Thank you for continuing to keep Lisa and the rest of the Fox family in your prayers and thoughts. Thank you also for the words of encouragement via email, the Christmas gifts and cards, etc. Here is the latest news.

Sadly, Lisa’s condition has not improved. Due to the brain tumor and the subsequent surgeries to remove it, her brain is dramatically affected and her mind is still troubled, and not often fully lucid. Her waking and sleeping are still filled with paranoid fears and anxieties about things that are not based in reality. Efforts to find medication that would alleviate her suffering, and relieve her paranoia have not been successful, so consequently she remains in a full-time convalescence facility for safety’s sake.

Fortunately Rich and the kids are still able to visit her up to three times a week, and she doesn’t frequently have upsetting episodes during these visits. Even so, it breaks my heart to think of how strange and upsetting this must be for the children to only get to see their mother so infrequently, and in such a state of suffering.

Thankfully Rich and the kids continue to be very blessed by family and friends on this prayer bulletin. Also, church groups from Willow Creek Community Church, Wheaton Evangelical Free Church and First Assembly of God all helped to make Christmas as joyous as possible by showering gifts upon the kids. Even the new school the kids are in, Briar Glen Elementary, contributed gifts for the Fox family. Many of you also have helped by contributing funds to assist Rich in paying bills and meeting his mortgage payments. Rich is humbled by the generosity and very thankful for the help.

Unfortunately, however, the most recent mortgage payment that Rich was able to pay in full was November 2007. So far the house has not gone into foreclosure, but many factors have combined to worsen the financial situation: care for Lisa and the kids has resulted in an unsteady work schedule for almost three years now, rising health care costs (not all covered by insurance), and the real estate down turn in recent months coupled with a near doubling in property taxes have all conspired to form a “perfect storm” centered around the Fox family. Consequently, as mentioned in the past, Rich has been forced to make plans for putting the house up for sale. Not only does that have a tremendously sad impact on the kids and Rich, but because Rich is behind in payments, because the taxes have nearly doubled, and because the real estate market has faltered, the sale of the house would likely result in a net loss on Rich’s investment when they bought the house several years ago. Even so, he is working on the details of bringing the house to market, and we’ll keep you posted of the details as they transpire. Please keep these matters in your prayers.

And as we mentioned in the last prayer letter, if you would like to contribute financially, you can do it in one of two ways. You can mail a check directly to: Richard W. Fox
P.O. Box5145
Wheaton, IL 600189.

If you would prefer to make an anonymous contribution you may mail it or PayPal it to me. My address is: Del Shimandle
5733 W. Leland
Chicago, IL 60630

Under the Mercy,
Del  

It has been some time since the last update, so there is a lot to tell!

Things have not improved for Lisa. Back in May I described how she had begun to have some pretty severe delusions that were paranoid in nature. She was taken in for a check up, and the tumor had not grown at all, actually it had shrunk a bit. So there was no new pressure on her brain that might be causing the new symptoms. She was checked into a residential care facility and the doctors began to try to find a mix of medications that might alleviate the delusional symptoms. Unfortunately the delusions have continued to worsen, and the medications have not been any help. Because of the nature of the delusions, and her inability to be stable and safe, she has had to remain in the residential care facility.

This has been a very sad development for Rich and the whole Fox family. While it is encouraging that the tumor is not growing, it appears that the brain surgeries that Lisa has undergone have not been without their downside. In many ways the anguish of Lisa's present mental state is more painful that the mere fear of her death, both for her and Rich and the kids. Imagine what it's like for Lisa, living all your days with almost nothing but fear of everyone (including your loved ones) and everything! Imagine what it's like for Rich, having prayed for so long for his wife to be healed physically, only to find that now Lisa can't remember their real life together, but instead has a fear of him based on a delusional state of mind. Imagine how difficult it is for Emma, Ethan, Kia, Blake and Sierra who have witnessed their mother's slow deterioration.

So I'm writing a new update to ask you all to pray for the healing of Lisa's brain, mind and memory. Now, more than ever, she needs our prayers, for she does not even seem to be able to pray herself! And pray for Rich as he continues to struggle through the anguish of a seemingly hopeless situation that continues on still after 3 years already! And pray for the kids, that they might find comfort and release from the stress of this tragic situation.

Also, please pray for Lisa's mother, Rose. She has lived with Rich and Lisa for many years, and has been cared for by them. However, given the current situation, Lisa's brother and sister felt it best that they assume the responsibility for her care. Pray that they will be able to find a suitable alternative living arrangement for her as soon as possible.

There is another very serious prayer request I have for you all as well.

Some of you have taken note of the severe financial stress that this situation has put on the Fox family, and have not only prayed, but have sent in unsolicited generous financial contributions to help out. In faith I am now making a more formal request for financial help. (Please note that I made Rich aware that I plan to ask for your help, but this is not his idea!)

The financial situation has worsened, and Rich is in danger of slipping into a foreclosure situation. (As if Lisa's health crisis hasn't been bad enough!)

So, I am praying that we can raise enough to pay the Fox family mortgage for at least October, November and December. He is already late for October, so this is an urgent request!!!

Rich is even now preparing the house to sell early in 2008, knowing that their current financial situation is untenable. But if he is unable to get it to market, and survive the next few months, he could wind up being foreclosed upon.

If you would like to contribute you can do it in one of two ways. You can mail a check directly to: Richard W. Fox
P.O. Box5145
Wheaton, IL 600189.

You can also make contribute easily and securely online by going to PayPal.com. Click on the below "donate" button. Then follow the instructions to make a donation with your credit card.

If you would prefer to make an anonymous contribution you may mail it or PayPal it to me. My address is: Del Shimandle
5733 W. Leland
Chicago, IL 60630

This button is setup for my PayPal.com account. I will immediately pass along any anonymous funds and message sent to me

Please consider donating, or passing on the prayer request to others who may be able to donating. Thank you very much!

NOW FOR SOME OF THE GOOD NEWS!

The kids are all in school now, and are making the adjustment from home-schooling well. They are making friends and keeping up with their studies. Rich has been studying Isaiah 55 recently and has found deep resonance with the life lessons he and the kids are learning. He has striven to plant God's Word in his and their lives, and has seen fruit from these efforts already.

As a highlight, Ethan recently made the decision to be baptized at church and stated during his testimony in front of the congregation "I'm doing this because I believe in Jesus, and I want to be a man of God!" He was baptized on the date of Rich and Lisa's 19th wedding anniversary, and even Lisa was able to attend the ceremony and dinner celebration afterward!

Also encouraging, I can personally attest to seeing all of the kids showing great interest and skill in memorizing Scripture as well. Rich has told me that he can sense the Holy Spirit guiding and teaching the kids, and he can already begin to see their spiritual gifts developing.

While preparing his home for sale, Rich spent a few days last week landscaping and he told me it was a hopeful and cathartic exercise for him. The parallels were easily drawn between the hard work of getting through this crisis and the hope that in the future positive outcomes would result from faithful actions now, and the muddy, sweaty work of planting 180+ tulip bulbs that would have to weather a long snowy winter before coming to life in the Spring.

I don't know of any better way to end this particular prayer update except with that hopeful though. Below is the entire Scripture passage that Rich has found encouraging lately.

Isaiah 55
Invitation to the Thirsty
1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live. I will make an everlasting covenant with you, my faithful love promised to David.
4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander of the peoples.
5 Surely you will summon nations you know not, and nations that do not know you will hasten to you, because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has endowed you with splendor."
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the LORD's renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed."

Under the Mercy,
Del