Dear Family and Friends,

It's hard to imagine that 6 weeks ago today, I got the first call that dad made from Portland Adventist, letting me know that a growth had been discovered on his pancreas. Shocked and stunned, the family spent the next 2 weeks gathering information and processing our options.

We are deeply grateful to the many friends and loved ones who reached out to us with information and suggestions as to how to embark on a fight against dad's diagnosis. As a family we were committed to an all out assault against dad's diagnosis, and our game plan called for holistic and alternative treatments, with a strong focus on nutrition.

Regrettably, we never even got a chance to put our plan into action............and perhaps that has been the most frustrating part of our family journey.

Simply put, the speed at which this tumor has grown has caught us all by surprise. Dad's digestion system has essentially shut down, and he has has no appetite and has not been eating for the past 2 week or so. With no nutrition entering his body, he is weakening rapidly and his health is slipping away.

I shared with dad at the beginning of this journey that I knew God would heal him. What I did not know, was whether that would happen on 'this side' of the curtain, or on the 'other side'. Selfishly we want him around longer, and we continue to contend for his healing down here. As a great man of faith, his courage and perspective have been a blessing to our entire family. We were blessed to have all the family together over the Christmas season, with the exception of my daughter Megan and her new husband Josh. We enjoyed some wonderful times together, some of the most memorable involving the watching of dad's favorite musical DVD's, whether they be Andre Ruie or Andrea Bochelli.

We have been inundated with cards and emails over the last number of weeks, and our apologies for the inability to respond to so many of you. These past 6 weeks have been a complete whirlwind, and our focus has been on dad, making him comfortable and spending as much time hanging out with him as possible.

Tonight some of the elders of his church are coming by to anoint him and and pray for him. While the natural reality of dad's declining health is evident, we know that God touch can restore him and afford us all more time with him down here. Should he be called home, the outcome will be glorious, and I can't help but feel a little envious of where he'll be headed.

The family are at peace, and while our emotions may fluctuate from day to day, God's goodness has never been in question. Dad has lived a rich full life, and touched countless people, as evidenced by the flood of support, prayers and encouragement. The team at Portland Adventist have been remarkable, with 'house calls' being a common occurence. We've joked with dad that even President Obama would not get better treatment!!

Our deepest gratitude for your love, prayers and encouragement through this challenging season in our lives. There is a randomness to life, and if I could encourage you in any way, it would be to challenge you to live your life 'intentionally'. Love a little more, Live a little more, speak more kindly, and live each day as if it could be your last.

While there is life, there is hope, and like David of old, we will contend until dad's last breath!!

I'll try to update this in a week or so, and until then, thanks for your love and prayers.

 ~ Ray Birch ~