This precious little girl is the daughter of Travis and Emilie Jones, Oasis members and missionaries to Bulgaria. Oasis has a very special bond with this family, and although we are presently separated by several miles, we will be walking closely with them in the days ahead. You may have heard by now the news that Melilla (3 years old; turns 4 in April) has been diagnosed with Leukemia. Travis and Emilie were planning to move to Bulgaria next month, and now their plans have drastically changed for a few years. In these coming days we will be remembering Melilla in prayer as often as we gather together as a church, and we ask that you, individually and with your family, take time out to pray for her.
Travis and Emilie have begun a web journal at CaringBridge. If you would like to bookmark the page, here is the link. I will allow Travis to tell you Melilla's story. We will most certainly keep you updated with her progress at all Oasis gatherings and via email and bethechurch.com.
Here is how Travis describes Melilla's diagnosis:
In early January 2009 Melilla got a fever and a bad cough. The fever went away, but the cough persisted.
We took her to a pediatrician and she got some medicine for bronchitis...however, the cough wouldn't go away and the fever returned.
We went back to the doctor and they ran some X-rays and blood work to check for pneumonia. However, what they found was that she was anemic and her blood counts were all out of whack.
So they admitted us to the hospital and did a bone marrow test and diagnoses her with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
She is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments at the Childrens Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch, NJ.
The prognosis is positive and ALL is the easiest form of leukemia to treat, control, and cure! We've got a long road ahead, but in all likelihood Melilla will grow to have a normal, healthy life.
The faith and peace that the Jones family is displaying in all of this is such an amazing testimony to the grace of God. Travis & Emilie, we are so encouraged by you. We hope that we will be an encouragement and a refuge for you.
+++ Lord God, You reign supreme over all things, over all sickness, over all disease. There is nothing that occurs in this life that takes you by surprise, and we are comforted in the fact that you hold everything in your sovereign hands. You have not left us here to figure out how to handle things in this life on our own. You do not sit back idly and watch us unfold the pages of history. Your hand is doing the writing. Your hand is actively involved in our lives. We know that Your hand is with Melilla even now. We do not know all the answers to all the questions, but we rest assured that You are not far away. You are near. We rest in the knowledge that You love little Melilla even more than her own parents possibly could. Fo you knew here before she was formed in her mother's womb. She has been fearfully and wonderfully made. She is Your child. Travis and Emilie have been so faithful to raise Melilla in the knowledge and love of Jesus. Even at a young age she is a worshipper, in spirit and in truth. We pray that You would agree with the prayers of your people and instantly remove the leukemia from Melilla's body. But even more so, we pray that your people would agree with with You and come to greater realization of Your glory during this time in Melilla's life. Give our brother Travis and our dear sister Emilie the peace which surpasses all understanding. Help them to rest in your grace. Hold them up when they are weak. May they find strength in the Gospel of Christ alone. Be their source. Be their peace. For we pray all of these things in the name of Jesus. Amen. +++
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