What Do We Need? Update

Saturday Morning at the A&W a group of Dave's freinds & supporter met with Dave & Bruce Styles ( Dave's Brother inlaw). We went over the options on the types of vans that are out there,to find what would suits Dave's needs. Looking at numerous different vans, we selected a 2006 Buick Terraza with a Braun side , it is located in Las Vegas. This van has 10" cut out of the floor to allow Dave 60" of height while sitting in his motorized chair. This van allows Dave to sit up front in the passangers seat, or the second row. The plan now is to contact the dealer on Tuesday and see if we can purchase the Van for something around 32k.

PS: If you are new to this posting we are attemping to Lock down The Kelowna Art Gallery for Oct 17th for the evening of the fundraiser. ( Should know first of next week). If you would like to be involed in helping us with this event or would like to add some give brain power or Person Power. Call me and tell me where you would fit best.

Cam Manning

What Do We Need?

To all Friends and Family,

As Dave's mobility has become more limited, the need for feasible transportation has come.

So many of you have been asking how you can participate in a tangible way.

We are currently looking into procuring a vehicle that is already fitted to a wheelchair capability and will also accommodate the family.

The most reasonable & suitable application that we have found so far is a 2004 Astro Van with very low mlg.

The cost is approximately $24,000.00 plus taxes.

If you wish to assist in this project, please contact Cam Manning @ 250-863-9511 or Bruce Styles @ 604-504-0018 We hope to confirm the purchase of this vehicle before the end of August.

Thank you so much for your consideration and support.

A Quote, William Paul Young "The Shack"

I have had the pleasure of meeting and hearing Paul speak at our church...it was a God moment.The most extraordinary thing I noticed about Paul...was his compassion.

This quote blew me away and changed my perspective... eventually my soul...

..." just because I work incredible good out of unspeakable tragedies doesnt mean I orchestrate the tragedies. Don't ever assume that my using something means I caused it or that I need it to accomplish my purposes. That will only lead you to false notions about me. Grace doesn't depend on suffering to exist, but where there is suffering you will find grace in many facets and colours."

Speaking of "grace in many facets and colors". This is Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon, the ultimate waterski destination! It had been a fifteen year dream of Dave's to go there. Of course it was bittersweet, but the beauty and the presence of an Almighty God replaced our tears with a reverance for the awsome creation we were able to see. We were and are still so thankful to all the people who made it possible for our family to take that vacation in March.

Who new the Grand Canyon would be cold!? It's in Arizona! Well, Ashlea did! She just failed to tell the rest of us! She graciously shared her winter jacket, so all is forgiven! Ashlea planned all our "road trips" and did a great job! Our base was Scottsdale, at a lovely home loaned to us by friends in Calgary. The previous day we got sunburned having coffee outside by the pool! As you can see here we are a "little" chilly.

Here you can see two "Great Wonders of the World". One being The Grand Canyon. The second? Two teenage siblings getting along. And we wonder if there is a God!!???

Dave's "Prayer Spot"

The favorite part of our time with Dave was spent up high on the edge of the mountain above their residence, a place that overlooks the lake with a breathtaking view. This place was very special to Dave. This was a place where Dave clearly felt closest to the Lord. This was Dave's "prayer spot".

The opportunity to sit and commune with God and Dave together was, for me, a truly phenominal experience. We laughed and cried and prayed and read from God's word.

It became so clear to me as we sat there talking together that this was a man who was truly at peace with his situation. In fact, it became evident quickly that Dave has a thankful heart to his Lord even in this very difficult trial.

Thank you Dave for setting the bar so high for me and others as to how grateful we need to be even in the face of life's worst storms.

Glenn & Benita's Visit

Benita and I have spent the last three days with Shani, Dave and their family. What a life altering experience! Dave, as always, as a result of his faithfulness to Jesus, is the tower of strength that truly reflects the Holy Spirit's power. Dave, your family is hurting but I don't think they could have a better example of a man of faithfulness through a traumatic life struggle.

While there are many sad aspects of your desperately difficult situation, our God continues to show His faithfulness in and through your life that will have immeasurable spiritual affect on those who see you.

We had so much fun talking, eating, praying and laughing with you these past days and as I told you, I have been forever changed as a result. I have always loved you brother and your family is so awesome.

My council to you is this; no more corn on the cob (puree and take through straw instead) take it easy on the dancing to love songs with Shani and no more 4 wheeling in the gravel with your wheel chair!

My verse to you and your family is 2 Corinthians 4: 16, 17 and 18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Thank you for having us in your home and for the incredible blessing you and Shani and your family are to us.

Glenn and Benita Williams

The Good, The Bad, The Ugly...Part 2

After the shock wore off I did feel God sustaining me, just the simple fact I was still breathing was proof enough of that! but a verse kept running through my head as I was neck deep in the Okanagan Lake, Ephesians 3:16-21(this is the "good" part) "I ask the Father in His great glory to give you the power to be strong inwardly through His Spirit. I pray that Christ will live in your hearts by faith and that your life will be strong in love and be built on love. And I pray that you and all God's Holy people will have the power to understand the greatness of Christ's love - how wide and how long and how high and how deep that love is. Christ's love is greater than anyone can ever know, but I pray that you will be able to know that love. Then you can be filled with the fulness of God. With God's power working in us, God can do much,much more than anything we can ask or imagine"! This verse and the support and prayers of others sustained me for a little over a month, then the bottom fell out of my world. I was told it was grief, what I know is, it was very dark, very deep, very angry and very ugly. I felt totally and utterly alone. I could not funtion at all. I wanted to die. The God I thought had abandoned me, had not, the people I pushed away still prayed, people became the hands and feet of God. God, well He patiently waited...and I came back home...with a new perspective and a thankful heart. Thanks to all of you who have been so patient as I have wallowed around in the muck! To my parents and Dave's who have truly been there and always will be there through "the good, the bad and the ugly". Thanks to my children who through their own pain are working their way through forgiveness...and to my husband who had already given it before I asked. And continues to do so everyday...I am blessed.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

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You had to know it was coming. Those who know me well, know I speak with a "heart" honesty. I believe you deserve no less...This year has been emotionally brutal. It has shaken me to the very core of my faith, things I thought I knew became questions; Did God "really" love...me? Was He faithful "enough"? Did I trust God in "all" things? I can only speak for myself here, I hope one day you can hear the whole family's perspective. July 11Th, 2007, the worst day of my life. I was told that my best friend, my husband, the father of my children had 6mths- 5 yrs to live. There was no cure, no way to fight, the very nature of the illness was too cruel to comprehend. A numbness set in, like shock. We told the kids, my heart shattered. I wanted to be the one to die...how could my children possibly survive without the nurturing wisdom of their father. In our family it was daddy the kids came to at nite. It was Dave who made their lunches and drove them to school. It was Dave who was at all the games and youth group weekends. It was Dave who took Josh on "sleddin" trips, taught him how to ski...errr board, on snow, on water. Josh and Dave went to a boat show in Toronto and got their boating licences when the boat was still a dream...we lost the boat last week. In some family's the mom is the glue that holds everything together, in our family it is the dad...we were so lost.

What About the Kids?!

Joshua and Ashlea have definately had their separate ways of dealing with Dave's diagnosis. I would not to presume to speak on their behalf, but I can tell you what's going on in their live's!

Joshua graduated this year! We are so proud of him! He has put his various plans that would take him away from home on hold and found full-time employment close by. It is so good to have him near by, he is happy with his job. It is allowing him to buy and fix up his vehichle. I think the sound system is worth twice what the car is, but I'm told that's "normal". Fixing his car means spending time with grandpa and getting really dirty! My mom had to take a picture yesterday, much to Josh's disgust, because he reminded us of the first time he played in the dirt as a baby!! Joshua had the oppurtunity to learn American Sign Language in grade 12. He not only loved it, he excelled at it and has the dream of learning more. Then he would like to go back to Ensenada, Mexico and work in the deaf school there. I love when my children have dreams! It has to be one of the most important things they learned from their father.

Our precious daughter is getting too beautiful to let out of the house. Fortuate for us, she is incredibly intelligent as well! She gets that from Dave's side of the family!! Ashlea is in grade 11 this year. She is an honor student and very involved in ...life! Ashlea is in several outreach programs at her school, including 'LifeSavers', 'Link crew' and planning on a few others. 'LifeSavers' is a group that lends a hand to fellow students suffering with suicidal thoughts or attempts. 'Link crew' Helps grade eights intergrate into their first year of highschool. She sings in the woship team at church, she is a wonderful singer/songwriter, music is her dream, her life. Ashlea is my sunshine and my rain, sometimes she is my storm... but a mother could not love a daughter more...

How is Dave Doing?

We are pleased with where Dave is. Some of you know that typically ALS starts from the feet up, or the head down. Dave's is the head down variety. The ALS started in Dave's hands/ arms and throat/voice. As of today he has lost complete mobility in his arms and hands. His voice is good somedays, not so good other days. The phone is becoming almost impossible, even for those who know him well. The good news is Dave's respitory is strong! This is very good! The mobility in Dave's leg's is diminishing, along with his balance. Although we have an electric wheel chair ready to go, Dave is using it more as a quad! Yes, he has gotten it stuck!, had a tumble! and managed our very steep, gravel driveway! He had quite a bit of "road rash" but came up smiling! Saying,"You should see the other guy"! He needed stitches on that very stubburn chin of his!

A Year of Blessings...

Dear Family, Friends & Friends we have yet to meet...

It has been just over a year, July 11th, that Dave was diagnosed with ALS. What a year! There is so much to say, yet where do I start?
I want to begin with THANK YOU. A word we say a hundred times a day, but it in no way diminishes the sincerity in this family’s heart. When we think of the hundreds of people that have spoken into our live's in this past year we are humbled. I am sitting here trying to put into words what you have done... as tears fall...I realize there is just no way I can express the million, yes, the million things that have been given to us. From the small things to the huge things, and things that you thought might have been small were often the things that meant the most! One thing I know for sure...this Family would not have survived without YOU. We are filled with gratitude. Thank you for being the hands and feet of Jesus...