[Beens Prayer Partners] april prayer letter

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Dear Partners, 27 March 2005

What a wonderful month March has been. The countdown continues and we are becoming more and more excited about heading off to Mozambique. Tickets are reserved. Dan and Josiah will be leaving Portugal on May 5^{th. Karunia, Asher and I will then follow on May 20th (6 & 8 wks away!!)}

Give thanks to God with us for who He is, for his blessings to us, and for his wonderful works!

Rejoice over Christ’s resurrection – indeed, as I type, this is Resurrection Sunday and I’m so thankful for His amazing love and grace for us – for salvation, free to all who will accept His message and His death on the cross to cover our sins.

TODAY – Karunia was baptized!!! Praise the Lord. After nearly a year of her asking and asking we decided she was ready. I must confess I wasn’t sure how she’d do as she hates getting her face in the water but she did well. We all now have a new little sister in Christ!

Robin’s parents and Grandmother arrived in Portugal on the 19th for a visit. We have enjoyed our time together and look forward to one more week before they leave.

The tiny glitch in our visa paperwork, mentioned last month, has been taken care of. We’ve not heard anything from the embassy yet, but that may be a good thing. Dan will go on the 30th to pick up our visas, which is when they said things should be ready.

Language learning – our 2nd book is completed and we’re part way through the 3rd book. Yeah!

Teaching and fellowship opportunities.

Surprise 1 time gifts from 2 different churches.

We’ve found relatively cheap transportation for our "extra baggage" to Mozambique!

A potential house in Mozambique. We’d asked teammates to be putting out the word about what we wanted in a house when we arrive. Well another friend there, who knew nothing about our desires in a house, except to be among the Mozambicans e-mailed us about a place. We’ve talked with teammates about it and they both said from the outside it looks nice but they’d never been inside. Then yesterday a teammate on field there said he’d been told about a house and went and looked at it. He thought it had potential so he returned the next day to take pictures and send them to us. We’re very excited about this potential. Kevin (our teammate there) will be going to talk with the man tomorrow to see what will be necessary for him to "hold" the house for us until May when Dan can go look at it himself!

Finally, for those that haven’t heard. We are expecting our 4th child, due in October. Praise God for this wonderful blessing!!

Please join us in praying for:

Organization on our part as we begin/continue closing things out here; that we would get all necessary tasks done without running crazy.

For our residence visas to be issued at or close to the projected time. That there would be no major glitches in the process.

Continued language learning. During the entire month of April we will be taking intensive language courses as a final step in our learning here in Portugal. Pray we’ll have endurance each day!

Karunia’s growth as a new babe in Christ!

For a healthy pregnancy for Robin and for healthy development of the baby in her womb.

Peace for each of the children, but Karunia in particular, as we prepare to transition again. Please start praying even now that she will have good sleep in the weeks before and just after we move and that she wouldn’t have the night issues we’ve dealt with so many times before.

That even now God would prepare things for us in Mozambique:

o Housing for us there. That the potential house I mentioned would work out and if not that God will direct us to the house he does have in mind for us.

o A vehicle. We’re still short on the one-time gifts needed for our budget, however we’ve also learned this month that our already expensive vehicle ($42,000 two years ago) is now $70,000. Obviously we won’t be getting this same vehicle so please pray that God would provide an affordable vehicle which is suitable for our ministry needs.

o Men and churches with whom Dan can partner; men and churches that have a hunger to learn more of God and His word!

o Adjustment as individuals and a family to life there.

o That God would provide a couple close national friends for both Dan and I and that he would provide friends for the kids!

To give an update on Kim Adams, for those of you who don’t have e-mail, Kim had surgery on Thursday, March 24th. The doctors were able to remove what they’d hoped of the tumor and she’ll return home sometime this week. She and August will be meeting with chemotherapy and radiation doctors to figure out the rest of her treatments. Continue to pray for peace for them, for healing and that during this time they can be a witness to all with whom they come in contact.

 

Thanks again so much. We appreciate each of you!

Blessings,

Robin and Dan

robin@mozambiquemessages.com

www.mozambiquemessages.com

[Beens Prayer Partners] update on Kim and Wendy

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Dear friends,

 

Wanted to give you another update on Kim and Wendy.

 

Kim came through her surgery on Thursday well, and according to the update I received from our sending church, the doctors were able to take out what they had wanted.  August sent a note today (Friday evening) that she'd come out of ICU and they'd walked her around some.  She'll probably be able to go home on Wed or Thurs.  Keep praying for them all through her recovery and through all subsequent treatment steps.

 

As for Wendy.  She's continuing to do well at home, though getting a bit tired of sitting.  She's now at 29 wks.  Keep praying that these babies will stay put for a bit longer.

 

Thanks so much.  I'll soon be sending the April prayer letter to Luanne Shoemaker and she'll then be sending it to you.  We appreciate her help in this each month and also Pat Lambert who'd been doing the prayer letters up until last month.  They are both big blessings to us!

 

Blessings on you as well.  Thanks for your partnership through prayer.

Robin

 

Dan & Robin Been
Missionaries to Mozambique, Africa
Our Web Page:  http://www.mozambiquemessages.com

[Beens Prayer Partners] update on Wendy and Kim Adams

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Dear friends,

 

Wanted to give you an update on Wendy and Kim.  Thanks for your prayers on behalf of both of them.

 

Wendy is now doing much better.  She was released yesterday from the hospital in Cincinnati and allowed to return home.  Her doctor gave her some medicine to take if she starts contracting again too frequently.  She'll be taking things pretty easy I'm sure.  Their prayer right now is that she can hold off at least 4 more wks which would have her at 32 wks (of course the longer the better).  Keep praying and thanks for your prayers.

 

As for Kim.  During their trip to Anderson in Texas the doctors there said they disagreed with the re-diagnosis of the Springfield doctors (which had lowered the level of the cancer and changed the type slightly), but they were still willing to consider treatment.  Since Houston is so far away, upon recommendation of a doctor there they've consulted with a doctor at Barnes in St. Louis and are proceeding with him.

 

She had a test run last wk which went very well.  She now has PreOP prep on Wednesday at 6pm and then will have surgery on Thursday at 9:30am. 

 

Please pray for endurance for the medical staff in the surgery and the people in the waiting room - this will be an all day affair.

 

Pray surgery would go well and that they would be able to remove as much of the tumor as possible (they will only proceed as long as Kim's speech doesn't begin to slur or as long as her movements don't become hindered - yes she'll be awake for much of the procedure).

 

Pray for Kim and all of them as she'll be in the hospital for about a wk and recovery in general will be much longer.

 

Pray for wisdom as during recovery they begin to consult with the radiation and chemo doctors.

 

Pray for August and Ella through this as well.

 

Thanks so much.

Blessings,

Robin

 

Dan & Robin Been
Missionaries to Mozambique, Africa
Our Web Page:  http://www.mozambiquemessages.com

[Beens Prayer Partners] Good News and Bad News from Dan and Robin Been

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Hello Everyone,

 

We have good and bad news for you.  Bad news first.  We have been in contact with a mechanic in Mozambique getting his advice on vehicles.  Two years ago we budgeted for a Land Rover - no frills, African style- at that time the after tax price was $42,000.00 so we budgeted for this.  However, after talking with Arnie (the mechanic) we have found out that even through it is a great truck to have, the after taxes price today is now .....here is the bad news ......$70,000.00.  So, needless to say we will not be buying this truck.  In order to get a four wheel drive truck big enough it now looks like we are going to need to search around for a good used truck, not optimal but doable.  Pray for God to provide a used vehicle in very good condition.  We don't want to have to mess with a lemon!

 

The good news.  First, we now have our plane tickets booked and it looks like Dan and Josiah will be heading to Mozambique on May 5.  Robin, Karunia, and Asher will go to Mozambique May 19.  This will give Dan two weeks to (hopefully) find a house to rent and a truck.  Second, we are now in Level three of our language learning.  This is good.  Third, Dan is teaching at a local church for the month of March and part of April.  Fourth, Robin's parents and grandmother have arrived and are here for 2 weeks.  This is great as Karunia does not have school during the two weeks and we have a one week break for Easter as well.  Fourth, we will be having intensive courses in April to finish out our language learning. Fifth, we found out that God have blessed us with another baby, that is right Robin is pregnant and due in October!  

 

Here are specific things to pray for:

1. For God to provide the right truck and the right house for us in Mozambique.
2. For our Mozambican Visas to be issued on March 30.
3. For our language learning to progress and our ability to grow rapidly.
4. For Dan's teaching over the next few weeks.  (That he will speak Portuguese well and understand what is spoken by others in the class.)
5. For Robin to have a healthy pregnancy and the baby to be born healthy. We will need to find a doctor/midwife in Mozambique or we will head to Malawi for the birth.  We hope to stay in Moz. 

I guess that is it.  THANKS!

Dan & Robin Been
Missionaries to Mozambique, Africa
Our Web Page:  http://www.mozambiquemessages.com

[Beens Prayer Partners] update on Robin's sister

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Dear friends,

 

Thanks for praying for Wendy and Adam and the babies. 

 

As a general update.  Wendy managed to stabilize, was able to be taken off medicines, and the babies have stayed inside.  She thought the doctor at Vanderbilt was going to release her Monday (yesterday) but he wasn't comfortable with her 4 hour drive home.  They have instead arranged a transfer for her and she is being moved to Christ's Hospital in Cincinnati (where her doctor and all her co-workers are) by ambulance today.

 

It isn't known if this is to be the arrangement until the babies come of just a temporary situation.  We will see. 

 

In the meantime - thanks for your prayers over the wkend especially.  You're continued prayers would be appreciated as well.

 

Blessings,

Robin

 

Dan & Robin Been
Missionaries to Mozambique, Africa
Our Web Page:  http://www.mozambiquemessages.com

[Beens Prayer Partners] VISAS and Kim Adams

Dear friends,

 

Thanks so much for your prayers.  I wanted to give you a brief update on things.

 

First of all, our visas.  Last time I wrote I mentioned we had to send our invitation letter back to Mozambique to get the stamp from the appropriate Minister of Justice and then have it returned so that Dan could return it to the embassy.  Well our letter made it safely there, was signed, and returned.  Dan took the letter into the embassy today so we should be all set.  Please continue to pray that our visas will be issued without hitch.  We don't foresee any problems but until they are stamped in our passports it is still an issue to pray over.

 

Next I wanted to give you an update on our friends Kim and August Adams.  Kim had a biopsy done last Thursday and the results were not what they had hoped!  More specifically, our understanding is that the tumor was rated a grade 4.  We've received a new update from Kim.  I've actually just pasted portions of it below.  Please continue to pray for her and August and their daughter Ella.

 

Thanks for your support.  As a small note - we've completed our 2nd language book and will start in the 3rd level tomorrow!

 

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We found out this evening from Dr Gionani chemotherapy treatment guy) that my tumor does not appear to be a grade 4 glio blastoma.  This of course is wonderful but changes my options.  It now appears to be a grade 3 glioma.  Still a brain tumor but better than a 4 or a blasto.  (I have lots to learn.)  People with this diagnosis typically live 5 years though instead of 9 months.  I think I will take their new assessment.

Our next step will be to go to Springfield Memorial on Friday morning (8:45) to meet with Dr Nelson (neurosurgeon).  He will outline his plan for us then.  Aug thinks he will want to do a procedure to remove as much of the tumor as possible instead of just treating with radiation/chemo.  This will probably take place the week of the 14th.

In between this meeting on Friday and the 14th, we are going to take a trip to MD Anderson in Houston.  Aug, Ella, my mom and I will fly down on the 7th.  The hospital wants copies of all the records that day so that they can
review them.  On the morning of the 8th we have an appointment with their glioma specialist.  We are hoping that this doctor tells us the same things as Springfield and we can get on with the work ahead.

That's about it - I am feeling pretty good but cant sleep well yet.  Please keep us in your prayers as we travel and see these doctors.  Feel free to let others know what is going on with us. 

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Dan & Robin Been
Missionaries to Mozambique, Africa
Our Web Page:  http://www.mozambiquemessages.com