Update on Our Car

Just this morning we received the call we had been waiting for. 

The call from the auto service center where our car has been since last Wednesday. It turns out that BOTH the 4-wheel drive transmission, as well as, the main transmission are in need of replacing! They were calling to ask our permission to replace them. (I must let you know that we had already wondered about the 4-wheel drive in our car since our first winter driving it but we thought it just might not be as good of a vehicle in winter as our Delica was. The main transmission has only very recently shown itself to be going out.) These repairs will cost $2,750.00. We really don't have a choice but to go ahead and have the work done since you definitely can't buy a car for that price! So, it is a bit of an "Ouch!" to our finances, okay, a big "Ouch!" But, we will trust that God will provide and make up for this money spent on car repairs. As I said, there is really no way for us to be without a car living so far out of the city. We were for over a year when we lost our first one to an accident and it was very difficult at that time, even when we didn't have to be in the city as often as we need to now. (One reason why we are going in to the city more frequently will be explained in another exciting post to come!)

We will also need to have some engine service done on the car which is what we had originally planned to do, well, right before the transmission went out! We called the service department to check about getting the car in to fix an oil leak have an oil leak. Since we also had a question about our transmission they told us to we had to take it to another garage where they can look at the transmission. That is when it all began!

Since we gave the service center permission to fix the car, they say it will be ready by this coming Tuesday, April 3rd. That's good news!

Thank you for your prayers! Please continue to pray for the work to be completed and for no further complications.

Update on Catherine Hudson - 3/29/12

I waited until today to post this update on missionary, Catherine Hudson, due to the results of blood tests that also needed to be reported. Here is the update as of March 27th from her sister-in-law:

Catherine is scheduled to go in for her 3rd chemo. treatment tomorrow, March 28th, at 11 am (CST). She has been going in every couple of days to get a potassium IV. She is not able to eat very much which is causing more weakness, in addition to how weak she is already feeling. So the IV does seem to be helping give her a little strength. They should find out tomorrow what her bilirubin level is at now. Last week it was 18.6 which is close to a danger zone. Her doctor said that if it gets above 21 it could cause brian damage. (A normal count of a healthy person is .5-1.5). But her liver can not function properly because of the cancer. Please keep that a matter of prayer! She has some good days and some bad days. We really appreciate everyone's prayers! It is a huge blessing! Also, please remember Matt in prayer, as well, for God's wisdom and strength. Will try to update before church tomorrow. For those who have put Catherine on their church's prayer list--Thank you!!!

This morning we received another update from Catherine's husband, Matt, in which he gave the results of the blood tests.

Catherine went in today for the 3rd chemotherapy treatment. Her lab work came back with a good report. Her bilirubin count was at 18.6 last week, but it was down to 10.1 today. Praise the Lord! It is still high and needs to be down around 3 or lower before the oncologist will give her the full dose of chemo. The oncologist was thrilled that her count was going down.

Thank you for praying.
Matthew Hudson

Please continue to pray for Catherine and the family. Specifically, pray for Catherine's bilirubin level to continue to drop so that she may receive her full chemo. treatments. She can not afford to not receive full treatments! Let's pray that level falls quickly down to less than three!

Prayer Needed!

The sick patient.

Last Tuesday evening, my husband, David, was on his way home from the city when the transmission of our car basically went out. He was able to drive it the rest of the way, as long as he didn't exceed a certain speed that required the car to shift into third gear. It has an automatic transmission. We had been noticing some differences in the car's performance and were hoping to make it to next month (April) before we took it in for repairs. Sadly, we didn't make it until April! Our car has been in the repair shop since last Wednesday. We have been calling to check in and make sure progress is being made on it. Today, the secretary, with whom David had talked earlier this morning, went in to the mechanics in order to inquire of the status of the situation. When we called back later we found out from her that the mechanics had removed the transmission from the and were currently performing diagnostics in order to understand what exactly is wrong. She said that so far they had found "multiple problems" with the transmission. 

Please pray for us in this matter that the whole process can be resolved as quickly as possible since David needs to go into the city about every day now except Wednesdays and Saturdays. We are covering bases for another furloughing missionary as well as other outreaches we have in the city. The bus schedule from the village is not the most convenient to work around and therefore causes us to waste much time getting into the city, as well as, causes us to get into the city sometimes hours before we need to be there. Also, please pray for the repairs to not bee too expensive. The "multiple problems found so far" has us a little lot concerned. We  do have other projects we need to put our money into rather than our car. 

Thank you ahead of time for your prayers! We will keep you updated!

Update on Catherine Hudson 3/21/12

Here is the latest update on Catherine Hudson's condition from a family member. Please be in constant prayer for this family. 

The Hudson family at a Missions Conference in Mesquite, Texas - Feb. 2012

Update on Catherine: 

Got word from Matt that the Dr. found out Catherine's bilirubin count was up to 18.7. Matt said that she is too weak to feed herself when she is able to eat. This morning she only had six bites of some cream of wheat. They are admitting Catherine today in order to give her fluids intravenously, but her doctor said that they could not administer the chemo while she was admitted. From what I understand they were going to let her go today so that she could still get her treatment tomorrow. If you are not already, please make this a serious matter of prayer. Catherine is a tremendous wife, mother, daughter, sister, etc. She is one of the sweetest people that I personally know and I know that she and Matt covet your prayers. 

- Karl Cantrell 

Women's Day March 8, 2012

This year's celebration of Women's Day was a bit different than last year's since we were not able to use the House of Culture building to hold our Ladies Tea. I had wanted so badly for this to become a yearly tradition, but it will have to wait. This summer, we plan on remodeling our old house in order to be able to hold Sunday school and special meetings on our own property. We have already begun tearing out the bathroom to give more space in the largest room of the house. I will soon post about this to show the "before" photos of this project.

So, our Women's Day celebration began on the Sunday before with the Sunday school class making gifts as a craft to give to Mom, Grandma, a teacher or any other special lady they wanted to congratulate. I was so thankful to be able to find some great craft supplies here in Krasnoyarsk with the recent opening of several new stores. One such item was these hats which we used to make potpourri-scented decorations. 

Yana trying on a hat.

We set up a table, plugged in the glue gun, and the kids went to work filling their hats with potpourri and decorating them. The kids enjoyed the craft and were able to either make the hats into magnets or glue pretty ribbon to them so they could be hung in a special place at home.

This little guy came along with his sister, Yana, and just enjoyed the toys we keep around for little ones. We have a nursery, Sunday School, and teen class all rolled into one!

On Friday, March 9th, we held a ladies meeting/tea with just myself and our two most faithful ladies. I had wanted to begin monthly meetings with them but one of the ladies work schedule has made it very difficult. For Women's Day I told them I wanted just the three of us to get together, Lord willing, as a beginning to a monthly ladies ministry.

We had talked about each inviting unsaved family members or friends but I felt the Lord wanted me to take this particular opportunity to meet with these ladies and teach more on some issues and questions women face as new Christians.

Dee and the ladies.

It was great to see how the Lord worked and even the topic of conversation at the beginning of the meeting matched perfectly with the lesson I had prepared. 

What is a ladies meeting without treats? 

I made a honey bun cake and the ladies brought caviar sandwiches, chocolate, and ice cream. 

Just in case you are wondering, I have tried both kinds of caviar on several occasions and do not enjoy either one. Caviar is one of the most difficult foods for me to eat with a smile!)

Praise the Lord for a great day of fellowship and the birth of a ladies ministry!

Update on Catherine Hudson

The following update was posted on a Facebook prayer page for Catherine, started by the family. 

"We just got off the phone with Matt. Catherine made it through her first treatment well but the next few days are critical to see if her body will accept the chemotherapy. She has an appointment on Friday where they are going to do more lab work and run a pet scan. If the chemo takes she'll have a treatment once a week for twenty-four weeks. Please continue to earnestly pray. Thank you so much to all of you who have had a part in interceding for this precious lady and her family. Will keep you posted as we find out more. God bless! Nahum 1:7"

Five Empty Seats

Today, Wednesday, March 14th, 2012, there will be a plane taking off on its way across the Atlantic Ocean towards Kiev, Ukraine. Five seats on that flight should be taken by a faithful family on their way back to Ukraine where the Lord has allowed them to serve as missionaries for over 12 years.

Instead of being in their places on that flight, Matt and Catherine Hudson will be spending their day at a cancer hospital in Mesquite, Texas, where Catherine will receive her first chemotherapy treatment.

After a recent visit to the doctor, Catherine found out her liver was enlarged and contained many lesions. Testing and a biopsy were done and cancer was discovered. However, the doctors told her that the cancer did not originate in her liver. Further testing revealed that Catherine had Stage 4 breast cancer.

Their children are now eleven, thirteen, and fifteen. Below is a photo of the Matt Hudson family. 

Here is a link to a more updated photo of them.

Here is a copy of a letter Matt sent out to their praying friends and family yesterday.

__________________________________________________________________________________

March 13, 2012

Yesterday, the oncologist confirmed to us that Catherine has stage 4 metastatic breast cancer, which has moved to her liver. He stressed to us the urgency of beginning chemotherapy immediately. 

Catherine began taking medication last night to prepare her body for the chemotherapy. She will go in for her first treatment tomorrow morning. 

This last week has been a whirlwind of emotions and we certainly appreciate all of the prayers. At the same time tomorrow (12:00 pm), which we were previously prepared to board a plane and return to Ukraine, we will now be going in for Catherine's first treatment.

We don't understand this, but we do know that God is in control, and that His way is perfect.

Thank you for praying.

Matthew 

_________________________________________________________________________________

How difficult it must be to have made plans to return to the mission field and just as you were about to make your last visits of furlough, you have a doctor's appointment that changes your entire life as you find out you have stage 4 cancer.

Would you please join the many of us who are friends and family of Matt and Catherine in prayer for Catherine as she begins her journey in fighting this cancer? Please pray for Matt and the children as well. It has been said that since Catherine's cancer has so progressed the chemotherapy might actually be dangerous to her. Please pray that the chemotherapy will be a help to her body  in beating this cancer.

I am sure they would greatly appreciate you sending a card reminding them that they are not  alone in this fight. Please drop them a note or card at this address:

Matt and Catherine Hudson

Open Door Baptist Church

 1212 S. Beltline Rd.

 Mesquite, TX 75149 

We will be faithfully praying for you and your family, Catherine.

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed:

 lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 

For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 

I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah."

Psalms 61:2-4

Most Current Family Photo

December 2013