I have some friends who are missionaries for the SDA church. I received this email last night from them. Please remember them in your prayers during this most difficult time. They are a wonderful family and I just feel so badly for them.

Taylor



Dear Family and Friends,

It is Sabbath evening and we are sitting in the Los Angeles Airport
waiting for
the first available flight to Tennessee.

This morning, in Sabbath School, we were handed a note saying to call
our son in
Michigan immediately. We slipped out and went to the phone. He told us
our
middle son, Terry, had been in a terrible accident and was not being
given much
chance of living.

We don't know a lot of details, but apparently he has severe head
injuries, a
severed spine, and a broken leg. He has been transferred to the trauma
unit at
Erlinger Hospital in Chattanooga, TN.

Barbara and her folks and I were at Pine Springs Ranch in Southern
California
attending a weekend retreat of people who used to live or work in the
Middle
East. We only had a brief time on Friday night and Sabbath morning with
them,
but we are so thankful for their love and support during this difficult
time.
The Camp Director drove us to Los Angeles airport, and we hope to be in
Chattanooga about noon tomorrow (Sunday). We have been crying a lot,
and
praying a lot, but we know God is in control. There is nothing we can
do but
put Terry in His hands. We know God is all powerful and could work a
miracle.
We are at peace knowing He never is caught off guard or makes a
mistake.
Someday He will explain it all to us and we will rejoice in His
leading.

Still, it is very hard and we would appreciate your prayers for Terry,
for us,
for his wife (Shannon) and their friends. This is a difficult time for
all of
us and it means a lot to know you are praying.

Homer Trecartin, Secretary-Treasurer
Middle East Union of Seventh-day Adventists

I have some good friends in Costa Rica by the name of Mauricio and Ana. Today I found out that Mauricio's mother is very sick in the hospital and not expected to make it. I am not sure about all the details, but I wanted to ask you, my friends and family, to pray for this dear family. The mother's name is "Dona Lucia". Please pray that the Lord would heal her if it is his will. However if not, that she will be able to go quickly and without too much suffering. Pray that the Lord will be especially close to this family as they go through this trying time.

Thanks so much!
Taylor

I am so sorry for your friend's son's tragic accident. I will be praying for Terry and for his family. This tragedy brings to mind a passage from "Patriarchs and Prophets" Ch 5:

"...the cruelties heaped upon the follower of Jesus are instigated by Satan and his hosts because they cannot force him to submit to their control. It is the rage of a vanquished foe."

May God continue to be with Terry and Shannon, and with Homer and his family, and also with Dona Lucia in Costa Rica.

(ps. It's good to see you back Taylor!).

Thanks so much Sid! The prayers are very much appreciated.

And thanks for the welcome back! I have been gone for a while but didn't think anyone had noticed. Good to see you too.

So much sadness ..... Will send up prayers. Please keep us informed

Update! Terry is still alive, but his body is in such shock that it is leaking fluids and he is very swollen they said. He is on IV and is still not expected to make it. However, the spinal cord injury was at his waist so if he does survive he would only be paralized from the waist down not his whole body which would be a huge blessing. They have no idea about his mental condition but think he could very well have brain damage due to the fact that he went without oxygen for a little bit, though not long. There is so much swelling they are not sure.

Please keep praying that God's will would be done and to give the family strength. I will keep you updated.

I said a prayer for Terry tonight. I asked God to hold and protect his precious life and bring a mighty healing work to him. I asked Him to be with Terry's family and give them strength and courage, and protect their faith.

Thank you so much Nico! I know the family appreciates it and so do I.

Here is an update from Terry's Father. Do keep praying!



Thank you all for your prayers and emails. This morning I logged on and had 174 emails - most of them about Terry. I haven't had a chance to read them yet, but I feel comforted just knowing you wrote. I hope to get to them soon, but for now I am writing this instead.

This morning the doctors were quite encouraged by changes Terry made last night. One even said he was excited. His blood pressure had stabilized and they had been able to stop all bp medication and had stopped pumping large amounts of plasma in to replace what his blood vessels were losing. Terry had also started to come to enough that the tubes were bothering him. He was struggling against them. They had to sedate him to keep him from accidentally pulling one out or something. Those are all good signs, but Terry is still in very critical condition.

During the day they decided they had to get his leg stabilized so they could move him for further tests without causing blood clots at the point of the break and increased shock to his system. The orthopedic team brought their surgery equipment up to his room and screwed a stabilizing rod on the outside of his leg. That procedure aggravated a condition they had been telling us about in the morning - his lungs. Apparently his lungs are one mass of bruises right now. They are not punctured, but were providing less and less ability to get sufficient oxygen into his blood. They have done several procedures on his lungs and inserted a tube into each side of his chest to relieve some of the pressure from fluid build up around them. They said they expected this because the huge impact that broke his back would also have badly bruised the lungs. They told us things will be up and down today and tonight and they will probably have to suction his lungs several times. By tomorrow they are hoping this situation will be stabilized so they can take him out for an MRI on his back.

When we went in this afternoon they were just finishing up all those procedures. The room was quite a mess and he looked bad. It seemed to be a big setback from the morning and we all had a hard time with that visit. Afterward we went out to the park and enjoyed the sun and fresh air. We ate a little and all felt quite a bit better after a couple of hours out there. We went back to the hospital and found Terry looking much better tonight. His oxygen levels, heart rate, etc. were good. We feel some better again tonight, but are getting ready for bed knowing a call could come at any time saying his body was shutting down from the shock and trauma.

It is midnight now, and I must get ready for bed, but I wanted to send you this update. We still cry. We still worry about the future. But we are also at peace knowing that God has used Terry for these 27 years, and used him again today - even though Terry probably doesn't realize it right now. If God has a work for him to do tomorrow I know He will keep Him through the night to do it - and that is really the same situation we all are in. If God has a work for us to do, He will wake us up in the morning and give us the strength to do it. We want to do it faithfully so that He can come soon. We are tired of the suffering and death we see all around us.

We really appreciate all your prayers so much. Thank you for supporting us during this difficult time.

Homer Trecartin, Secretary-Treasurer
Middle East Union of Seventh-day Adventists

There is not much more to say - good that Terry is still alive - will add my prayers.