• International Christian Hospice News Update for January 2010
  Ecuador is an amazingly beautiful country set within the majestic Andes Mountains of South America. It was our privilege to fly to Quito, the capitol, and spend 10 days learning and experiencing some of what God is doing there. Since meeting Sheila Leech, RN in November at the Global Health Mission Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, we were eager to respond to her invitation to visit the two organizations she is working with which provide hospice care in Ecuador.

  HCJB (radio call letters) has been present for nearly 80 years in Ecuador as the hub of Christian radio broadcasts. Not only do they minister with multilingual radio programming stations all over the world but they also have a Medical Mission arm of which Sheila is the International Director. She has served in Ecuador for 30 years and currently organizes and leads medical teams to provide health care globally. Sheila has just returned from doing medical relief work in Haiti. Please pray with us for Sheila and her team of doctors and nurses, both U.S. and Ecuadorians, who are at this time giving medical care in Ghana, Africa in Jesus’ name. We wish to thank her for her hospitality and time spent with us during her brief time back at her base of ministry in Quito between her worldwide travels.
  One of the highlights of our time in Ecuador included Hospice Children’s Day. 30 children, whose families have been served by Hospice and have experienced a death of a loved one this past year, gathered Saturday January 23rd for a day of fun and learning. The Palliative Care/Hospice staff, including medical doctors, nurses, a psychologist, volunteers and chaplains of the Jersey Foundation presented activities, games and crafts designed to address the grief of these children. We all had fun participating and helping the children to express their feelings and each were given opportunities to talk about their loved one who died. Much creativity and love went into their creations of memory boxes and stickpin boards. Several HCJB volunteers, including Sheila, minister with the Jersey Foundation in hospice patient care, support groups and bereavement of adults and children.
  The Jersey Foundation has a Palliative Care/ Hospice program unique to the Quito area. The missionary director, Dr. Nicky Bailhache from Jersey Island of England, invited us to observe several aspects of the ministry she has developed over the past nine years. She, along with Ecuadorian Dr. Ximena Pozo, are both specialists in Palliative Care and provide disease and symptom management for patients who have terminal illnesses. We accompanied Dr. Nicky and Amanda, registered nurse, on home visits one day. We saw the love of God in action as they helped patients and families who are coping with physical, emotional and spiritual problems common near the end of life.
  Later in the week Sheila Leech invited us to the Day Hospice Center which she directs for HCJB. We enjoyed a delightful day with five patients who are terminally ill but still able to gather for crafts, music, Bible study and a meal once a week. We were honored to see this loving, volunteer team laugh with, serve and bring God’s living word into the lives of people who are often the forgotten ones.
  What great learning experiences we had this week observing and working with others who have the common passion for Christ-centered Hospice care around the world. Thank you to the Jersey Foundation Team for their time meeting with us and sharing what they have learned. We remember the words spoken to us by the nurse Amanda after a home visit, “How can someone hear our words if they are suffering and in pain?” Another person once said, “People don’t care about what you know until they know that you care!” Our Savior taught us by example as He ministered to people’s physical needs so their spiritual eyes could be opened. These truths are coming to life through this vibrant, God directed hospice ministry tucked away in the Andes Mountains.
  One afternoon we had the opportunity to take a tram-lift from the city of Quito which is at 9,000 ft. elevation up to 13,400 ft. for breathtaking views. Yes, literally breathtaking! Our cardiovascular and respiratory systems had to adjust to this height where oxygen masks are recommended if one were in an airplane at that altitude. We hiked slowly up to where we could view the snow capped volcano Cotopaxi to the south emerging between layers of clouds and a glistening glacier to the east. Although we wore coats and hats because of the frigid wind, we both got light sunburns on our limited amount of exposed skin. Weather on the equator is so unique that the temperature varies only a few degrees year round.
  We were greatly encouraged and uplifted through the things we learned during this time of ministry. We feel like we were students in school again and we eagerly tried to absorb all we could about hospice serving the people in this culture. God has shown us some exciting new possibilities for International Christian Hospice through all the people we met serving Him in Ecuador. We also learned more about the challenges we face in order to grow International Christian Hospice in the direction He desires.
  We anticipate this year to be one of growth and request that you join us in prayer for the following:
  · Additional board members, particularly a Medical Director
  · Technical assistance with web and media
  · Revised, improved and expanded training materials and modules
  · Follow-up ministry among the existing ICH trained Pastors, Volunteers and Medical Personnel
  · God directed strategy to fulfill the organizational vision and goals
  · Financial partners who have the common passion of reaching people who are nearing death with the comfort, peace and hope only Christ can give
  
  
  
• In February and March we will be returning to Honduras and Guatemala. Pray for us as we travel and also for a Team from Lexington, S.C. who will be joining us there in ministry.
  
  

God bless you for your interest and for any financial gifts that God may lead you to give.
Please make them to: International Christian Hospice Tax deductible receipts available.
145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063

International Christian Hospice Newsletter October to December 2009
Christmas blessings to you in honor of our Savior Jesus Christ… Immanuel… God with us!
Thank you, everyone, for your love, support and prayers as we have completed our 6th year of service to God. We desire to give Him the praise for what He has done and for what He has in store for the future!
Would you like to join us in ministry here or abroad this coming year? Help is needed on Mission Teams and in administrative/organizational work. Please contact us by email or phone.
October teturn to Honduras:

Thank you for your prayers for Ron and Don Smith as they experienced a very fruitful and safe time in Honduras. God went before them in preparing the way for several important meetings. Plans were made with our ICH Central American Director, Pastor Francisco Ilias and Central American Director of Volunteers, Lourdes Arguetta, for teams returning to Honduras in 2010. They met with key leaders of many churches, the Evangelical Hospital and Project Aldea Global to continue prayer and dialog about expansion of ICH in Central America. During their time in Honduras the political situation remained uncertain but order is returning. They witnessed that God is empowering the Honduran believers and current government leaders to stand firm against the unconstitutional dictatorship President Zaleya attempted to establish last June. They heard many testimonies of prayer and spiritual revivals occurring in towns and villages throughout the country in spite of the increasingly desperate economical times they are living in. God’s mighty hand is continuing His purpose through His people there and His purpose for ICH bringing hope and peace even in uncertain times. The latest news is of a peaceful election on November 29th and a new President who begins his term in January. Pray for this man and this nation to remain a democratic nation with strong spiritual freedom.

November : - Global Missions Health Conference in Louisville, Kentucky
-ICH Team Conference Day in Lexington, S.C.
“Every year it just gets better!” We agree that this Louisville conference week has become a highlight of our year! We were honored to rub shoulders with thousands of people serving Christ through health care ministries from all over the world. ICH was among hundreds of exhibitors and we thank our four ICH team leaders and Sean Steiner from Abby Road Hospice who attended with us and helped to man our booth. God’s presence was felt and He reminded us all as we listened to powerful speakers and fellow missionaries that, " HE IS ALIVE AND ACTIVELY CHANGING LIVES THROUGH THE HANDS OF HEALTH CARE WORKERS AROUND THE WORLD"!

The ICH Team is growing, Praise God! Saturday, November 21, we had a great day of planning, sharing and prayer at Lexington Baptist Church. We thank the twelve people, representing four churches, who gathered with us because they share the same vision for taking the good news of hope in Christ around the world. We are seeing the reality of the dream God gave us for multiplying teams of ICH trainers to be prepared to move through open doors of opportunity. Please continue to pray for these and many more folks to join ICH in short or long-term ministry.
December: Dominican Republic Mission trip Ron and Susan were accompanied by four team members for ten days of ministry. It was a privilege to offer ICH training seminars to over 200 people, in churches, an AIDs treatment clinic and mission training center located in five districts of the Dominican Republic. Many testimonies were given like the woman who stood and told us about her mother’s recent illness and death. She shared with the group that the teaching we gave was just what she had experienced and she wished she had known before what to expect and what to do. One Pastor shared with the group that the ICH information is powerful and necessary for his church members because right now they know many people in their town who are sick and dying. He expressed his desire for more training and issued an invitation to speak to 200 additional Pastors from many denominations. Thank you to our Nazarene friends for opening this huge door where the need is so great. Thanks also to those who are providing medical care to over 3,000 people at the IDEV AIDs Clinic. We pray that our teaching about how to minister to people with life-threatening illnesses and grief will reflect the compassionate heart of God to those they touch daily.
On Sunday we were refreshed and ministered to in a worship service lead by our missionary friend Dr. Francisco Sabado. He and his wife, Dr. Diane, are currently caring for patients in need of palliative and hospice care in the home setting. We will never forget the surprise “Christmas Caroling” we received the evening before we left. We opened our front door when we heard Caribbean style drums, tambourines and percussion instruments wishing us “Felice Navidad”. This group of ten friends from church danced and sang their way into the house and then we served cookies and cokes to complete the celebration. Unfortunately we had to decline the tradition of joining them to move on from home to home singing then gathering more people along the way all night long.
What’s ahead in 2010?

January: Ron and Susan will be traveling to Ecuador to visit with a Hospice Mission currently active in Quito. They hope to learn how hospice is meeting needs and reaching both home care patients and in-patients. Please pray!

February: Ron and Susan will be ministering in Honduras. A team from Lexington Baptist Church will join them to lead a week of Hospice training seminars. Please pray!
Spring Please pray for ministry plans that are pending. We need God’s guidance and discernment as we consider the direction of ICH in two areas: returning for follow-up to countries where current ICH ministry is being done and expanding into new countries from which we are receiving a growing number of invitations. Please pray also for financial resources so that ICH can continue to take the message of hope and comfort in Christ to people who are dying around the world!
As we come to the end of 2009 and look forward to the new beginning in 2010 may God’s Word speak from His heart to yours!
Psalm 119:29-31(NLT) “Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in the heaven. Your faithfulness extends to every generation…your laws remain true to this day, for everything serves your plan. “

Serving Him with you,
Ron and Susan Naish intlchristianhospice@yahoo.com 803-781-0656
Tax deductible Donations received at: ICH 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063

News from ICH missionary to South Africa LaVerne Busbee
LaVerne has written some great news of God’s work in South Africa! Recently two ladies made decisions for Christ because LaVerne is faithfully ministering to the sick and dying. She wrote of the funeral she attended which left several orphaned children. The Pastors sometimes performs 3 funerals a day because of AIDs. Many of the orphaned children come to the Center where she

teaches Bible lessons and offer a midday meal. LaVerne is also giving Hospice training at the Center to volunteers in the Home Based Care. These ladies proudly wear their aprons as they work alongside LaVern visiting and demonstrating Christ’s love in the villages. It is through these home visits and hands-on care that God is opening many more hearts to the Gospel of peace and hope amidst the ever present toll AIDs is taking on the lives of the young and the old. Please pray for LaVern as she ministers with ICH.

Newsletter July-September 2009
International Christian Hospice (ICH)

Dear family and friends,

Thank you for your prayers and understanding about the recent email scam against us. It was distressing to experience someone falsely impersonating us as being stranded in England and needing funds then pirating away our complete contact list. Thankfully we still had access to our old email through Bellsouth so we could alert most of you. Please note this new email address which will now be our primary contact place at intlchristianhospice@yahoo.com. No one is immune to these sorts of “bumps in the road” but God was not surprised nor was His plan thwarted for us and ICH. We are trusting in Him as we press on with the work He has given us of taking hope and comfort in Christ to the world!
July and August What is happening in Honduras and Guatemala?
Proverbs 16:9 “We can make our plans but the Lord determines our steps.” Most of you are aware of the unstable political situation in Honduras since President Zelaya was removed and replaced by Micheletti in early July. Through phone conversations and emails we have stayed in touch with missionary and national friends in Honduras. They all are OK but everyone is feeling the impact of limited travel, decreased supply and higher prices of goods, uncertainty about the future of their democracy and freedom. It was a difficult decision to cancel our travel taking one of our teams to Honduras this summer. We continue to ask for prayer for this country, its’ government, the believers and particularly those who are doing and receiving Christian Hospice care. We thank God for the many ICH trained volunteers, Pastors and leaders who now are continuing the work to bring hope in Christ especially when the circumstances around look grim. Ron with Don Smith, a Team Leader from Lexington, S.C. will be traveling to Honduras in October to encourage our friends and view the situation making plans for our return to Central America in January. Please pray for these dear folks and for God’s direction for ICH ministry in this region.

Our thanks to the 8 members of our Guatemala Team from Biltmore Baptist Church. They joined us in ministry in the Hospital Cristiano Santa Fe about 45 minutes from Matzatenango.
It was an amazing week and we saw God’s hand everywhere we turned. We worked along side Dr. Sergio Castillo and his wife Veronica who serve the poor among their own people offering health care and God’s love. As Dr. Sergio says, “We do not only heal the body but the spirit also, in Jesus’ name.” During our 10 days of ministry there were 8 adults and 200 children who received Christ. Our team offered pre and post-op care for surgical patients, vision screening and fitting of glasses for over 100 people, a fresh coat of paint at another clinic site, VBS daily with over 200 children attending from the surrounding villages, and Christian Hospice training or Pastors, health care workers and

church volunteers. The team had several opportunities to go into homes to visit and minister personally to individual families. One day Dr. Sergio introduced us to Bayron, Lucianna and their 3 sons. Bayron has been one of his patients and now is dying of end stage liver disease at the age of 39. Because of his addiction to alcohol his family has experienced many crisis, loss of job and home, and now Bayron is beyond medical help. His days are spent mostly sleeping, fighting high fevers, some mental confusion and eating very little. Lucianna tends a small store out of the front room of their small rental home to keep them going. They have had problems with their oldest teenaged son rebelling and staying out of the home until late at night. Three team members, Yesinia, Teresa and Terry, joined with us to visit their home one afternoon. Everyone was home and we had a precious time of listening to them talk about their lives and also sharing the good news of hope and peace through Christ.

That day we knelt with Bayron, Lucianna, and the 2 older sons as they decided to follow Jesus. Joy and tears marked a new beginning and Ron encouraged Bayron with a reminder that he now has the opportunity to “finish well” leaving a legacy of faith for his sons rather than hopelessness and failure. The next day we returned for a follow-up visit and heard Bayron and Lucianna testify to the changes they were already experiencing as God was taking their fears, anxiety and anger and replacing it with peace and a harmony they had not experienced in their home before. We also were able to introduce a local Pastor and his wife, who had received ICH training, to them that day and left them visiting together. Recently we received an email from Yesinia, our young Guatemalan seminary student, translator and friend. She had spoken by phone with Lucianna who happily reports although Bayron’s condition remains weak and unchanged he has had no alcohol since he gave his life to Christ. She also says that their son is staying home after school and has a new respect for them that makes them very proud. We stand in awe of God’s transforming power and feel so privileged to carry the message of His redeeming love around the world through the ministry of International Christian Hospice.

What is happening in South Africa?

LaVern Busbee is now living and working in an area of small villages about 4 hours north of Johannesburg. She is spending her time ministering to AIDs families and orphans. Part of her responsibilities include helping with care of children, many who are HIV positive. She assists and provides training to home health workers traveling the region and going into homes providing Christian hospice care. Please pray for LaVerne as she organizes and leads in establishing home-based hospice care and finds opportunities to share Jesus’ love with the dying.

September : Organizational expansion opportunities are in the works!

ICH is in the early stages of sharing the common goal of serving the dying of northern Nicaragua with a mission agency Vision Nicaragua. This organization has worked in Nicaragua for several years developing a 10 acre multifunctional center which provides jobs, medical clinic care and spiritual training. Nearby, in one small village of 500 people, over 50 men are currently dying of renal failure caused by exposure to chemicals used in sugar cane farming. This situation is replicated throughout this region. Last year Vision Nicaragua hosted us as we gave our ICH training seminar and 45 Pastors, church leaders and laypeople from the area attended,

many who are infected or are widowed. The personal stories they shared with us opened our eyes to the reality of life and death they face every day. We asked ourselves how can we more effectively assist these people? As God has led, the leaders of Vision Nicaragua approached us about the possibility of planning and building our first Christian Hospice center which could provide hospice training, clinical outpatient monitoring, family support as well as inpatient care for terminal patients at this center. Please pray along with us for God’s timing and guidance as we consider this ministry opportunity with Vision Nicaragua over the coming months
It was a great time of fellowship and sharing about ICH as we attended Global Impact Celebration at Biltmore Baptist Church. Thank you to all who stopped by our booth and also the Connect Group for your support and welcome. We pray that God will continue to confirm His call in people’s hearts for service, prayer and support of missions around the world.
Prayer needs coming up
October Pray for Ron and Don Smith, team leader from Lexington, S.C. as they travel and work in Honduras.
November Global Medical Missions annual conference in Louisville, Ky. during which we will have a booth in the expo center. Several ICH volunteers will be attending and manning the booth with us. Pray for safety in travel and for the contacts that God has for us to make at the conference with people interested in the ministry.
December Travel and ministry with teams joining us in Dominican Republic. Plans are being made to work with the medical staff at an AIDs clinic and to offer training seminars to a large Pastor’s association. Please pray for the necessary communication, planning and preparations over the next few weeks.

2010

• Pray for God’s leadership in as we consider ministry work in the following countries next year: Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Nepal, Ukraine and Moldova.

• Pray that people will join us in short or long term ministry.

• Pray for financial provision for the work God has in store.

• Pray with us that our faithful God will be glorified in all that is done in His name through

International Christian Hospice.
Serving Him with you,

Ron and Susan

Tax deductible donations can be sent to:
International Christian Hospice 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063
Email contact: intlchristianhospice@yahoo.com.

News Letter International Christian Hospice June 2009
(ICH is now a nonprofit organization and donations are tax deductible)
Greetings and blessings to all of you! God has given us an awesome spring! He has been faithful to carry out His plan for our lives and for International Christian Hospice. All we have to do is be obedient and show up. He does the rest!
We would love to introduce you to some of the wonderful people we met in Moldova and Ukraine in April. We had the honor of staying in the home of a lovely, young family in the town of Vinnitsa, Ukraine. The Pochapsky family, Vova, Tanya and their three girls (number 4 is on the way), hosted us and introduced us to Ukrainian life, language, food and culture. Tanya is a wonderful cook! Our favorite dish was Borsht, a savory vegetable soup featuring home grown beets. Beets are a very important and versatile crop of Eastern Europe from which they get all of their sugar (it isn’t red, but light tan granules). From their front yard you can smell the aroma wafting up the hillside from the chocolate factory. We knew immediately that we love this country!
Vova, who speaks fluent Russian, Ukrainian and English, was our translator as he took us to meetings with local believers. Vova’s large extended family, as well as many of the other Christians who survived the Soviet occupation, have a powerful, unwavering faith in God. He shared personal stories of God’s unfailing presence in the face of persecution and hardships that we can only imagine. We were humbled to celebrate our Savior’s resurrection as we worshipped shoulder-to-shoulder with our new friends. Thanks to several native Russian speakers from Columbia, S.C. we arrived with all our training material ready to share. It was a great honor to introduce them to Christian Hospice ministry. The concept of going out into the communities with a ministry of care and comfort in Christ will give them a practical avenue to share the gospel. Having lived through an era of suppression and fear they are ready to learn and exercise their freedom of faith. God’s timing for bringing us here was perfect as always!
Our train travel in Eastern Europe definitely merits a few lines of description. This mode of transportation is the most popular, comfortable and economic. We had two opportunities for adventure as we joined Russians, Ukrainians and Moldovans on the Moscow train. Vova waved goodbye from the platform through the billowing smoke as we began our 10 hour trip from Vinnitsa, Ukraine to Chisinau, Moldova. This leg of our travel was in the daytime and we probably annoyed our Russian cabin mates (4 person bunk/bench cabins) leaning over them to watch the beautiful countryside glide by. So far our Russian language skills included “hello, please, thank you and God bless you.” Of course, Ron also utilized the word “Uaz”, in our mostly sign language conversations. Uaz is the name of a classic Russian-made jeep seen mostly on very muddy roads in villages. At one point, to his delight, he even got to examine Vova’s father’s Uaz and sit behind the wheel. 90% of Ukraine is rich black soil, the envy of most surrounding countries. During the past century, Germany and Russia hauled train car loads of soil out of Ukraine. It is considered the “breadbasket of Eastern Europe”. We soaked in the early, spring green of the vast agricultural fields, blossoming fruit trees and flowers. At the border crossing into Moldova, we remained in our cabin. We submitted our passport for examination to the officers who stood in our cabin doorway and after more sign language, nods and smiles we were cleared to continue our journey. One necessary activity during our travel was a trip to the restroom. At the end of the car was the facility including fresh air and a view. Thankfully, handholds are provided to compensate for the rhythmic sway of the train. Upon pushing levers, both sink and toilet drains open and empty onto the tracks passing beneath. We had been puzzled as to why the restroom was locked during the frequent station stops. Mystery solved!
Moldova is a small country between Ukraine and Romania, about the size of Massachusetts. Chisinau is the large , capital city. We had a wonderful week of ministry teaching in the Moldova Bible Seminary. This is the only school in Moldova providing a three year program of Biblical education for Pastors, Educators and church leaders. We considered it an honor to be invited to share a week of Christian Hospice training with the second year students. These dedicated young adults are required to study challenging subjects such as theology, Biblical history and hermeneutics, not in their native Romanian tongue, but all classes are in English. An interesting fact that was shared with us was that Moldova has the highest number of missionaries going out to other former soviet countries. Currently student teams are preparing to go to Kyrgyzstan. The experience of death and grief has no geographic boundary. These students will be equipped with a better understanding of this difficult time and with skills in sharing Christ’s love when people are open to hearing there is hope beyond the grave.
During this week we gave our ICH training also in the evening to other local Christians. God connected us with Rodica Cerbova, a national, who is closely connected to the government medical care system in Moldova. She and her husband, who have planted and pastor a new evangelical church in a village, live to serve their own people. We spent a day with her visiting a local hospital and discussing her connections with influential people. As we prayed together with Rodica, all of us sensed a strong bond of desire to bring Christian Hospice care into the medical system and homes of the people of Moldova. God gave each of us a confidence and excitement for His plan for future partnering together.
Another 14 hour train trip, this time at night, returned us back across the border to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. God blessed us with a great time of meetings with missionaries and nationals in the setting of one of the oldest, classic cities of Europe. Some of the world’s most beautiful art and music come to us from Kiev. We also saw vividly the spiritual darkness and need for hope and peace found only through Christ. All forms of gambling, unrestricted alcohol and prostitution are legal in all of Eastern Europe. God connected us with some very strong believing churches and seminaries where He is raising up nationals with the message of Truth that sets all men free. He has shown us many doors of hospice opportunities and we know He is leading us to return for future ministry.
The months of May and June have been filled with stateside ministry development and team training. Our first Board of Directors meeting was held in Columbia, S.C. and we are praising God for those who are joining us with fresh vision in planning the direction for the future. He has raised up 2 teams who are planning to accompany us to Central America In July and August. In July we will be sending out our first missionary to South Africa, La Verne Busbee. She will be opening up Christian hospice care with AIDs orphans, widows and families in villages north of Johannesburg for her first term of one year.
As you can see we have much to praise God for, much for which to continue to trust Him and much we are believing Him for in the future. Thank you once again for your prayers, your giving and believing with us that International Christian Hospice can bring hope and comfort to the dying around the world!
Praises
*Ukrainian and Moldovan believers now equipped with ICH ministry-Open doors for future
* Teams joining us for ministry in July and August
*First Board of Directors meeting successful
Prayers
*Safe and healthy travel for Ron and Susan for 2 months of international ministry ahead
*Preparation, travel and ministry for teams and people in Guatemala and Honduras
*Political situation in Honduras, national Christians
*Financial, staffing and training development needs of ICH
Serving our Lord with you,
Ron and Susan Naish, Directors
All Donations Are Tax Deductible mailed to our office at:
International Christian Hospice 145 Chillingham Rd. Irmo, S.C. 29063

International Christian Hospice Newsletter
January -March 2009

“…and now, O Lord, give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching Your word…They testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them.” Acts 4:29, 33

Dear Family and Friends,

God has chosen to place all of us in an exciting and crucial time of history! Many people today are tempted to live in doubt, fear and depression over the world’s current financial and political situation. In Acts we read about the first century church which faced a very similar world, if not a worse. We read the response of believers in the above verse which was to pray, asking God for greater boldness and then they powerfully testified. They made a choice, unaffected by finances, society or the current political system. As a result they experienced “God’s great blessing”. Many Christians today are mistakenly looking for security in “health, wealth and prosperity” rather than something much greater that God has in mind. What were the great blessings of God these first century believers experienced? We find the answer as the story unfolds that thousands came to faith in Christ and the first century Church began to spread world-wide. Will we take this challenge despite what we see going on around us to pray for great boldness to testify powerfully the message of hope and resurrection to a dying world? International Christian Hospice chooses to take this challenge! Even in light of the difficulties of our times and the challenges we face in ministry Christ and His love is transforming lives of people who are facing death and families who are grieving. Thank you, family and friends, for your bold prayers on our behalf! We know that you are praying because God is showing us daily His hand at work in ICH. We believe that what is being accomplished through ICH around the world is “God’s great blessing.”

We don’t want you to miss any of the exciting things God has been doing. We will try to condense these three busy months and give you the highlights.

January-Honduras and Stateside

• · Wednesday night ICH training as 10 week series at Lexington Baptist Church, S.C. Thanks to Chuck McCurry, Team Leader, as facilitator and other team members at LBC for teaching.
  

Honduras

• · Meetings to encourage our Honduran ICH workers and plans made for opening work in 4 new locations
  
• · Home ministry with 2 people who were dying and their families
  
• · Meeting with the DeBose who direct Grace Life Ministries and Seminary
  
• · Meetings with the Director of Evangelical Hospital, Dr. Maritinez and also Dr. Aguillar, staff MD. Discussion continues about partnering for a future ICH Care and Training Center in Sequatepeque.
  
• · Looking at potential property and buildings for ICH Care and Training Center which adjoins the hospital property.
  
• · Meeting with Chet Thomas, Director of Aldea Global, a national organization with 600 community health promoters who are being trained in Christian Hospice care.
  
  
• · Met with a new Russian friend, Anya, who is a missionary to Honduras. She is now also helping us with translation work for our upcoming trip to Ukraine.
  
  
• · Traveled approx.1,200 miles in Honduras in our faithful Ford Escape. Preparation for return in August with LBC team.
  
  
  
  February- Dominican Republic and Stateside
  
• · Translation of ICH written materials into Russian began by friends in Columbia, S.C. Special thanks to Irina Ponomarev, Ludmilla Falter, and others.
  
• · Meetings with Drs. Francisco and Diane Sabado in Santo Domingo, DR
  
• · Meeting with staff at Virology Clinic in DR working with over 1,000 people with HIV and AIDS. Plans made for future additional training.
  
• · Team members Dr. Arleen Jennings and Linda Craig, RN joined us in ministry in DR.
  
• · Participated in 2 medical outreach clinics to Haitian refugees.
  
• · Presented 3 ICH training seminars in DR.
  
• · Meeting with Director of Nazarene church of DR for future hospice training.
  
  
  March
  
• · Praise God! We received our official confirmation from the IRS of our non-profit status! This has been a long process begun last March and all donations, written to International Christian Hospice (ICH) are now tax deductible.
  
• · Preparation for ministry trip in April to Ukraine and Moldova. Final work on material preparation and translation.
  
• · Meeting in Knoxville, Tn. with Dr. Martinez and wife Norma who are visiting in the US. Discussion and prayer continues for possible partnership with Evangelical Hospital in Sequatepeque, Honduras.
  
• · Welcome to Lavern Busbee who will be accompanying us to Moldova in April for field training. Lavern will be going to South Africa later this year as an ICH representative working with AIDS orphans and families.
  
• · Planning meeting at Biltmore Baptist Church for team going with us to Guatemala in July.
  
• · Safe arrival of medical equipment via container to Honduras. Thanks to Dr. Mario Fu and Team Co-ordinator Lourdes Arguita for pick up and delivery to Ever, our young paraplegic friend. Ever continues to decline but remains strong in his trust in God. Thanks for your prayers and donations!
  
  
  
  We know that you have been praying because we have seen God’s hand at work in taking the ministry forward. New doors are opening for International Christian Hospice to fulfill our mission. Please continue to pray!
  
  
  
  
  Prayer Needs
  
• · Preparation (for us and those we will minister to), travel and ministry in Ukraine and Moldova in April
  
• · Discernment for growth and answering requests for ICH in many new countries
  
• · Wisdom for God’s timing and plan for partnering with Evangelical Hospital in Honduras for a Care and Training Center
  
• · ICH annual Board meeting in May in Columbia, S.C.
  
• · Financial needs for continued ministry
  
  
  We are honored to serve Christ and to represent you in His name. God has led us in founding International Christian Hospice and walking beside Him in faith for the past 5 years. Please partner with us in prayer and giving so that people around the world will have the opportunity for peace and comfort in Christ as they face eternity.
  
  
  Serving Him together,
  
  Ron and Susan
  
  
  Tax deductible donations can be made to: International Christian Hospice
  145 Chillingham Rd.
  Irmo, S.C. 29063
  
  Contact Information: ronnaish@bellsouth.net
  ichospice@gmail.com
  http://www.ichospice.org/
  http://www.ichospice.blogspot.com/

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.