Surgery Update
September 1st marked three weeks since Jim’s partial kidney removal surgery. The surgeon informs us that they believe they were able to remove all of the tumor and that indeed the tumor was cancerous and malignant. Because they were able to remove all of it, and due to the kind of cancer that it was (a kind that they would not expect to see elsewhere in the body) there is no additional followup. Praise the Lord! Jim sees the surgeon on 9/19, as well as his family doctor on the same date.  We are anticipating that the surgeon will fully release Jim at this time. The surgeon desires Jim to have a CT scan in about six months in order to have a new baseline image of the kidney.  Additionally, Jim donated the tissue from his kidney to the James Graham Brown Cancer Center for a research and study project. The Center says they will follow up with Jim in one year. Perhaps someone else will be helped by the Center’s research and study of this little critter.
Jim is doing better every day! The recovery is a slow process due to the area of the surgery and the many organs that were moved around. At this writing Jim is able to walk up to two miles a day (using the “Tim Conway Shuffle” method at first) and pretty much do everything he needs to do in his daily schedule. He is only taking pain pills for sleeping at night to ensure that he gets a good night’s rest.  The Dr. has let us know that he can drive as soon as he feels he can after this Wednesday.  We are expecting to be back at the mission on Thursday and Friday of this week where Jim will be in office as long as he is able too. Most day’s he does quite well till mid-afternoon when he needs to lay down to rest his back and stomach muscles.
We are so very very grateful to everyone who has been here for us. We are overwhelmed at the outpouring of care and concern from friends, family and the church, locally and literally from around the world. This experience has been a humbling one of seeing the church in action and God answering both our simple and great needs. There are so many examples of how He worked because you prayed! One such example was one of the first late nights in the hospital. Jim had dropped his nurse call button and was where he needed help.  His roommate was sound asleep. Since he couldn’t get himself up out of bed he simply asked God to send help and right then there was a nurse walking in the door saying “Mr. Null how are you doing?”. Isn’t that just like our Father in heaven to answer prayer so quickly. This is just one small example of many of how God has worked these past few weeks.
Thank you for giving so much of yourselves to us at this time.  We received numerous cards, phone calls, visits, gifts and emails – each arriving at just the right time! We are so overwhelmingly blessed!
CrossRoads Missions
We continue to face big challenges in our New Orleans ministry field. We are extremely short staffed as several former staff members have exited the field. In addition we have discovered several areas of financial concern that will challenge us in the months to come.  And, of course, there is the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav!
Around 9/9 CrossRoads Missions director, Rob Minton, will be heading to our New Orleans campus. This trip will involve assessing our facilities and needs post-Gustav, as well as meeting with our partners and our staff.  We have some difficult decisions to make in light of our needs as we see them today for our future ministry work in this area. Please make this a matter of prayer!  We truly need to hear from the Lord as to His pleasure and direction for our New Orleans Ministry work.
Lord bless… Jim and Phyllis
Jim and Phyllis Null are faith-based independent missionaries serving with CrossRoads Missions in Louisville, KY. CrossRoads Missions is a recognized IRS 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations to CrossRoads Missions may be tax deductible.  Donations to the ministry areas of CrossRoads Missions in which Jim and Phyllis serve may be mailed to CrossRoads Missions. 3700 Hopewell Rd., Louisville, KY, 40299.