Jeff and
Cindy Update
3-19-02 Jeff and Cindy Update
Friends and Family,
Thank you for the prayers, phone calls, e-mails, offers of help, listening ears, the love and concern we have received from all over the world during this time. Our God is still on His Throne and we are all experiencing His Grace, His Peace and His Presence during all of this.
Our latest praise report from Pakistan:
A plane is currently in route to Islamabad to pick up the entire Womble family and transfer them to a safer location. They are being transported together via air ambulance to a hospital in Europe where better medical care can be provided. The departure time is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th, at 3 p.m., Pakistani time.
Rees and Frankie are traveling to the location later today to meet them upon their arrival at that gateway. They will depart Tampa airport at 6 p.m. this evening. The Wombles will be at that location for an undetermined amount of time. The current plan is Cindy and Samuel will be undergoing surgeries there to stabilize their conditions. Rees and Frankie will be there to support Jeff and Cindy and help care for the children for the duration of their stay. All of them will then return to the States.
The family is under tight security. Stringent measures are being taken to ensure their safety during this time.
Jeff's Condition:
Jeff is doing better daily. He had some bleeding from his ears earlier today which has caused some concern. He is asking he be released from the hospital Wednesday morning so he can prepare for their medical evacuation. Jeff asked that we thank each of you for your prayers and asks you continue to pray. He said they are very tired physically but very strong spiritually. They are at peace with the situation and are trusting God's purposes will be revealed in His Time.
Cindy's Condition:
Cindy's surgery went well yesterday. The doctors successfully removed more dead tissue and bone. We are continuing to pray the infection is kept under control, specifically that it does not spread into the bone. She has felt a great deal of relief from the pain since the surgery. She will be undergoing multiple surgeries over the next few weeks to few months at the hospital where they are being sent.
Cindy has asked that we let you know "We feel everybody's love and support all the way over here in Pakistan. We are being lifted by your prayers as wings on eagles and tomorrow we will be lifted in the air for real on wings like eagles. We are thankful for that. Thank you for the prayers. Please continue to pray."
Samuel's Condition:
Our reports from Samuel have been good so far. He is responding and has spoken a few times. When the nurse picked him up to weigh him, he said, "Put me down." When someone was rubbing his leg, he said, "Stop that, you are breaking my leg." He is heavily sedated, but the responses were very encouraging. He is completing sentences, eye sight is good, and is cognitively aware of his surroundings. The cat scan this morning showed the internal bleeding has stopped. He has had two very good nights and we are all encouraged. We were told today that the shrapnel needs to be removed as soon as possible due to concerns over contamination. Samuel will be undergoing surgery to remove the shrapnel upon his arrival at the new hospital. He is in need of a FULL miracle and we asking you to pray on his behalf to the One who can deliver it.
Emily's Condition:
Emily is doing well. She has said she is not as scared now but is eager to be with her family again. She is "taking good care of Luke" and waiting to get back to her friends and family in the States. She knows that "all things work together for good," that God is in control, and she is doing much better. She has been quite a trooper in all of this. She is asking that we all continue to pray for Mommy and Samuel.
Luke's Condition:
Luke is doing great. He said that he and Sissy were doing much better and that they didn't get hurt. He is praying for Mommy and Samuel. He is excited about being with his Mom and Dad again. He keeps saying, "He wished he had been the one to be hurt instead of Samuel." His tender heart toward his brother is very evident in that comment. He told Uncle Nick, "he was going to be okay."
Contact Information:
Rees and Frankie's e-mail address is Reespect8@aol.com. Jeff and Cindy's e-mail address is GoWombles@aol.com. Please feel free to send words of encouragement, verses, praises of ways God has used all of this in your life, etc. Please don't anticipate or request any replies at this time as their total focus is to get the Wombles whole again and back to the States. Hearing from you would be an encouragement though so please feel free to let them know you are praying. They will be unable to be reached via telephone from this point on until further notice.
We will continue to send updates from this address as they are received. Please know how very much we appreciate your prayers and support.
Blessings to each of you!
Nick and Donna Nickerson
