! The Lord performed thewhole episode with such perfection. I met my Creator in a new way throughthis experience.... I met Him as my Re-creator.The Lord's word encouraged me so much during this time, if I were to listeach of those incidences it would keep you all here for longer than youwould like. Psalm 107:20 became so real to me. The Lord's word indeed healedme. One small example and I will close. Two days after the surgery, doctorsand physiotherapists came and asked me to walk. And that's when I thoughtthat all other pain that I had ever experienced in my entire life wasnothing compared to this pain. I hardly could take two steps. When I gotback on to my bed, my regular passage that my grandmother was reading out tome was Hab 3:19. In so many many ways the Word became and has become soprecious to me. I wish I could share more with you all.Trust - I have learnt to trust God in a new way and through thisexperience I have also learnt to stop asking "why", because the Lord is incontrol of every situation however difficult it may seem at that time.Another aspect of Christian life that the Lord taught me about is howprayers of friends and family can encourage and strengthen you. Thank youprayer partners for your prayerful support during that time. Intercessoryprayer is something the group is faithfully doing.Many of you supported us even financially. Thank you for your loving giftsthat you all sent to help us during that time.Thank you for your prayers on behalf of Ria. She did have her tough times,especially when I was in hospital, but the Lord gave her grace to settledown quickly. Today she goes to a school close to our place, which sheenjoys a lot. She has made a lot of new friends and has interesting storieseach day.I want to encourage the group to meet more often and pray together for itis through prayers that many battles are won. I am now pain free and collarfree. I am back to my normal self. Praise God for His mighty hand of Healingand Protection.  His purposes are past finding out!!Yours in Christ,Sarah