Gordon & Doreen Williams
We are thankful for all your prayers and are both steadily recovering from the recent health issues and thankful for the Lord's mercies. Neither of us had been treated for heart problems before. It was not until last April that Doreen started having chest pains, though she had been poorly all last winter. In August she had to go to emergency at Grande Prairie and was sent to Edmonton for an angiogram. We did not find out until last week that she actually had twelve blockages and a triple by-pass. It was a very bad time and she was in ICU for a week after. She still has some serious problems, including a blockage to her left arm but doing well. In October, I also had a heart attack and had to go to Edmonton. It speaks well of our system that, within an hour of my getting to Grande Prairie hospital, they had me on the plane. An angiogram showed five blockages. Two were done with stents and one with the balloon - the others left for treatment. Compared to what Doreen went through, mine was a picnic, yet we know that many believers have far worse situations. I am not sure what this means for the future, especially for Doreen. Ironically the cardiologist said there was no reason for my having a heart attack except genetics.
Each December we visit around the area with scripture calendars and try to contact individuals that have come to meetings in the tent or the hall. As well, we cover many farms and each of the Hutterite colonies in this area. That alone takes several days as they are so spread out. I will need more time this year as I do not want to drive in the back country if the roads are bad or it is bitterly cold. Many of the families look forward to these calendars, which leads to good visits. It is one way of sowing the seed of the Word.
We have been encouraged with a few visitors that regularly attend the meetings here at the hall and by a weekly Bible study that I have with a group of men in town. We started a weekly meeting on the tabernacle. It is a great subject with lovely teaching, especially on the person of Christ and the assembly. We value your prayers.
Winter 2013
Written by Gordon & Doreen Williams - Canada