Suzanne's recap


RECAP

Looking back over 2009 brings us to a place of thanksgiving and praise for Jesus, who has rescued John from cancer and has brought so many unseen blessing out of the ordeal. We are thankful every day for all of you and so many others who have labored and prayed with us and over us.

BOSTON???

By the end of 2008, we knew something was wrong. John was loosing energy like a car running out of petrol. The doctor's report was dim. We had no choice but to begin treatments in early January. Geared with prayers and support and only a vague idea that we could stay at YWAM Boston for a week, we headed east towards Boston on January 2, 2009.

NEWTON!!!

After searching we found an apartment in Newton, Upper Falls, MA, a sub division of Boston, 20 minutes from the hospital. Our kind landlord, Andrea Wang, negotiated a price that was lower than our offer! Much to our happiness, we moved in with certainty that we were in the right place. The apartment was five stories up, and even had a gym and indoor swimming pool. During the long winter we watched the snow falling through our large picture window, with long icicles dangling from the roof, we hunkered down for a cold winter. The Irish American neighborhood we lived in was friendly. We shopped at Baza's, a Russian grocery store where there were delicacies and amazing bread. As the treatments began, through every hiccup and neutropenic fever, we took each day as it came, meeting new friends, seeing that God was with us, even in chemo therapy. During the weeks he could, John worked at Massachusetts School of Art and Design. He made pottery, lots of pottery, that helped to pay the rent and other expenses. I studied figure drawing, a mild distraction, while working on my artistic skills. As a child, John attended Beverly Hills Presbyterian with his mom. David Worth, the pastor referred us to Rob Perkins his friend who is pastoring Newton Presbyterian Church, a rather stately historic church just a few miles from our apartment. We didn't even plan this set of events, everything just came together. We were invited to attend a marriage class. Being the longest married in the class we shared our failures and successes, and found a captive audience. These classes were our "refreshment" each week. We found a group of young active prayer warriors who went to prayer for John on a regular basis. The chemo treatments had it's "ups and downs," yet in the midst of it we found comfort and peace. John's bad blood reports began to improve and even now the most recent are coming back at almost normal! He stopped coughing in July and has picked up new energy and life.

NEW BIRTHS

2009 was our year for grandchildren! Three new little lives were born into the Hunter family and we were able to be there for these "Grand" events! Atticus John Hinter was born in March to Christian and Anneliese. Nora Juniper Grey was born in June to Sarah Jane and David. Marlo Cohen Hunter was born in November to Jonny and Sara. We are so happy with the goodness of God in our lives that these little ones have brought us.

FUNDRAISING

After a short return home to Namibia in July and August to touch base with our staff and teachers we began four month's of rigorous fund raising for Community Hope School in September. Just before embarking on the journey, we received a call from a new friend in Boston who attends Newton Presbyterian Church. Recently he and his wife have been challenged by God to help build us a new school! The amount they want to give is exactly the amount we calculated we would need for land and building. We began a road trip from North Carolina to California, driving up the coast to Oregon, meeting old and new friend's in coffee shop's, at "Empty Bowl" events, in churches, and even while staying at a bed and breakfast. Without exaggerating, we had many unusual and unexpected divine appointments. People are excited about partnering with Community Hope School. Many are planning to come and visit, Beverly Hills Pres. is coming this summer, while Newton Pres, the summer of 2011. We have been talking with Mike Johnson who is organizing a Bethel trip for June of 2011 as well! As I write, we haven't raised the full amount of money needed to pay our teacher's, feed, clothe and educate nearly 100 children for the new year, though we are confident that God is going to take care of us.

EUROPE

God proved his faithfulness to us over and over again during this both amazing and difficult year. To top off 2009, we left for Europe just before Thanksgiving to teach for three weeks in two YWAM Creative Arts Discipleship Training Schools, in Switzerland and Norway. Young and old were touched by the message of the "Potter". We arrived back in Madison, Wisconsin during the largest snow in years. Trudging through snow banks and blizzards we arrived home to our wonderful nest of grandchildren and children who appreciate us more and more with each new challenge of parenting. We feel so rewarded at this time in our lives! We spend Christmas in Baltimore with Christian,and his family and Fara, our youngest who helps take care of Atticus.

AFRICA

December 29th we returned to Namibia to get ready for the new school year which begins today January 13th. 2010 promises to be another good year! Thank you for standing with us, your love is such a support and blessing to our family. Our best wishes to you for a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
In Christ,

Suzanne

I had another treatment at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston on Dec 21st and learned that my blood-work is all back to normal! I have 6 more treatments. One very 3 months and then will watch and wait. Thanks for all your prayers through this difficult couple of years. I am felling great and glad to be home in Namibia.