International Christian Hospice Newsletter December 2008
Report Summary of Ministry for 2008
Projected Ministry Schedule 2009

Christmas Blessings to each of you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! We thank Him for this special time of year to celebrate and remember God’s entrance into humanity through a humble birth. Join us in worship of the One who was and is and is to come! It is our honor to humbly serve Jesus by taking International Christian Hospice ministry to the world. Thank you for your prayers and gifts which are the conduit through which God is building His Kingdom around the world.

We flew back to the US in September and began an exciting fall of ministry and fellowship in 4 mission’s conferences and speaking opportunities. Biltmore Baptist Church, our home church in Asheville, NC, hosted us and 40 other missionaries in their annual Global Impact Celebration Weekend. We enjoyed renewing friendships and meeting other people who are in ministry around the globe. A few highlights for us were the International Bazaar, much like a world fair, and the Monday morning debriefing. Common problems such as burnout, feelings of isolation and poor communication were addressed and some helpful solutions offered. Thank you BBC for your loving support and making sure we know you are with us in prayer no matter how far we travel!

Our next Mission’s conference was in October with our dear friends at Lexington Baptist Church, SC. This annual Global Focus Conference gave us some great opportunities to share with Sunday school classes and individuals who stopped by our display booth. We have a special place in our hearts for LBC particularly because of the eleven mission team members who have come with us to Central America to do hospice ministry over the past 2 years. The warm embraces, genuine support and interest we experience every time we are at Lexington blesses and encourages us to keep pressing on. We believe that God arranged contact with other missionaries this weekend to open doors for us to take ICH to Ukraine, Moldova and possibly Turkey in 2009.

Also in October we joined a group of volunteers for training at Abbey Road Hospice in Columbia, SC. Sean Steiner, CEO and Lyn Reagan, MSW offered a great workshop on the compassionate hospice work they offer to anyone in the midlands of SC. We can clearly see Christ’s love and hope being offered through the staff at Abbey Road and are excited about partnering in local volunteer work with them and also about their staff joining us in international ministry. This is another example of the Body of Christ coming together in His plan for Hospice.

The first weekend of November we were invited for the first Global Missions Conference of Greenway Baptist Church in Boone, NC. We thank our new friends Gordon and Lucy Rule for hosting us. It was an enjoyable time of sharing with their church about ICH and learning about their work locally and in El Salvador.

We attended the largest annual Global Medical Missions Conference in the US in Louisville, Ky. the second week of November. We were so encouraged to learn how much God is doing all around the world. We joined with thousands of attendees who gathered twice daily for worship and Bible study. The rest of the day was filled with smaller breakout sessions taught by medical missionaries on many different topics of global health concerns. We noticed two themes that became recurrent as we attended classes: 1) every ministry emphasized holistic care which ministers to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of each person; 2)every ministry was involved in community development through their particular expertise. How exciting to know that we are on the same page with other mission efforts around the world! Whether it was about primary medical care, pure water treatment or AIDS and TB infectious control each ministry desires to involve communities and broaden the focus beyond just meeting physical needs. As one speaker said “If we only fix the body we have really done nothing.” How awesome that God has called us to see people with His compassionate vision. Meeting the physical needs of healing is only temporary. He desires the eternal impact of healing the heart and restored relationship between Himself and each individual. The spiritual healing of each person raises unlimited possibilities for improving community wide health and all living standards. International Christian Hospice gives training for the national Christians in ministering to the whole person meeting them where they are in the terminal process. This training also targets bringing the spiritual leaders and medical community together to accomplish Christ-centered care. We are beginning to see the fruit of this happening in all 7 developing countries in which we have worked. This is all to God’s glory and under His direction. We are the honored ones who get to be a part of His plan for ICH.

In December we have traveled to the Dominican Republic for 10 days of ministry. God has partnered us with Drs. Francisco and Diane Sabado who are missionaries and have been doing hospice care for individuals in their own home for several years. Before we ever met them their dream was to open Christian Hospice centers for training and care. Since we met in November 07 we all have been praying and planning in unity toward this goal. Our time with them this month was encouraging to all as we are seeing the possibilities of a hospice house near their home in Santo Domingo, the capital. A fellow short-term missionary from Asheville, Sharon Kast, FNP, joined us for a week of ministry and travel. We were able to present ICH training in two different locations. We drove west toward the Haitian border to a small town called Tomayo. Pastor Francisco Melo, who pastors a small church there, had spread the word of our coming to do training.






We were delighted to meet with Pastors and church leaders from 34 different evangelical churches in that region. Over 60 people attended our training seminar in a large meeting hall on the town square. The pastors prayed for us at the end of the training which was a wonderful expression of God's Love.Dr. Jose Noa attended also from the local government hospital and expressed a need for his staff to have hospice training. The next day Pastor Francisco arranged a meeting with Pastor Edison who asked us to return and work with his organization in the south of the DR and also in the capital.










We visited Pastor Francisco’s tiny church, Christian Church of the Body of Christ, in a very poor community on the outskirts of Tomayo and prayed for his ministry there. We also traveled that day to another Haitian border town, Jimani, to learn more about a mission project there. Back in the capital, The Sabado’s church pastors Alexi and Omeyra welcomed us and received the Pastor/Volunteer training eagerly. They shared stories of co-workers, family and friends who are dying or grieving. As we spoke God’s message of Hospice in Jesus’ name the people began making plans to start their own outreach. As on each trip God networks us with more of His people. We are looking forward to working with new friends, the Lepleys, who serve as missionaries for the Nazareen Church. Many plans were made for our time of continued ministry in the DR. We are praying for God to raise up those He desires to go with us in February.
We are praying with Drs. Diane and Francisco Sabado about possibly developing this house into Hospice home/training facility in Santo Domingo. This will be the first ICH facility we have the opportunity to open which can meet the needs of people who are dying and have no place to go as well as to provide training and outpatient care.
As 2008 comes to a close we have many praise and prayer items. Please join with us in raising these things before God who is our faithful guide and provider.

Praises in 2008
New organizational incorporation/ non-profit status
5 mission teams joining us to work in 3 Central American countries
400 new Pastors and church leaders trained in Christian Hospice
4 possible locations for ICH training/care centers in C.A. and D.R.
Increased openess of Medical personnel in C.A. and D.R. for Hospice training

Prayer Requests
Guidance in organizational planning for growth in ministry and staff needs
Discernment in developing ICH centers in the countries as God opens opportunities
Encouragement and perseverance of the ICH workers in the 7 countries of our ministry
Finances to support ongoing ministry
More people to join ICH in short or long term ministry

We pray that you and your loved ones have a Blessed Christmas and a joy filled New Year! Thank you again for being a part of what God is doing around the world through International Christian Hospice!

Your friends and co-laborer in His harvest,
Ron and Susan

Tax receipts will be sent for any donations to International Christian Hospice
Mail to either: P.O. Box 1014 Swannanoa, N.C. 28778 or 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063

Report Summary of Ministry 2008

Countries in which we ministered 5
ICH training Seminars (other countries) 26
Total People Trained ( Pastors, Church leaders
Volunteers, Medical staff) 795
People attended Grief Workshops(other countries) 195
Short-term Mission Teams 5
Medical Clinic participated in 5
Pastor Associations presented to (other countries) 4
Mission Conferences(US) 4
Other Speaking opportunities(US) 2
ICH Volunteers partnering with
Abbey Road Hospice(US) 7

(Detail description of monthly ministry activity available if desired)

Projected Ministry Schedule for 2009
(Subject to Spirit lead changes)

January Medical Equipment delivery to Indiana for shipment to Honduras
Ministry in Honduras

12 Week ICH training begins at Lexington Baptist Church

February Ministry in Dominican Republic
Short-term Team to DR

March ICH Board Meeting
Organizational development

April Ministry trip to Ukraine, Moldova, Turkey

May-June Ministry development

July-August Ministry in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua

September-November Mission Conferences
ICH Board Meeting

December Ministry in Dominican Republic

Newsletter October 2008
Ron and Susan Naish
International Christian Hospice

“Jesus Christ the same, yesterday, today and forever.”

We hope to bring you encouraging words from the Living Word and from our hearts. This is a tumultuous time in history for our country and our entire world. Our natural response is fear when things seen out of control. We are tempted to turn our focus onto ourselves and find ourselves wringing our hands in worry. We need to turn our thoughts to the One we have placed our faith in, whether in good times or bad. “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me ALL the days of my life.” These words from scripture are not only for the good days, or only on the days when we feel secure. There have been many times of uncertainty and chaos since our world began but God is not caught off guard. His sovereignty and power have not wavered. We need to ask ourselves what we are really trusting in. As believers we have a steadfast Rock, an anchor in the midst of the storm-Christ Jesus our Lord! Right now is a wonderful opportunity for us to return to our faith personally and nationally!

We must not let fear immobilize us or turn us inward! The condition of people around the world has not changed nor our Lord’s passion for them to know Him. The governments and economics of most developing countries are in chaos and near collapse everyday. People in these countries live with these conditions in their normal, daily lives. It is nothing new to be on the brink of disaster at the whim of their government’s corruption and greed. Millions live not only in national crisis but in personal crisis facing death and eternity with no answers. God’s commission to us has not changed to bring His message of hope, comfort and peace through International Christian Hospice. We see this as a time of stretching ourselves in greater faith to follow Him through the many open doors before us.

There is so much to share with you about the past three months of ministry. God has kept us on the edge of our faith-seat as we have seen Him work His wonders. We flew back to Central America in late July. Our car was stored with friends in Sequatepeque, Honduras (we will be back to Sequat. again in our story), and we saddled up for the first leg of ministry which took us to Guatemala. Our plan was to spend a week working with Dr. Sergio Castillo in a small village called Chocola in the tropical, and very hot coastal highlands. It was our honor to host the Ballard family, from our home church Biltmore Baptist in Asheville. Paul, a Physician’s Assistant and Kathy, a Family Nurse Practicianer worked along side Dr. Sergio to provide medical care in his Hospital Cristiano daily clinics.

Their two daughters, Carter and Caroline, helped to conduct VBS for over 50 chilren. The small hospital was the perfect setting for 30 Pastors and church leaders to attend our ICH training. This region of Guatemala includes four indigenous Indian groups. During our week here Dr. Sergio performed a successful surgery on a young man from a remote Tzutujil village four hours walk away. This young man named Manuel, in his mid-twenties, works for a coffee plantation picking and carrying 100 lb. bags out of the mountains for .80 cents a day. Dr. Sergio told us that he had never seen such a large and painful hernia as this man had. We were honored to join Dr. Sergio as he prayed with Manuel and with his small family clan who accompanied him. Later Manuel asked Dr. Sergio “which god did you pray to for me?” Dr. Sergio told him about the Most High God who loves him. Manuel told Dr. Sergio and Paul that in his village they worshipped many gods but “now I have seen the power of Sergio’s One True God”. Please pray for this family and for this unreached village who have been introduced for the first time to the Gospel. Pray for Dr. Sergio as he offers healing of the body and the soul as he treats more than 10,000 people a year.
While in Chocola, we also had the privilege of spending time praying and counseling with a very distraught couple. They are grieving the loss of their daughter-in-law and grandchild in childbirth. They were barely able to hold the family together in the midst of their anger and depression. We shared with them the normal stages of grief that they were experiencing, and also some practical things they can do to help their son and grandson. Psalm 139 spoke God’s reassurances to them and we saw a transformation in their faces. They told us that “now we know that God really does still love us and we can keep going, one day at a time”.
After this time of ministry we began to discuss with Dr. Sergio a common dream. He is interested in opening a Hospice unit within his hospital. This would be the first like this in Guatemala and could meet the needs of people who are dying and have nowhere to be cared for. Please pray for God’s direction and future hospice plans in Chocola.


The next chapter of our work in August took us back to Honduras. An ICH training team arrived to work with us for a week of seminars in the capital city Tegucigalpa and also in the small town of Sequatepeque, which we mentioned earlier. Don and Sue Smith were the team leaders accompanied by Linda Gill, RN and Beverly Decker all from Lexington Baptist Church in S.C. Our hospice training this week began at the Evangelical Hospital with 50+ health promoters who provide healthcare and education in villages all over central Honduras. We were thrilled that these nationals will take the new knowledge of Christian Hospice care and minister to hundreds we could never reach. Another “divine appointment” we had was to meet the General Physician, Dr. Manuel, and learn of his desire to open a hospice unit in this hospital. We are in awe of God giving us this second contact with His people of like mind and vision! There is more to come about this.
Before this week was over God had given us ministry opportunities with 14 different churches, a group of 26 teachers and staff of a Christian school, 2 large elementary school assemblies, several personal counseling and home visits. And as always, we received many invitations to other churches and other towns. This ICH team has truly experienced the eagerness these people have for learning about hospice. They are making plans to return and continue the work early next year.

The last week of August we drove down to Nicaragua and were hosted in their home in Leon by Mike and Maria Saeli, missionaries with Nehemiah Institute, for 5 days. We are blessed with these new friends, who are a delight and inspiration to us! Maria, who had been a hospice nurse in the U.S., accompanied us to the Chinandega area where we presented ICH training to a group of Pastors and church leaders at Bethel Christian Center. In this northern part of Nicaragua many of the men who have been sugar cane field workers are dying of renal failure. Some of them attended our seminar. We also were able to visit in the home of Aleandro who is 31 and his wife Maria, who live in a small Village named Bethel. He told us his story that he was diagnosed with renal failure 6 years ago and gave his heart to Christ 1 year ago. He showed us a photo of him with his brother two days before his brother’s death from renal disease. He spoke of his concern for his two children and wife because he knows he has only months to live. We encouraged him in the knowledge that he has given them the ultimate gift in His example and legacy of faith in Christ. His wife expressed her gratitude, through tears, for our visit and for praying for their family.
God has brought us into Nicaragua to plant the seeds of Christian Hospice and we pray for more opportunities and for more workers to return and water these seeds for the Lord of the harvest.

On September 2nd we traveled to the central part of Nicaragua and met our second ICH team from Lexington Baptist in S.C. We have been so blessed by the partnership we have received from our friends at Lexington. Chuck McCurry was the team leader, accompanied by Margaret Taylor, Shari Phillips, RN and Joyce Turpin. Our thanks to Mike and Joan Vilasi who are missionaries in the small southern town of Rivas. Through their efforts arrangements were made with local believers for a very full and fruitful training schedule. God allowed us to work in some beautiful, but needy locations.
We began by crossing Lake Nicaragua by ferry to the island of Ometepe. On a little side note of interest, this is the only fresh water lake in the world with sharks. Ometepe is made up of twin volcanoes and jungle and is home to about 30,000 people. We spent two days in presenting hospice training to Pastors and church leaders on both sides of the island. God had another divine appointment for us. Pastor Dennis hosted our training in his church, New Jerusalem, then requested that we visit someone with him. He led us down a path through a banana grove and behind a small house to a small, thatched lean-to, home of Alberto. He requires lifting and much assistance just to get dressed and out of the bed. Due to his severe, advanced arthritis Alberto experiences constant pain, depression and other related problems. We discussed some comfort measures and diet plan, gave him some Tylenol and although we encouraged him with scripture and prayer we felt so inadequate as we left. One thing God reminded us of is that Alberto is precious to Him and He called us to that remote spot to bring His touch through our hands. We later learned of a Christian MD who has a clinic on the island and the Vilasis will be working with her to provide care for Alberto.
Back in Rivas we gave a two day seminar in Rain of Grace Church. And rain it did! This is the rainy season and the church was flooded and mud filled the day before we were scheduled. But thankfully the sun came out and church members spent hours cleaning and drying the floor. Many different churches were represented by Pastors and church leaders as well as community leaders and Dr. Aguilar, who is the Director of the public Hospital of Rivas. An amazing discussion took place that day. God brought two specific Pastors and Dr. Aguilar together with us, each of us having the common dream of opening a Christian Hospice facility in Rivas. This was neither preplanned nor expected but I am sure God smiled as we talked excitedly together. Plans began that day for the Christian community and the Medical community to join in ministering to the homeless and needy who are dying. Only our great God could orchestrate this, our third such development in Central America in a matter of weeks, bringing the right people together sharing our vision for hospice. Please pray with us over this third possible opportunity to partner with the national Christians in Central America in Hospice facility ministry.

Before we left Nicaragua our team presented training at the Nehemiah Institute in Managua. 20+ people who are ministering in a huge variety of ways now have received training in hospice care. Our dear missionary friend, Maria Saeli from Leon attended this seminar and boldly told us she would like continue presenting ICH training in the northern region of Nicaragua. Her love for the Nicaraguans and her heart for hospice in Jesus’ name have inspired her. Within days of our leaving Central America we got an email from Maria. She and another missionary, Angi Hopkins, are presenting the training in a church who heard about us but their members could not come when we were there. How we praise God that He is at work in a far greater way than we could have ever imagined!

As we promised, we would like to make one more mention of Sequatepeque. Once again we are storing our car in this town in the heart of Honduras while we are in the U.S. Since we began to work in Central America almost 5 years ago we have felt that one day God would establish a central place for an ICH office. Please pray with us as we are considering this town as our base from which we, and our teams, could easily travel to any Central American country. We are also praying for a national Christian to help us staff this office. For now this is only in the projection stage because we are still awaiting our non-profit status. We are told by the lawyer that it is possible that we will have it by January 2009. In the meantime, we can accept donations for ICH and will give tax receipts as soon as possible.

We hope that you have taken the time to read about our busy ministry over the past three months. Even in light of the difficult economic times for us personally, and we know for many of you, we know that God’s work will continue in His time. He has been our faithful provider and He promises to complete His work in us. Our prayer for you is that you will earnestly seek to know Him and to make Him known!


Our notebooks and calendar are full of contacts and places who have requested ICH training. We feel that we have only scratched the surface. The nations are calling! Our brothers and sisters in the faith are calling to us for the knowledge and tools which we have available at our fingertips. “How can I face death and grief? Does God really care that I am suffering?” These questions haunt us from conversations we have had in a stark, hospital ward in Honduras, in a thatched roof home in Guatemala, beside a hammock bed in Nicaragua, or in a dirt-floored shack in many third world countries.

A letter from a dear friend about his son's going home.

We met Paul Steiner in Nicaragua earlier this year. We told him about the ICH Ministry and the work in Central America. He was very interested and wanted to share his son's story with us. He gave us persmision to use this story to help others thru life's final challenge. The Grace that God gave his family members atests to God's great love for each of us. He peomises that, "He will never leave us or forsake us". Even as we face death He gives us the hope of a new body and everlasting fellowship with Him in Heaven.
Our thanks goes to the Steiner family in appreciation for sharing the story of their son's going home.

HOMEWARD BOUND

Tuesday I was on an early morning flight from Cleveland to Wichita. The night before we had received a call that our twenty-year-old son Paul was in the hospital with serious health problems due to lupus. Paul’s kidneys were so weak and diseased that he would need to leave college. I was afraid. How could I help him walk through this struggle of shattered dreams? Paul had experienced so much pain in his childhood years as an orphan in Guatemala-- and now this. I cried.

“Hi, Dad,” he said as I walked into his room. “It’s good to see you.” We talked a bit about the family before he said, “Dad, I have some business with you. When it’s time for me to die, promise me that you won’t keep me hooked to machines. Let me go be with Jesus. Dad, promise me!”

“Son,” I replied, “I’ll do my best.”

Paul went on. “I want to tell my birth father in Guatemala that I forgive him for killing my birth mom and that I love him. I want to tell him of the joy and peace that I have in Jesus Christ.”

I was amazed. “Paul, you’ve changed! What happened?”

“Last Thursday night, Jesus came to me in a dream. He was right here in my room with outstretched hands, asking me to come home. Dad, you would not believe how beautiful heaven is!”

“What did you tell Jesus?” I asked.

“That I could not go yet!”

“Why was that, son?”

“Dad, I need to tell my birth father that I forgive him for all the things he did.”

“Paul, we’ll do everything we can to find your birth father,” I promised.

Mid afternoon, three of his friends stopped in to visit. While we talked, Paul fell asleep. In his sleep he started talking, inaudibly, weeping as he talked. The four of us, not sure of what was happening, softly sang familiar hymns. When Paul woke up, I asked, “Son, what were you dreaming?”

“Jesus came to me again and asked if I was ready to come home.”

“What did you tell Jesus, Paul?”

“ I am ready.”

The next morning when I returned to his room, I found that Paul had a fever and was very uncomfortable. As his temperature rose, his blood pressure dropped. I read scripture and prayed with him. Late in the night Paul asked, “Dad, if I can’t urinate, does that mean my kidneys quit working?” When I replied that it probably did, he said, “Remember, Dad, I don’t want to be kept alive with a machine.”

Thursday morning I called my wife, Beverly, to tell her that Paul had a rough night. She supported Paul’s request not to allow life support. We prayed for wisdom for the decisions to be made.

Paul was sitting up in bed, when I returned, panicked and in pain, “Where were you, Dad? I’m sorry. I tried to move and I pulled out my IV.”

Since the IV team was unable to restart Paul’s IV, Paul was transferred to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The doctor said that things were not good. “Something grave is wrong in his abdomen. We would like to do exploratory surgery. It will mean a ventilator and, if we can get his blood pressure up, a dialysis machine. The kidneys have shut down. We don’t know what is going on.” The doctor told me that the chances of Paul’s surviving the surgery were fifty/fifty at best and that there was a possibility Paul would need a dialysis machine for the rest of his life.

At that moment I was reminded of the words that Eric, Paul’s younger brother, had spoken to me only thirty minutes earlier. When Eric phoned, he said, “Dad, we don’t want machines to keep Paul alive. Paul’s body is not like most twenty year olds, it is much older than that.” This gave me an overwhelming sense of confirmation that the right decisions were being made.

I explained Paul’s requests to the doctor and his refusal of life support. Since I respected those desires, I could not sign for the operation. I had peace I was telling the doctor the right thing.

I sensed tenderness in the doctor as said he respected my position. He advised me that Paul probably had less than an hour to live. I left to go and stay with our son.

Paul was clearly glad to see me. “Dad, I would like to have an anointing service when my friends come.”

I thought, he has less than an hour to live; his friends have exams this morning, and they’ll never make it. “Paul,” I said, “let’s you and I have the service, and then when your friends come we’ll have another one.”

I held Paul in my arms, his frail and weakened body slowly shutting down. Paul said he was at peace with God. I thanked the Lord for Paul’s life and asked that He would pour out His grace on Paul. I thanked the Lord for the great emotional and spiritual healing that He had done in Paul’s life. Even though I did not understand why Paul had to experience so much pain, I thanked Him for giving Paul the grace to endure it. Paul then prayed a short prayer of thanksgiving for the life and opportunities he had experienced. Then, since there was no oil available, I took my saliva and anointed Paul’s head.

Shortly, the chaplain came and we talked in the hall while the nurses attended to Paul. “The doctors have something they want me to ask you,” the chaplain said. “They do not understand you and your son. They are confused. Why no heroic efforts, no machines?”

“Christians are just passing through this life on their way to a better place,” I shared.

“You don’t understand.” The chaplain tried to explain. “Daily, they deal with distraught families. Even when treating a 90-year-old patient on the verge of death, they are expected to do all they can to keep the person alive for a few more days or weeks. Many of these are Christian families, too. Your son is young, twenty, in the prime of his life. Why, as a father, would you not do everything possible to keep him alive?”

I told him of Paul’s experience of peace and looking forward to heaven. I shared with him my understanding that we place far too much value on our earthly lives, that scripture tells us that life is a prelude to heaven. I explained that Paul knew he was going to have a new, perfect body. Why should I wish to hold him here? Instead I had released him to God’s care and keeping. I knew God could do a miracle and restore Paul’s body, but Paul had already received the ultimate healing of emotion and spirit. To me that was what mattered.

Shortly after this, friends from college walked into his room. I was surprised. Didn’t they have exams? How did they know to come? Then the dean of students walked over to Paul’s bed and said, “I am here to see you.”

Weakly Paul said, “I know, and it will probably be the last time.”

“Paul, would it be ok if we had an anointing service?” the dean asked.

What I had thought could not happen, did, as Paul’s friends gathered around him for the anointing service he desired. The dean prayed and anointed Paul with oil as we quietly sang several hymns. All of us in that holy moment experienced God’s comfort and peace.

Paul’s blood pressure improved and he was allowed to sit in a chair. The nurse agreed to bend the rules for visitors, but only two people at a time. Paul was happy to be up. It hurt a great deal, but he stayed there for three or four hours. For the next eight hours a stream of Paul’s classmates, the soccer coach, and fellow teammates came by. Two by two they came into his room and he challenged each one in their faith walk. They had come to grieve with Paul in this difficult time, but went away blessed, privileged to be at his bedside as he encouraged them on their journey of life.

In the middle of the afternoon the surgeon, who had diagnosed Paul’s illness as lupus just two weeks earlier, stopped by. I asked if Paul’s kidneys could ever recover. He explained that they were too diseased to ever work again. Some of the agony over the decisions we had made earlier eased.

That evening as I sat with Paul, he said to me, “Dad, I am so happy I am going home.” His radiance was intense as he lay there in peace. As Paul slipped away, he left a testimony of a glorious home coming with Jesus.

Paul was gone from this life, but my work was not over. I was committed to finding his birth father and sharing Paul’s story. My flight home, despite the pain of missing Paul, was a celebration of the freedom that my son was experiencing in his heavenly home.

International Christian Hospice

Greetings friends and family! We pray God has been blessing you and growing your faith every day. We have been learning new lessons about His faithfulness as He has led us through times of prayer, waiting, seeking and moving forward. But unchanged is the heartbeat of Jesus’ words which He has called us to.

“The harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38

What a privilege to be called to serve God through ICH and to see Him fulfilling this plan. His desire to reach the people of the world with hope and comfort in Jesus Christ remains foremost in our hearts and minds as we move forward in ministry.
God has opened the opportunity for International Christian Hospice to become an independent non-profit ministry. We are currently involved in the process of applying for this new status. God has blessed us with the assistance of another hospice organization in Columbia, S.C. in this process. Please pray for this to be completed in God’s timing. He has also lead us to establish a new base of ministry in Columbia as well as out of our home in N.C.

More exciting news is about ICH work which is ongoing in Honduras. Our Central American Director, Pastor Francisco Ilias has been busy over the past few months leading ICH training seminars. He has presented training in four cities to

Pastor Associations, churches and volunteers. He has been able to promote the ministry on television stations in two areas. The hospice ministry has been taken by Pastor Francisco in to hospitals, schools and homes. He also presented training to a group of Christian Police officers who desired to know how to help people who are dealing with death. Equipping the nationals for continuing ICH is happening and we praise God for His sustaining power.

We are leaving for Central America for ministry on July 31. It will be a full schedule of travel and training. Three teams will be joining us from two churches. Each team will be working with us in a different country: Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. We will be training new members for training teams for future ICH trips. God is expanding His ministry and needs workers for the harvest. We have been praying for others to experience the blessings through working in the Hospice Ministry. God is not only bringing many from the US but workers from other countries like Pastor Francisco.
Praise God for His faithfulness to us His children.
We are seeking His direction for the future of International Christian Hospice and steadfast hearts to follow where He leads. We appreciate your prayers and financial support. At this time before we receive our tax status number, if you would like to contribute to the ICH Ministry you can give through either Biltmore Baptist, Arden NC or Lexington Baptist in Lexington, SC only as a temporary measure not to be in conflict with either churches existing missions giving program. We will keep you informed on the tax exempt status as it develops.
Serving Him Together,
Ron & Susan Naish
Directors, International Christian Hospice.

International Christian Hospice in Nicaragua February 2008

God’s timing is always just right! Not too early and never too late! Thank you again for your faithful prayers which God answered just 2 days ago in making our Honduras car tags available. The next chapter of ICH in Central America began as we drove into Nicaragua on Saturday, February 9.

Our first week was spent in the northern region near Chinandega. Through contacts in N.C., which include Ron’s sister Arleen, we stayed at the mission project of Vision Nicaragua. God began to show us why He brought us to this area when we met the people of a small village nearby called Bethel. The major job industry of the entire northern region of Nicaragua is sugar cane. Hundreds of men who have been field workers are now suffering with kidney failure. Treatments such as dialysis or transplants are not an option for these men in this poorest of Central American counties. The population of Bethel is approximately 500 and 75 of the men are currently sick and dying. It is believed that the chemicals which are sprayed on the fields, while workers are present, causes this fatal disease. Labor and life is “cheap” here in Nicaragua. We met with a group of Pastors who asked us “what can we do to help these people who are dying? How can we help them and their families?” We spent two days visiting homes in the village and hearing stories of suffering but also of great faith. Brother David, who is dying, and his wife Telma and their family gathered around as Ron showed them our children’s book, God’s Plan. As Telma read aloud from our booklet Words of Comfort tears filled her eyes. Yes, God treasures His children and desires to send words of hope for eternity to those whose health is failing. He desires to give purpose and hope to those who grieve. ICH is coming to Nicaragua “for such a time as this!”

In Managua, we met many Nicaraguan Pastors and church leaders of different evangelical churches. We stayed at the Baptist Mission team house and made plans for future trips and training in partnership with the Nehemiah Center. We also received an invitation to bring our hospice training to the large new Baptist hospital.

It was a joy to meet our missionary friends, Mike and Joan Vilasi who run a children’s home, in the southern town of Rivas. They introduced us to key Pastors in this area who were eager to learn about ICH. We visited Ometepe, famous because it is an island made of two volcanoes, set in the middle of huge Lake Nicaragua. We have been invited by a group of 25 pastors to return to Ometepe and present hospice training to them and their churches. We surprised Dr. Tirza, who has a clinic for the poor on Ometepe, by visiting her clinic one afternoon. We had met her two years ago in Honduras and told her then that someday we knew God would bring ICH to her country of Nicaragua.

We ask that you join us in praying for our future plans to return to Nicaragua. We met so many people who all wanted to know when we would return. We feel as though we have merely scratched the surface during these few weeks and we are excited as we anticipate what God will do! Pray specifically for people to join us. We are hoping to bring ICH teams to Nicaragua for ministry in the early fall. Thanks for standing with us in prayer and support!

In gratitude to our faithful God,

Ron and Susan Naish

January Febuary 08 news letters

News letter International Christian Hospice
January 30, 2008
Ron and Susan Naish

Welcome again to our blogspot updating you on our latest ICH news. We are so thankful for your interest and prayers for our ministry. We pray God’s blessing and direction in your life for this New Year!

We had several weeks in the U.S. over the holidays and enjoyed some great time with family and friends and now we have returned to Latin America for Ministry.

MMI Intl. Dir. Brian, Elizabeth Saunarine , Directors Training




On January 6 Ron flew to Peru for a mission conference with Medical Missions International (MMI). We met their Director of Integrated Health, Elizabeth Saunarine, in November when we presented ICH training at the MMI hospital in Dominican Republic. She invited us to come to the international conference in Peru and Ron presented our ICH training seminar to MMI directors and staff from 7 countries. Ron also had the opportunity to offer the same two day ICH training in a large Catholic church in down town Arequipa. There were 17 attendees from the Catholic Church and a priest from the Anglican Church. These opportunities to present hospice training in both locations, has opened doors for ICH to expand into Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. A big thanks for the MMI team and Directors Brian and Elizabeth for the invitation to present the ICH training to their staff. Please pray for discernment of God’s plan and timing for us to begin work in these countries.

On January 11 Susan flew to Honduras to meet Ron, who flew from Peru, for ministry work in Central America. Sarah Workman, the author and artist who wrote our children’s book God’s Plan, accompanied Susan and she is working with us for a few weeks. She is such a blessing because of her excellent Spanish and her compassion for people and missions. Sarah received her master’s degree in Art Education in December. Please pray with her as she seeks God’s direction for her future. Sarah Teaching Children´s Book below.






Tag less car after one year.
Pastor Francisco, Blanca & baby,

Our first few days in Honduras involved some of the practical issues of life for us in Central America. We hope you remember our story of January ’07 when we drove down from N.C. with our new ministry vehicle, a 2001 Ford Escape. In February ‘07 we registered it in Honduras and applied for tags (they require one on the front and the rear). We were told that there were none in the country. We have been waiting for a year for their arrival along with thousands of other drivers of tag less cars. Ron drove to the city of our registration only to be issued a cardboard provisional tag. Still no metal tags in Honduras. This provisional tag, now proudly displayed in the front window, allows us legal passage over the roads in Honduras but we cannot go across country borders until we have the official metal tags in place. We heard a rumor today that the tags may be issued the first week of February and if you do not pick them up on time you will be substantially fined. So we have developed plan A, B and C. We are scheduled to travel to Nicaragua in February so (A) Susan may travel on alone by bus (ahhh…fond memories of early days of ministry in Central America!) to get the ministry going while Ron remains in Honduras, continuing to inquire daily at the tag office. Or (B) we may both travel by bus to Nicaragua leaving the car in Tegucigalpa and Ron will return for the tags later. Or (C) we both wait and postpone our work in Nicaragua. We thank many of you who are praying for us and trust that God will reveal what we should do according to His plan.

Another interesting thing happened just today regarding our car. Ron noticed that the gears were shifting hard as we ascended and descended the steep hills here in Tegucigapa (some say it reminds them of San Francisco). We made it up the last incline and into the parking space of the hotel to discover that the clutch had gone out. God reminded us again of how good He is by his protection and we praise Him that this did not happen 2 days ago. On Monday we drove across 5 mountain ranges from San Pedro to Tegucigalpa bringing Sarah, Pastor Francisco, his wife and 5 week old baby with us. God also arranged for us to make it to the hotel parking lot where the hotel owner will allow us to leave it for a few days. Not only are we and the car safe but we are expecting our mission team from Lexington S.C. to arrive tomorrow. After several emails and phone calls to them we are resting in the knowledge that they will be bringing the needed parts with them. A big thank you to our friends in Lexington! Is our God big??? Huge!!!

It may be hard for some people to understand the importance of our transportation but our ministry happens because we are mobile. We spend our entire time traveling from city to town to village bringing the Hospice training to the people. This is the heart of Hospice; going where the people live and die with the message of hope and comfort in Jesus name.

Over the past two weeks we have given ICH seminars in three churches. Now there are 110 more Christians trained in Hospice ministry. We also had the opportunity to introduce ICH to a gathering of 250 Evangelical Pastors at a Central American Missions Association meeting. The concept of Hospice care is unknown here and sharing this unique concept as a church outreach program interests everyone we talk to. We have had several meetings with our web site developer and now have some video interviews, which were done in a small television station, added to our web page. We hope that this will personalize our ministry information that is available.

CAM Pastors Association


Ron & Susan On TV for Web Page

We must include two stories about people with whom we visited and how God is using ICH. Our missionary friend, Dr. Barbra McCune who works here in Tegucigalpa, told us about a little 4 year old girl named Marta Cristina. Her parents brought her to the government hospital here in December. She had been treated unsuccessfully for parasites for many weeks in her small town clinic as her tummy grew larger. Her diagnostic tests revealed a large, inoperable tumor. Dr. McCune is consulting on her case and we arranged to visit her at the hospital along with our ICH Coordinator Lourdes Argueta. The government hospital offers “free” medical care but that does not include sheets, towels, personal care items, food, medicines or tests. Cristina’s parents have been taking shifts staying with her, one at a time as the rules allow, while the other sleeps in the hallway on the floor or goes out to buy food and necessities. Occasionally her father will travel two hours by bus back to their home to see their other two children left in the care of relatives. When we arrived her father had gone to the lab in another building to deliver Cristina’s blood specimen drawn by the ward nurse. Susan was able to take gifts of towels, shampoo and soap enough to share with the other 20 children in the ward. She cried, talked and prayed with the mom, Miriam, and little Cristina. Dr. McCune shared that the prognosis is poor and so we are so thankful that Lourdes met this family and will be able to provide ICH trained people to support and minister to this family. Please also pray for the parents who are nominal Catholics that God’s message of hope in Christ will transform the life of their family for eternity. Below is Cristina and her mother in the hospital.















Lourdes, Susan & Dr McCune and Ron Cristina’s Father in Center

One evening, after we had presented our Hospice training in a church on the outskirts of the city, we walked down a rocky, dusty road to the home of Ever. He is an 18 year old, double complete amputee, who lives with his 72 year old grandmother and caregiver. Two years ago Ever had a gunshot wound to his lumbar spine. Due to severe infections in the bones of both legs he had total leg amputations to save his life. He also has a colostomy and urinary catheter, as well as bedsores on both hips. The sadness in our hearts over this tragic situation was lightened by Ever’s beautiful smile when we arrived unannounced. He was lying in a clean bed, on an air mattress, and his worn Gideon New Testament was on the bed beside him. His room was bare except for a small TV with rabbit ears and snowy reception on a small table. Ever assured us that he had placed his faith in God and trusted Him with the rest of his life. We are humbled by the great love our Father has for “the least of these” and we praise Him for bringing us to this church and neighborhood so we could meet this extraordinary young man of faith. Dr. Fu, our ICH Honduran Medical Coordinator, was with us that day too. He is planning to visit and manage Ever’s medical care in his home for free. This compassionate Christian doctor was sent to us from God last August when he attended one of our hospice training seminars. He has committed himself to giving free home medical care for any ICH patients. He not only ministers to them medically but he also prays, sings and reads scripture with them. We overheard him discussing plans to return with food which he will cook for Ever and his grandmother. The truth that God has “a future and a plan for us, to prosper us and not to harm us” as Jeremiah 29:11 tells us was evident in this home that day. In the face of tragedy and a very poor prognosis Ever’s attitude of peace and trust spoke volumes. Please pray for Ever, his grandmother and also the ICH volunteers who will be ministering to this family.

Ever with a great attitude, Dr. Fu, Grandmother, Ron & Ever

As you can see these few weeks of ministry have been full, demanding and rewarding. How thankful we have a Savior who is adequate for every situation and who longs to show His love for all people whether they have many years or a few days left to live.
We are here because God has called you to be our support in prayer and in giving and we thank Him for each of you. We are blessed with the opportunity of a life time to be here serving the one who is Faithful.

We would love to hear from you through our main email address ronnaish@bellsouth.net.
Check out our web site at: www.ichospice.org
We are receiving ministry donations at: (Note donations are Tax Deductible)

International Christian Hospice
145 Chillingham Rd.
Irmo, SC 29063


With grateful hearts,

Ron and Susan Naish
February 8, 2008
Newsletter for International Christian Hospice from
Ron and Susan Naish

Thank you for returning to our blogspot and for your interest in our ministry. We hope you had a chance to read our newsletter from January 30th. This update will tell you the “Rest of the story” as Paul Harvey used to say. A lot has happened in just 8 days.

We welcomed our International Christian Hospice mission team from Lexington, S.C. on January 31st. We know that you have joined us in praying for our vision that God would raise up Christians from the U.S. to bring this ministry of hope in Christ to other countries around the world and also national Christians to lead ICH in Central America. It has been exciting to see how God has brought these two teams together. From Honduras we have our Central American ICH Director Pastor Francisco Ilias, our ICH Honduran Coordinator/Translator Lourdes Argueta and our ICH Honduran Medical Coordinator Dr. Marcos Fu. From Lexington we have our ICH Team Leader Chuck McCurry, and team members Don Smith, Devon Shelton and Shari Phillips. We believe that each of these people have been hand picked by God to participate in the eternal impact of this ministry. What a joy to work together as a team over the past week!











Devon Shelton with Ever, Don Smith with Ever, Team from Lexington Baptist

We introduced you to Ever in our last letter. Visiting with Ever was one of the first events on our team’s agenda. The people from Lexington brought medical supplies and gifts for Ever and his grandmother and we had a great time visiting with them. Dr. Fu is giving Ever free medical care in his home although his prognosis is poor. Shari and Susan were able to give some practical nursing instructions. He is currently battling a serious infection and large bedsores and we are praying he will respond to treatment that will give him comfort and a better quality of life. Ever and his grandmother continue to testify to God’s love and peace in midst of this physical tragedy.

Dr. Barbra McCune, our missionary consultant here in Honduras, met with the team briefly. We learned that little Cristina is still in the hospital receiving some treatment to hopefully shrink the size of her liver tumor. She has continued to weaken and will soon be in the arms of Jesus. Our ICH volunteers are continuing to visit to provide support and prayer and Dr. Barbra is following with both physical and spiritual care. Please continue to pray for this family.

The team was invited to present our first ICH seminar at Jehovah Shalom Evangelical Church by Pastor Giraldo, who is a completed Jew in Jesus. After thirty minutes of vibrant praise and worship we presented hospice training to 60 people, most of which were older teens and young adults. These young Christians are


Team with Pastor Giraldo & wife, Sheri teaching at Shalom, Excitement over ICH Certificates


already going out in small teams to surrounding villages sharing the Gospel. A group of 10 volunteered to specifically organize Hospice outreach as an additional ministry of this church.

We left the mountainous capital city, Tegucigalpa, by van and traveled out into the dry, dusty interior of Honduras known as Olancho. This reminded us a little of the “wild west” as we saw cattle and cowboys in the long stretches between towns. The team presented training in two towns to 78 representatives from several different denominations. The highlight of our time with these believers was joining them in visiting patients at the local hospital. We were honored to encourage and pray with many people who were very sick. The nurse from the church also shared scripture and poems from our Words of Comfort booklet with several patients. These believers know the reality of being the hands and feet of Jesus. That day we also accompanied two of the ladies who received our hospice training out to a small village to visit Julia, her husband and three children. This couple both have AIDs and we know that the ICH newly trained volunteers will be continuing to minister to them.
Julia in village HIV positive
Devon comforting patient , Team praying for patient in hospitalBefore we left the town of Catacamas we enjoyed a short tour of some ancient caves. As we walked on the trail above the underground river we were able to get a glimpse into the life of the ancient people who buried their dead high up in crevasses in the caverns.

On Tuesday Feb. 5 we all returned to Tegucigalpa. The Lexington team caught their flight back to the U.S. It was a great time of ministry and plans were made for future work together with the Honduran ICH Team. We are anticipating a future of growth as God continues to build International Christian Hospice staff both here in Central America and the U.S.


New tags and windshield, Replacing windshield






We also want to let you know how God has answered prayers about the issues with our Ford Escape. The Lexington team was true to their word and they arrived with the new parts we needed. Ron was able to fix the car himself here in the hotel parking lot. Also Ron made a phone call a few days ago to the license tag office and learned that our tags are finally here, Praise the Lord! It has been a long year of uncertainty. Since the office is on the other side of Honduras it was necessary yesterday for him to fly to the city of La Ceiba to pick them up then back to Tegucigalpa. Late yesterday afternoon we drove the Escape and Ron was able to change gears smoothly (Thank you Lexington friends!) and proudly “sport” our shiny, new tags. In Central America tags stay with a vehicle for it’s life. We also want to say a big thank you to donors who provided for a replacement windshield. Last year a rock and the hot sun cracked it severely. God is Good!

We want to give you a preview of our plans for the next few weeks of ministry so you can be praying specifically. Tomorrow we will drive south and cross the border for our first trip into Nicaragua. We are now able to do this since we have our official tags on the car. Our plans are uncertain but we are hoping to make contact with missionaries, national Pastors and medical facilities in the northern area of Leon, midway down the country in the capital of Managua then south in Rivas. Please continue to pray for our safety in travel, for God to connect us with the people He chooses and for open doors for Christian Hospice.

We know that you all, our family and friends, have been so faithful and supportive in praying and also giving to International Christian Hospice. Thank you because we know that you are behind us. We feel your prayers. We are learning more each day about walking by faith in God’s provision for ministry needs through you. God’s blessings to you! Please watch our blogspot (ichospice.blogspot.com) for more news next month. Also our web site: www.ichospice.org

We are receiving ministry donations :

International Christian Hospice

145 Chillingham Rd.

Irmo, SC. 29063

Please email us anytime at our main email address: ronnaish@bellsouth.net
We would love to hear from you!


Serving Him together, Ron and Susan