 (Hard copy mailing)
Dear Friends
And Supporters Of The Robinsons
Update as of June 29, 1999
Greetings from ‘Wild Wonderful’ and ‘Almost
Heaven’ West Virginia! Thanks for your ongoing prayers, notes of concern and
encouragement, and special gifts.
I am sorry that I have not responded to all individual
e·mail notes
that I have received over the last few weeks. Much of the time we have not had local
access to an internet service provider. Other times I have been really busy as I believe
you will see. But, rest assured that we do appreciate your notes and prayers, and I hope
to eventually answer all when I get the time. Thanks for your understanding.
True to His nature and word, the Lord has been merciful, gracious,
and providing in every way. It is becoming more and more apparent that His timing and
purpose for my illness was in part to have us present with my family as they are going
through some very difficult times. It has also become apparent that I was not the only one
in my family who needed immediate medical treatment. I will share more about that a little
later in this report.
We have been splitting our time up between being present with
relatives in Beckley, West Virginia and being in the Charleston area seeing doctors and
visiting with our spiritual family at Cross Lanes Bible Church. As you will see, my family
(Walter’s) has been going through several difficult trials during this time, and I am
asking our prayer partners to lift us all up before the Lord during these times.
First, I had to take my mother, Lois Holmes, to the doctor a
couple of weeks or so ago because one of her knees had become so painful to move and stand
on that she could no longer walk. She was given some medication and began to improve over
the next few days. However, my brother had to rush her back to the hospital about four
days later because her other knee popped and would not tolerate any weight on it. The
doctor changed Her medication and she began to improve once more. Please remember her
in prayer.
During this time I had also been doing some needed repairs around
my mother’s house, doing minor plumbing and electrical work, installing a needed
storm door, etc. One day a couple of weeks ago my brother, Curt Robinson, was working with
me as we were doing a little metal work for something at my mother’s house. Before we
knew it, he had accidentally gotten his finger caught in the grinding machine! (Ouch!) I
immediately took him to the hospital. It really made a mess out of his finger, and he lost
a lot of flesh, but the prognosis is good. He tolerated the entire experience surprisingly
well. On the day I was finishing this prayer letter my mother informed me that Curt had
accidentally shot himself in the leg while he was showing someone how to clean an
automatic pistol! He actually had hallow a point bullet that could have blown his leg off
or done a lot of damage. Thankfully, the bullet remained in tact and traveled completely
through the leg without doing serious damage. He was released later the next day, June 28,
the say day Linda had undergone major surgery. (more about that later also). Please
pray that his finger and leg will heal soon with no complications.
Two or three weeks back my stepfather, James Holmes, had to be
transferred from a nursing home to a hospital. I believe he is in his early nineties and
has been suffering with Alzheimer’s for the last five to seven years. He is also
suffering from worsening congestive heart failure. He has spent much of his time the last
few years between home, the hospital, and the nursing home. He was recently placed back in
the hospital because of failing kidneys and seizures. Early Tuesday morning, June 22, he
was walking around in the Veteran’s hospital in Beckley when he fell forward and hit
his head on the hard floor. As of composing this report he has a blood clot on the brain
and serious lacerations on his forehead. We also suspect that he has fractured some facial
bones. His heart rhythm and his blood pressure had also been very erratic, but they had
all become more stable as of June 26. However, he has been having seizures almost
continually at times, and the neurologist now says that he suspects that James has had a
stroke. His condition is critical and he has been unconsciousness for one week.
I initially began to compose this prayer letter as I sat beside
James as he lay in the ICU unit at the Veteran’s Hospital. It was hard to see him in
his helpless state. He has a master’s degree from Pittsburgh University, has been a
school teacher, a boxer, and also fought in World War II in Germany, the Philippines, and
France. The last several years he had worked as a real estate broker. Even though he has
always been a large powerful man that loved to hunt and fish, he always had a gentle
nature about him, and he always sought to help anyone who sought him out in time of need.
The good news concerning James is that some twenty years ago I
spoke with him about salvation and faith in the Lord Jesus. Our conversation convinced me
that when the Lord chooses for James to leave us, he will open his eyes in heaven and see
Jesus face to face. Our prayer request is for the Lord’s will to be done, that
James would be given grace and dignity, and for his suffering to be over soon either
through improvement, or for him to be with Jesus. Pray also for all of us who love him
dearly.
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(Late breaking update. Before I could get this
prayer letter copied and printed out, James Holmes went to be with the Lord early in the
morning on July 3, 1999. His funeral was scheduled to be held on July 7, 1999.) |
I continued to compose this prayer-letter on Monday, June 28, as
Tabitha, Jeshua, and I sat in the surgery waiting area of the Women’s and
Children’s Hospital, in Charleston, West Virginia. We were kept company by Pastor Pat
Haynes of Grace Gospel Church, Beaver, West Virginia, which is where we regularly attend
when we are staying in the Beckley area. We were also joined by Daniel Berger, Assistant
Pastor of our sending church, Cross Lanes Bible, Cross Lanes, West Virginia. There were
also some other close friends of our family present with us. On this morning Linda
reported at 7:00 a.m. for surgery that began at 9:00 a.m. and was over about one hour and
forty minutes later. All those present with us provided prayer and comfort during the
waiting process.
As many of you who have e·mail are aware, Linda’s
gynecologist, our family doctor, and another specialist, recommended that she undergo a
full hysterectomy to remove several large fibroid tumors that had grown rapidly the last
three years. On our last furlough, in 1996, several small fibroids were discovered, but
they were not a matter of concern to the gynecologist at that time, but that changed when
Linda underwent a routine checkup just about one month ago. Her surgery was considered
major, but the doctor later said that the surgery went well and accomplished its purpose.
She is supposed to be in the hospital for two days, and be released on Wednesday (June
30). It is expected that it will take at least four to six weeks to recuperate. I have
sent out a brief e·mail note concerning the above on the day the surgery took place, but by
the time most of you receive this prayer-letter, Linda is supposed to be with us at home
resting, getting her strength back, and healing up. We would really appreciate your
prayer for all of us, and especially Linda as she recovers and adjusts.
I am continuing to recover well from the stroke that I suffered
this past April 22. After a battery of tests the doctors concluded that a blot clot had
formed in a small hole in the upper chambers of my heart that I have apparently had since
birth. I understand that some two to five percent of the population has this defect, and
there are no real concerns or problems caused by it except for making one a little more at
risk for a stroke. The only therapy is that I have to take a mild blood thinner (no
pro-time tests necessary J PTL!) and take one baby aspirin
per day. I still have occasional hitches in my speech, and I also have not fully recovered
the sensitivity for my right arm and hand, but I have most of my strength and stamina
back. In fact, I delivered my first message since the stroke about one month ago! Praise
God for his mercy and grace! I am also scheduled to serve as the keynote speaker (three
messages) at a conference on "God, Family, and Country" at Grace Gospel Church,
Beaver, West Virginia on Sunday July 11. On that following Tuesday, July 13, I am
scheduled to speak at a pastor’s fellowship in Princeton, West Virginia.
I have also seen two specialists concerning the other two problems
with which I have been plagued for the last two and one have years. I am hoping and
praying that the Lord will lead them in treatment so that a complete cure will be
effected. Please remember to pray for continued improvement in my health and for the
upcoming opportunities to share the word of God. Pray also for the Lord to help the other
doctors who are seeking to treat the other ailments.
I have spoken often to the young man who is living in our home and
filling the pulpit for me. I understand that many of the children are no longer coming,
but the ‘faithful few’ are remaining so. We thank God for the faithful and
ask that you will remember to pray daily for our dear flock. Especially remember to pray
for them at the normal service times on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. Pray also
for the transportation to remain faithful and affordable, and pray that our little island
of Carriacou would be spared from hurricanes as the season for them heats up.
One sad note. Early in June the young man phoned from Carriacou to
inform us that one of our friends was found dead at home after he had apparently suffered
a seizure. His name was George Enoe, and he was in his mid thirties. I have mentioned
George on numerous occasions in past prayer-letters. He will be missed, but we believe
George was born again by God’s grace as a result of our working and counseling with
him some five years ago. Please pray for the Lord to help his relatives and friends
through the grieving process. In a phone conversation George’s family informed me
that they had requested John McFarlane to officiate at the graveside service while
a few other local believers graciously provided
scripture reading and the message. I was also told that an encouraging
number of other believers also joined with the saints from Windward Bible Church as they shared the
Gospel at George’s funeral in the Village of Windward. I also understand that many of
George’s Roman Catholic friends and relatives heard the gospel perhaps for the first
time. We appreciate the help of all those who aided in this effort to glorify God. I was
informed that John McFarlane did a fine job overseeing the funeral.
Lastly, the Robinson’s are looking at a minimum of two more
months before we can plan on returning to Carriacou. We must first make sure that Linda
has fully regained her strength and is well on the way to a full recovery from her
surgery. Please pray that we will know the perfect time and experience the Lord’s
provision for the unexpected medical bills and return airfare as that time approaches.
Thanks again for your prayers, notes of encouragement, and your
faithful financial support. Our God is ever more faithful, and His timing and sovereign
oversight in the lives of his children is always perfect.
Still looking up to Him as your coworkers,
Walter Robinson II
Copyright © 2000 Last Chance Ministries. All rights reserved.
Revised: June 13, 2006.
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