The Harris Hotline: 2005

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

12-14-05

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for your prayers during the Schnupp’s week. It was truly a productive but difficult week. Please keep praying, many of the difficult topics discussed will take time to process and work through. The ACC students are gearing up to leave on Friday for their 3 weeks of Christmas break. They are scheduled to return to ACC on January 2. We will be having our final Celebrate Life group tomorrow evening. Last week’s meeting was especially precious as the students did some processing from Schnupp’s during our time together. The students decided they wanted this final week’s Celebrate Life group to be an opportunity to talk about the good things God has done in their lives during this first semester at ACC. Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to that time together.

You know, no matter how fervently we try to keep life simple this time of the year, there always seems to be a period that is just plain out of control. This week is our out of control week! It all started on the weekend with the annual Ladies Christmas Tea, a very busy Sunday, Monday ACC student Christmas party, Tuesday Cassie’s Christmas Band concert, Wednesday the Women’s Bible study, Thursday the ACC staff Christmas party,-shhhh! Don’t tell anyone but I THINK Friday is free! Finally, Saturday and Sunday our cantata performances. Whew!
Starting next week our schedule should be much simpler right up through the New Year.

Chelsie will be arriving in Anchorage from Greenfield, IN on the 22nd. We will have a very short visit with our precious oldest daughter, she leaves early on the 26th to return to her new job at Star Financial Bank in Greenfield. We are so proud of her and thank God with all our hearts for the couple of days we will be together again. Please keep her in your prayers as she returns to IN, she knows the homesickness will set in again and is not looking forward to that.

Ty is living here in town now so we will all be together again this year for Christmas day. Gary and I know the day is coming when we won’t all be together, but we sure thank God it hasn’t come yet!

Your prayers have been a lifeline for us this year. We are so thankful for you and your committed partnership with us. Please know you are in our thoughts and prayers. May God bless you with a sweet time of celebrating and rejoicing in our Savior’s Birth. Please keep our ACC students in your prayers. For many of them the return to home is difficult and sad. They have experienced a truly loving Christian community here at ACC. Thank you for your continued prayers for our family. This new season of our lives can be so sweet but it can also be bitter. We are so thankful for God’s constant truths to stand on! Lastly, on a very personal note.

Please pray God’s blessing on our latest newsletter that went out December 1st. We have two immediate needs for us personally. That our support base will increase at least $800/month and that our vehicle need will be cared for. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!! We love you.

Kris Harris
New Hope Counseling Center

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

November News - 11/2/05

Dear Friends,

There is much to bring you up to speed with! Truly God is alive and moving in our midst and we are in awe of Him.

First, an update on the family.

Gary is a beloved Sunday School teacher of one of the adult classes at church. This class appreciates so much his ability to teach and facilitate a most interesting and stimulating class. We are currently studying Hebrews-Gary’s favorite book of the Bible. His computer business is picking up and keeping him rather busy. I’m so proud of him! He is constantly learning new information to compliment his already vast knowledge of computer “stuff”! Since I am working full-time here on campus much of the running around for the family, handling the day to day tasks of our home and just being an all around wonderful Guy has filled his daily schedule since August. He truly makes it possible and even enjoyable for me to focus so much of my time and energy on the ministry here at ACC. (Note From Gary: I am so excited to see Kris and the impact she is having on all ACC students. I count it a real joy to see her ministry flourish, while I focus on supplementing our support and "mixing" with the world!)

Tyler is still working for ASRC and living in a house here in Kenai. We usually see him about once a week for dinner. The things we see that give us hope are small but we praise God for what He is doing in Ty’s life. Please continue to pray for him. He will be turning 21 in December.
Chelsie is living in Indiana until May 2006. She has her own place, a car and a job-all accomplished within just a few weeks of landing in Indiana. She loves the closeness to family, and friends from our many years in Indiana. It is always a blast to hear from her and get caught up on all the things she is doing. Please keep her in your prayers as she looks ahead. Right now her plan is to return to AK in May and attend the University of Fairbanks in the Fall of 2006.
Cassie is now attending half a school day. She has gained weight, her hair is growing in nicely and she looks wonderful. We can’t praise God enough for the gift of her health and no more seizures!! Please continue to pray for her struggle with anxiety, especially as we approach the 6 month mark from her surgery and the Dr’s begin weaning her off her seizure meds. It has been a major adjustment not dealing with seizures anymore.

Finally, an update on the ministry here at ACC. Just a few short weeks and our students will be taking a much needed and longed for break for Thanksgiving weekend. As I spend time with the students I’m hearing over and over again that they are tired and discouraged and several are planning to not return after Thanksgiving or Christmas. This is something we deal with here at ACC every year. Please join me in praying that our students this year will not quit before the end of the school year. ACC offers so much to these students that will benefit them the rest of their lives. Perhaps if we cover them in prayer they will all feel the need to return and will be rejuvenated from a long weekend away.

Last week we started a Celebrate Life group here on campus. The Campus Pastor, Curtis Ivanoff, and I facilitate this group time. Our first meeting only two students showed up but WOW!!, we had an incredible hour and a half of deep conversation about worth and finding God’s direction in our lives. The presence of the Lord in our midst was powerful. Curtis and I are looking forward to this week’s CL group. We are praying that more students will join us. Our goal for CL is that God’s presence will be evident and the conversation will be encouraging and stimulating as we all strive to live lives that Celebrate the hope God gives in the midst of our struggles here on earth.

My Wednesday night ladies bible study has been well attended and very exciting. The young ladies attending are learning about the role of Women. The high and honorable role we as women have in God’s plan for mankind. Words like “submitting” and “being a help-meet” no longer carry that negative connotation the world would like for us to feel. We have learned that God’s plan and desire for us is honorable and very important, especially in our homes. We’ve also been talking about dating relationships. I LOVED the few moments I got to share my heart with them as a Mom and encourage them to wait on God’s timing and choice for their life-long mate. I challenged them to not even give a guy who doesn’t love Jesus with all his heart, a second glance and filled their minds with the blessing of falling in love with someone who does love Jesus. This week we are starting Elizabeth George’s book “Extraordinary Women of the Bible.” Thank you for your prayers for this special time every week!

Many of you are aware that ACC was named in a lawsuit that involved the suing of the Department of Education. As a result the Federal funding that ACC had been given to help with providing the program we offer here at ACC to native students, has been frozen and made inaccessible until the suit is completely settled. We have been cleared of any wrongdoing but because the choice to give funds to ACC is in question we have chosen to not count on the Federal funding and to appeal to those who love and know the ministry of ACC. I’m so thrilled to tell you that God has been really blessing. One of my tasks here on campus is receipting the money that comes in from donors all over the world. MANY very generous gifts have been given to help with the completion of the new dining room (a much needed addition to our growing campus), to help with the day to day expenses of running this campus and for scholarships to help students who have no resources to draw on to cover their tuition, room and board. These needs are ongoing though so please continue to pray for God’s provision and our faithfulness to wait on Him and trust HIM.

As OUR loved ones we want you to be aware of the need ACC has. You are so precious to us and have partnered with us through your faithful prayers and many of you with financial gifts towards our support. My salary is paid primarily from the gifts given towards “Harris support”. That means my “job” here on campus doesn’t cost ACC much at all. I’m so grateful for that. I trust that you are blest by the updates about the ministry here on campus and praise God for the opportunity to be a part of a ministry that is truly changing lives of Native young people for eternity! June 2006 my position here at ACC/NHCC will be evaluated again. The biggest hurdle at my evaluation is our support level. We took a $4,000 pay cut from 2005 to 2006 because our support level had dropped significantly. That was a bit of an adjustment, but God has provided graciously. >From my heart, I wish to ask you to pray about your partnership with Gary and me and the ministry here at ACC. For the first time in my life, I know I’m working a job that God has equipped me to do-and I LOVE it! I pray that I will be a part of the ministry here at ACC/NHCC for many years to come. Thank you! (Note from Gary: One supporter told me after our "lateral transfer" from ABM to ACC that they were under the impression that Kris was paid staff at ACC. Well, she receives a paycheck, yes. But the staffing position she fills is a Missionary Staff position. That's a nice way of saying we need to raise our own salary! )

One last story to pass on to you. There is a young lady on campus this year who has come to us with very deep emotional pain. Her first months here on campus we would hear her crying uncontrollably but no one could console her. I was just marveling today that I haven’t heard her sorrowful cries for a little over a week. When I passed her in the hallway this morning she had a beautiful smile on her face and a quick response to my “How are you doing?”-She is fine. God has begun a healing work in her life through the Bible teaching, counseling sessions, mentoring group, safe and loving environment and fellowship she receives on a daily basis here on the campus of ACC. YOU are a part of that great work. Take delight in it, praise God for that privilege and keep on being faithful.

Loving Jesus with ALL my heart!

Kris.

(Final note from Gary: We need to remind you that any special year end gifts sent to ACC on our behalf with the intent of being a Christmas or Year end Love Offering cannot be considered tax deductible. If you would like to do this, go ahead and send it to ACC, but wite it out directly to us and designate it as such. Thanks for your partnership!)

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Kris' Ministry Update - 09/29/05

Dear Praying Friends & Loved Ones,

(From Kris with a footnote from Gary)

Wow! Where to begin? We have been back in AK for just a little over a month and we are in awe of ALL that God is doing.

We have 32 students at ACC this year!! All but three of our students are Native; most of them Native Alaskan young men and women.

This year our hearts have been especially burdened to pray fervently for the Lord’s work in these young lives. I am so excited to tell you that God is answering that prayer in big, evident ways already.

Two of the prayer requests that God has laid on our hearts this year are; that the truths of God’s Word will take hold in their lives in such a way they won’t forget or lay them aside easily. Instead God’s Truths will guide their decisions and how they live their lives. Secondly, we have been praying specifically that we will not have any pregnancies among our students. This one has been especially enjoyable to see how God is answering it. We have a young lady who has come back to ACC for our second year program. Last year God made Himself very real to her during a most painful breakup with a boyfriend. Through that experience she has come to realize Jesus is the ultimate “boyfriend” and she is “dating God” this school year. She is also a very influential and audible advocate for maintaining virginity and focusing on God through out the school year. The overall atmosphere this year is not like the Dating Game. The majority of our students truly have a hunger for God and a desire to focus on Him not on the opposite sex. Hallelujah!!!I am so blessed and excited that this school year because I’m on campus full-time instead of just a measly 15 hours a week. I already know ALL the students names. That usually takes me until Christmas! This year I have a mentor group that consists of 4 young ladies. We meet once a week. God has blessed me with 4 young ladies who are hungry to be taught and I’m anxious to teach and share my love for my Savior. We’ve only met three times but already we have had some very deep and life changing conversations.This year I’m also mentoring 4 young ladies on a one on one basis. Two of these students are also in my mentor group so this will give us time and opportunity to go even deeper! The other two young ladies I’m spending one on one time with are second year students and are in my “Encore Girls Bible Study” that meets every Wednesday night at my house.The mentoring is where my heart is and I enjoy it the most. But I’m also filling up my 40 hours a week with administrative duties in the New Hope Counseling Center. NHCC has become my home away from home this year. The atmosphere in the office is quiet and inviting and always open for visiting~I LOVE visiting!

God has allowed Gary to be used in a most wonderful way on campus this year. During the summer he was on-call for computer emergencies and got the opportunity to get more familiar with all the workings of the IT side of ACC. In the process, our Office Administrator, Millie, asked Gary about a program called ACCESS. Gary was familiar with it. Being the truly awesome man that he is, he jumped into this project with both feet, learned more about the program in a matter of a week than most could possibly learn in a year AND got the ball rolling, getting all of ACC’s mail and e-mail information merged into the ACCESS program. Millie considers Gary her best buddy when it comes to this project. Getting the ACCESS program up and running will be a most valuable tool in keeping ACC’s records organized and complete.

Family-wise, all is going well too. Gary and I are adjusting to only one child at home-I’m a “mother-hen” and I miss my little chicks who have flown the coop!! But, we are finding this season of our lives quite enjoyable as well. Thank you again, with all our hearts, for your prayers, e-mails, financial gifts and your love! We love you and we cherish this opportunity to partner with you in this fantastic ministry.

Loving Jesus,

Kris

Gary's Addition - - As you can see by the student body picture of ACC. All the front row and part of the second are native students. The impact ACC has on native leadership is becoming quite incredible! As we left Arctic Barnabas Ministries full time to work with native students a while back, my prayers turned to "Lord, one day soon let the leadership ABM ministers to and the students that ACC are dicipling in while-life discipleship . . . . . one day, may they be the same person. Native leaders in native villages.A native elder who I look to with much respect, who founded a very prominent naive Christian Men's group here in Alaska, he told me once "As much as this group has done for Christ in the past 20 years, if I would have instead focused on just 5 men from 5 different villages . . . . how much of a difference that would have made." Well each year, ACC focuses on about 30 native men and women. You do the math.

I finally put all the pictures we took while in Seattle. http://home.gci.net/~motherlode/CassieSeattle05/

There's quite a few thumbnail pictures with larger ones behind them. As you look at them, marvel with us that all that happened and Cassie is doing so well. God is good . . .all the time.

Oh Yeah, one last prayer request. Prayer for our family needing another vehicle. Our van has about 175,000 miles, has been in a few accidents over the years, and really seems to be held together by tie-down straps. bungie cords, and a whole lotta prayer. We also hace an '84 Jeep Jimmy (Still runs great, Steve) . . . but I don't want to take that too far in decent weather, let alone the cold thats coming.

THERE or in the air!

Gary

Monday, September 26, 2005

The Harris Clan (Minus 2) - 9/26/05

Praying Friends,

Not much to report other than continued progress on Cassie. Still no seizures - but we have had a few anxious moments over the last few nights. A feeling of despair starts to settle in as we hear her call from her bedroom . . . but it turns out not to be a seizure - - - just a scare and some pent-up anxiety.She's not out of the woods yet, by any stretch. But we are continuing to rejoice in her improvement.

The picture is of the remaining at home Harris Family (Ty is living in Kenai, Chelsie in Greenfield, Indiana) a hike we were able to take earlier this month. Nothing too strenuous. Just a drive followed by a short hike, really.

I would like to report more about specifics at ACC, but I guess I am just being cautious. We have always had to be sensitive on how much we share, but now even more so when it comes to students and federal laws re. their privacy. Suffice it to say for now (until I get a better feel what is and is not OK to share) that we feel right at home and are excited about the impact Kris is having on students with whom she works closely.

There or in the air!

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Thank you from CASSIE! - 9/10/2005

Dear Praying Friends,

The following is from Cassie. All in her very own words . . . . .

Dear Praying Friends,

Wow. just saying that and thinking of what it means for all of us
brings tears to my eyes! I'm so grateful for how much all of you
prayed for my parents and I, and how many times I got emails from
you! Those emails were kind of a life line because it was some
"one" different than my nurses, doctors, or parents!
There really isn't much to update you on because of how well
Daddy kept you guys right there with us. It was so awesome
knowing that you guys knew just as well as we did what we needed
prayer for. That was a huge relief to me because I wanted to
call all of you and just talk; knowing that the procedures would
come up. Since I couldn't use the phone and since I was a little
busy (ha. Ha.) that wasn't exactly possible!

As you can see though, God was and is so good. The fact that I'm
up and getting ready to go on a small hike 3 and half weeks after
getting home is a total miracle. I was just happy and thankful
(that doesn't describe it really) that I was alive on my 16th
birthday. But that wasn't the end of it where God was concerned!
I'm already back to writing and reading everyday and the only
thing that bothers me right now is my peripheral vision loss on
my right side. What and awesome God I serve!

Some people have asked what it's like to be me after having my
personality kind of taken away for so long. The only word that
describes it (when a teenager's talking anyway) is weird. I can
sit, for 4 hours, without a seizure and without an aura of a
seizure. Having that is exciting but also creates a lot of
anxiety. God and I are working on the anxiety and it makes our
relationship even sweeter. There are many times where being "me"
is awesome. I can laugh without having a seizure, and I can EAT!
I think I have a hallow leg, although that's not something I'm to
worried about!

Again, thank you so much for your prayers, for the e-mails and
for the gifts that you have sent. It's so awesome to really
truly experience what the Family of God is all about. I feel
like this isn't enough, but I guess it will have to do because
until I can thank you personally I don't think you'll realize
what God has done in all of our lives through what you have done!

I love you guys!.. Staying in God's Arms for Eternity

Cassie Harris

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Catching UP - 8/30/05

Dear Praying Friends,

What a journey we have been on! And you have been right there
with us. Thanks you!

Cassie is doing very well. Her headaches are subsiding and we are
seeing more and more of her personality and less "contrived
friendliness" that seems to come whenever someone is in a lot of
pain, but trying to be polite and caring at the same time. The
closest thing I can use to relate would be me interacting
pleasantly with someone while in the middle of one of my
infrequent (thank goodness) migraine headaches.

Cassie got the remainder of her stitches out yesterday and is
doing well. Her appetite is back, she's sleeping well and . . .
No more seizures. I truly believe that she is getting a full
night's sleep for the first time in her LIFE.

The Open House we had was an incredible time. It was so cool to
see so many different facets of our lives converge in our home.
There was the friends and family from our home church, Peninsula
grace Brethren Church in Soldotna. Then we had staff and students
from Alaska Christian College and New Hope. Next there were
Arctic Barnabas staff. Then Cassie's friends from school. Then
her friends from Child Evangelism Fellowship. And other people
that have been impacted by her life and story. What a neat
"composite" gathering of the Body! Cassie made it thru the first
hour and a half and then she was wiped the rest of the day.

So, add to this the fact that our son, Tyler, was in a car
accident and totaled his truck on Friday. Someone pulled out in
front of him on his way to work. There were a few tense hours
while the doctors determined if he had any permanent injury to
his back, but otherwise he was unharmed. And it turns out that
the perceived problems with his back were determined after a CT
scan to be no problems at all. And get this, Kris is in the
habit of praying for people in ambulances as they speed by.
Well, Friday, she ended up praying for our son unknowingly as she
passed the ambulance he was traveling in on the road. Good thing
God know who was in that ambulance. Because her prayers were
heard.

Tyler is back home. In fact, he goes back to work today, and
moved out of the house into a place he is renting with a couple
of friends last night.

Finally, add to all this mix of our UNROUTINE the fact that our
other daughter, Chelsie, is leaving for Indiana today and will be
there working and visiting friends and family for a year. Then,
she is planning to come back to Alaska and begin her college
education (and may take some classes in Indiana while she is gone
as well). So we are driving her up to Anchorage today and putting
her on a plane. She's going to be missed by us and so many of
her friends, but we are excited for this first step out into the
world. Many times recently, Cassie and Tyler have been the
topics of our updates. But I am so proud of Chelsie - - I just
want to bust. Please pray that she will get settled in (already
has a job and place to stay) and get plugged into a church and
continue to make Christ a part of her daily routine.

It looks like Alaska Christian College has 32 students this year.
17 are new, first year students while the remainder are back for
the "Encore Program," living on campus and taking classes at the
local extension of University of Alaska, Kenai Peninsula College.
Kris is out of the kitchen and back at New Hope Counseling
Center. She "fits" there so, so well. Pray that we will both
get to know these students well, from all over different villages
in Alaska.

Kris' salary at New Hope is dependant solely on our efforts at
raising financial support. And, to be quite honest, our support
is down somewhat and we have been focused on Cassie's situation.
If you have not done so already, please consider how you can
assist us financially. I must confess, I'm not even sure where
the percentages are right now. We have really been consumed by
more pressing matters of family lately.

In closing, I just have to say that I know there are a lot of
difficult situations with family illnesses in our church and
among some of our supporters, and in one instance, death of a
family member. We do our best to pray for all of you on a
regular basis. Please keep us informed of how we can serve you.
After all, if you get this e-mail, you are our PARTNERS. And
partnership is a two way street!

THERE or in the Air!

Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on:
www.akcc.org/accpartners
<BLOCKED::http://www.akcc.org/accpartners>
Alaska Christian College, www.akcc.org
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Seattle Day 22 (The End)

Dear Praying Friends,

We're home! We had a great time last night with just Chelsie and
Tyler. It was great.

We're laying low until the open house on Sunday.

Cassie is sleeping well but still has a lot of headaches.

Thanks

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Seattle Day 20

Dear Praying Friends,

Chelsie, our other daughter back home in Kenai, is planning an
open house for Cassie this next Sunday, the 28th from 2 pm to 4
pm.

For most of you, that might be a problem, since you live
elsewhere (Lower 48, Japan, The Chad, etc . . .). But you can do
this: Reply to ME but write your reply specifically to Cassie.
I will copy and paste all your well wishes into a "letter" I will
present her at the open house.

For any "locals" who are planning on stopping by, you can contact
KRIS (wait until we get back in Kenai, please) or Chelsie, or
Laura Anderson at Good Books & More in Kenai (Thanks, Laura!)

Of course, it goes without saying that Cassie's time with
everyone might be very limited. But we really want it to happen.

THERE or in the air!

Gary

Monday, August 22, 2005

Seattle Day 19

Dear Praying Friends,

OK, get ready for this. Kris and I are now sitting together in
our hotel room! Sound pretty neat, that we are both here at the
same time instead of one of us here and the other back at the
hospital? Neat, huh?

Now, this one will surely top that one - - - Cassie is here with
us too!!

That's right, she was released early this evening after everybody
in the hospital (so it seems) came by and signed off on allowing
her to leave. How incredible is that? Last Tuesday she
underwent her 2nd surgery, spent the next 3 days back in ICU, and
here we are, in our hotel room three days later. If I didn't
have all these pictures to prove we went thru everything we were
telling you we did, I would start thinking maybe it was all a bad
dream.

But it's true. Cassie has been released, and OK'd to fly home to
Alaska on Weds. We hope to be on the ground in Kenai at 7:40 PM.
We will be in our hotel room until Weds morning, when we prepare
to travel home. Here are some specific requests.

1. Pastor Ray Feather, one of our "attending angels," has
invited to his home for dinner tomorrow night. We really want to
be there, but it's totally up to how Cassie is feeling by 2PM on
Tuesday. This family has meant so much to us while we have been
here, and we really want it to happen. But, at the same time, we
are willing for it not to happen, and it's Cassie's call.

2. Pray that Cassie will get nothing but rest otherwise, between
now and the time we depart for the airport.

3. Pray that she will continue to gain a little bit of strength
each day and we settle in for at least 6 weeks of recovery.

4. Pray that Cassie will sleep well both tonight and Tuesday
night in the hotel room.

5. Pray that I can get out on the same flight from Seattle, and
we can all sit together. As it stands now, I am on an earlier
flight out (although we are on the same flight from Anchorage to
Kenai). Weds AM I will call and see how it's looking for
possible stand by seating on the flight they are on and, if so, I
will not take my earlier flight but wait for standby to open on
their flight.

6. Cassie has a number of medications. In addition to her
anti-seizure meds there are pain meds and andi-swelling meds.
It's all a bit overwhelming (for me anyway - -Kris has a good
handle on it). Pray that Cassie will keep a good stomach and not
get nauseous. Also, pray that the headaches will go away. I get
migraines occasionally, but I don't even know if they compare to
what she is going through.

Thank you so much for praying us through this event. But the
next six weeks are pretty critical. There's the stitches to be
removed, PT and OT, follow up with the local doctors and the
neurologist in Anchorage. Like I said earlier, we just cannot
believe that we are where we are this evening. Praise be to God
for his unfailing love and sustaining power. God bless each of
you

Gary

P.s. The updates will continue coming, but maybe not quite so
often. A number of you who get our updates recently requested to
be added specifically for the Cassie updates. We love having you
and will keep you on the list unless you notify us. Your
investment in our family and our continued ministry is very much
appreciated. Keep praying

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Seattle Day 18

Dear Praying Friends,

(This e-mail is coming via my other e-mail address because the my
ACC e-mail address is not working at the moment. This way, any
replies made to this e-mail, will get back through)

In my last brief update (who, me? brief?) I mentioned about
Cassie moving to another HOTEL room. Well, they really are not
doing out-patient brain surgery yet. I meant, of course, moving
her out of ICU and into another HOSPITAL room.

The room number is 354. The direct number to that room is
206-731-5210. calls are welcome. Cassie is up and moving a bit.
Swelling in face has gone down. We are rejoicing!

The rest of this update is from Kris. God Bless each of you. He
has lavished his love on us in so many ways.

From Kris:

Dear Loved Ones,
Several times this past week I have tried to sit down and compose
an email that would convey the depths of our gratitude to you for
ALL you have done and continue to do on behalf of Cassie and our
family. But, I just can't seem to get my mind around this whole
situation enough to even begin to put words to it. I'm undone,
speechless and overwhelmed because God has done so much for
us-not just His miraculous work in Cassie's body, but the ways He
has laid our family so heavily on the hearts of so many! Its one
of those things that has God's handprint all over it!! As
frustrating as it is to not be able to get my mind "around it", I
know I should be grateful because I'm brought to tears every time
I focus in on just one aspect of this whole situation.

Today was a day for celebration for us. Cassie has been moved
back to the Epilepsy Ward (jokingly referred to as "home") and is
out of ICU. She gets a little better everyday and for that we
rejoice with all our hearts. Gary and I are so anxious for the
swelling to go down in her eyes so she can actually look at us
and for her to get her appetite back. The Dr's assure us it is
only a matter of time. As we moved all her stuff into her new
room, Gary and I both began to feel the load of concern for
Cassie lift. My mind was immediately drawn to you-I composed a
rough draft of this letter in my mind while trying to take a much
needed nap. It felt so good to focus on you and just try to grasp
the magnitude of the love lavished on us by so many. Our new
Pastor friend, Ray, was praying for Cassie the other day and he
praised God because he knew once we all get to heaven our tongues
and minds will be released to express what just isn't possible
here on earth. And how exciting it will be to hear Cassie's
testimony of all that God has done. That got me all excited and
thinking about HEAVEN!! If only this feeble tongue of mine could
speak words that express the worship and praise in my heart-I'd
be shouting from the Mountaintops GOD IS FAITHFUL, HE IS
TRUSTWORTHY AND HE IS ALWAYS GOOD!!- only I'd be saying it in
such a way everyone would know WHO I was talking about and would
be as undone as I am right now.

So many e-mails, cards, gifts and financial gifts have been
given-we will NEVER be able to thank each of you adequately.
Cassie hasn't yet felt good enough to actually enjoy all of the
cards and gifts-we tell her about each and every one but she
hasn't felt well enough to sit up and enjoy them-Gary and I have
though! We are so blessed by every single e-mail, gift and card
that comes in and really enjoy just seeing who they are all from.
I know Cassie's socks will be blessed right off her feet once she
feels well enough to sit up and enjoy all of them. Thank you with
all of our hearts. Thank you for your love and faithfulness to
keep us before the Lord. Thank you for taking the time to pick up
a card and send it, to make a phone call, to send an email. Thank
you. Each and every one has brightened our way and blessed our
hearts so much.

Our very dear friend, Amy Fetterhoff, sent us a card a few weeks
back letting us know their family has been praying for us and
would continue to do so. She said when she prays for us, she
thinks about the story in the Gospels where the paralytic's
friends brought him to Jesus. They couldn't get him to Jesus
through the door because it was so crowded-doubtless many other
very needy people. But these friends were not to be discouraged!
They climbed up on the roof top, with their friend, made a whole
in the roof and lowered their friend right down in front of
Jesus-at His feet. Thank you Amy for that beautiful picture!
Indeed Gary and I and our family have been brought right to
Jesus' feet countless times. I shared with Gary this evening
while we were eating dinner, I can't help but ask Why? We are so
unworthy of such an outpouring of love from so many people. And I
know there are so many others who are just as needy if not more.
Why would God see fit to place us so deeply in the hearts of so
many people? Beth Moore calls it Scandalous Love. At first, I
didn't like that description-you know, I'm one of those very nice
conservative Baptist girls. I just can't see God and scandalous
in the same sentence!! But now that we have experienced it, I
can't think of a better description! And I will never be able,
this side of Heaven, to express what is overflowing in my
heart-towards God and towards YOU.

Resting In His Arms,

Kris

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Seattle Day 15

Dear Praying Friends,

Cssie has been in ICU since the surgery on Tuesday. She will
possibly be moved into a regular hotel room on Friday.

I'm sorry, but I am just too tired to do much else in the way of
an update. Pray that her fever will go away, her white blood
cell will go up, and the swelling in her face (normal, we are
told) will go down.

Thaks for praying.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Seattle Day 13

Dear Praying Friends,

Cassie's surgery went incredibly well.

1. They dealt with the area at the top of her head and believe
that it was close to the motor control on her right leg, but did
not interfere. What to expect? Motor activity normal (evident
of a "reorganization" to somewhere else in her brain). Motor
activity weak means that they were, indeed, right up against but
did not interfere. In this case, things would return to normal
over a short time. No brain tissue removed here. Rather, a
severing of the electrode path by cutting and carving a channel.
(All my own words, not the docs. Cant remember how he put it)

2. Temporal area removal of a very small amount of tissue in one
area as expected and in another area after testing during the
operation reveled additional activity. What to expect? Highly
possible increased loss of peripheral vision in her right eye.

The doctor was very pleased with the results and felt everything
went absolutely great.

Cassie was in surgery almost 6 hours and was in Pediatric ICU
after a CAT scan by 7:45 PM . She was talking just a bit and
recognized everybody.

Please prayer for specifics related to two areas above. In
addition,

- She is very nauseous. Some of this due to anesthesia, some due
to rapid eye focusing and quick head movements. Pray that God
will just clamp HIS hands down on her head and keep her form
moving too quickly. In this sense, she is creating some of her
own nausea. The nausea is interfering with her ability to rest.

- Pray for no brain swelling and good drainage

- Pray that she will rest, sleep, rest and sleep. Also, pray
that she can stay on her side thru the night. The loss of brain
fluid during surgery means the brain is sort of "sloshing around"
in her head (Just thinking of this makes me nauseous and gives me
a headache, how about you? Laying on her side helps it to get
the brain back in shape, literally.

- Kris and I are absolutely spent. As a result, there's a bit of
edginess that just needs to go away. Sleep for me tonight in the
room and tomorrow during the day, for Kris in the room.

Cassie is still on increased anti-seizure medication. This is
because primary concern is her getting stabilized after the
surgery. Once that is done, and Cassie is moved out of ICU, her
meds will be dealt with to determine how much she may still need.
We are hoping for NONE.. We are hoping for 100% success. But it
will be a few days before this and her peripheral vision and her
motor skills can be focused on.

Please do not try to call the ICU. If you call me on my cell, I
will probably not answer but call back later.

Cassie is my hero!

Tomorrow is her 16th birthday!

We all want to go home so bad.

Come Quickly, Lord Jesus.

Seattle Day 12

Dear Praying Friends,

The "Plunk" has been found!

This morning at about 7 am, Cassie had a seizure that provided
the "missing key" as far as the originating location of her
"screaming seizures". Actually, it was a confirmation of
something they had seen earlier in the week. Her surgery is on
for Tuesday, sometime after 8 am. The operation will last 4
hours, but it will be about 7 hours from the time they wheel her
out to prep for the OR until we actually see her again in Neuro
ICU.

There are two locations where they will focus for the surgery.
The first is in the left temporal area, behind and above the left
temple. This area is where the seizures that cause Cassie to
"zone out" and stare. In addition, they have determined that
there is a second type of seizure that originates here. But this
is one that Cassie doesn't even know she is having, but it shows
up on the EEG.

In terms of function, the largest factor to be concerned with
here is Cassie's peripheral vision on her right side. This is
where this is controlled. This area is where many epilepsy
patients have seizures, and they are very confident that there
will be little detriment to Cassie here, except for the slight
possibility that she may lose more peripheral vision.

The second area is on the top of her head, on the left side, near
the dividing line between left and right. This is where the
"plunk" originated for the severe screaming seizures. Here's
where we need to say "Thank you God, for the physicians wisdom"
and then get on our knees and pray. This area also controls
feeling in the lower right leg. Although she already has limited
mobility on her right side, removing brain tissue here MIGHT
decrease that even further. Cassie was in on all this explanation
from the docs and we understand that removing tissue here might
result in some sort of "trade off." But these are the most severe
seizures and this is what we came, more than anything else, to
get rid of. But there are some very very specific areas you can
pray:

1. Cassie will be fully anesthetized, so there is no danger of
her moving. But she will only be partially medicated in terms of
anti-seizure medication. They actually want to see seizure
activity when they gain access to her brain. Then, they can
further determine the possibility of decreased mobility in her
right leg, and zero in by getting on the underside of some of the
brain folds to test for activity. Pray that God will just
overwhelm them with all the information they need to make the
best choices.

2. Cassie will be in ICU for at least 24 hours following this
surgery, possibly longer. When she comes to she may notice a
change in her eyesight and problems moving her right leg
(temporary problems if this area was not effected, more permanent
if it was.) Pray that we will be able to deal with whatever
changes come.

3. Remember from an earlier e-mail that a complete success means
the total stopping of all seizures. The odds were 50/50 and now
they might even be a bit less given the complexity of the
situation (My estimation, not yet confirmed by the doc.) But
listen to me - - - talking about odds! You and I know that our
God beats all odds and we are praying that God will grant us this
request. We really want Cassie to come out of this totally
seizure free with no trade offs.

On a lighter side of this day's events, we had a friend all the
way from our former home of Warsaw, Indiana come and visit.
Terry Polston has been a DARE Officer with the city's police
department for many years. He had a very positive influence on
all our kids. After we moved from Indiana to Alaska, Cassie and
Chelsie stayed in touch with OP (Officer Polston). When he heard
Cassie was going to be in Seattle for Surgery, he determined to
figure out a way to get here and, thanks to some generous people
and companies back in Warsaw, he was able to raise the funds he
needed to come visit. Terry is a dear brother who loves the Lord.

Cassie was not told he was coming until about 3 AM Monday
morning. Kris told her in an effort to encourage her during a
pretty rough night. Then, a TV station back in South Bend
Indiana got word of this trip and contacted a local Seattle
affiliate, who came by and interviewed OP, Cassie and Kris. This
will be airing on the South Bend Affiliate some time in the next
few days. If someone in that area could find out when, and
possibly tape the interview for us, we would really appreciate
it.

Some friends back from Soldotna, Alaska also came by and visited
and brought Cassie a Christmas card and gift. They have family
here in Washington and were also here on business, so they
decided to take a few hours out of their schedule and drop in!
It was cool.

In addition, we brought Fred the Dancing bear into the room. Push
his foot and me sings "Singing in the rain." This was from
special friends in Anchorage.

All this only worked because it was a few hours after the plunk
was discovered and Cassie was medicated and OK with it all.
Otherwise, we would not have allowed it. What would have been
unthinkable just yesterday, all of the sudden was OK today as we
sort of "celebrated" the plunk.

But tonight, as we come out of one phase and into another, we are
all dealing as best we know how. We will get word out just as
soon as we can. We're not sure where Cassie will be after the
time in ICU following surgery, so it would be best, if you call,
to call the main hospital number, 206-731-3000. But if you can,
wait for me to send another e-mail out Tuesday night.

We have definitely registered on Harborview's Hospital's radar
screen, so to speak. E-mails from all around the world. Cards and
gifts, friends, and Pastor Ray the Strawberry shake guy! But
you know, we don't have to do that to get God's attention do we?
All I have had to do over and over and over this week is gain
access to Him is drop on my knees, or bow my head or grasp my
daughter's hand and cry. He always hears, and He always cares.
Praise the Lord.

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Seattle Day 11

Dear Praying Friends,

Kris was able to sleep at the hotel room last night (Saturday).
Believe me, I had tried to get her to do this earlier, but you
know how mothers can be.

But if she knew what I found out shortly after she left, she
probably would have stayed. Saturday afternoon/evening, the Drs
decided to take her off the remaining anit-siezure medication.
So Cassie and I thought this would make for a real eventful
night. But actually, it was the day today that was really hard,
because it took a while for remaining meds to dissipate.

Cassie has had a number of events today. An "event" is the name I
have given to pushing the button. The button is sort of like a
nurses call button, strapped to her bed post. Whenever either
Cassie or one of us feel she is having a seizure, she/we push the
button. We usually don't keep track of the number of times, but
today we were told at about 5 pm that there had been 31 episodes
today. By 8 PM today, the number was probably up to 50 or so.
All sorts.

Some of them have lasted pretty long. But, in every case, they
were ready with medication that could stop everything if it got
out of hand. And, in the medical sense of her safety and health,
I guess it never got out of hand.

As it stands now, her surgery is still set for sometime Tuesday.

Tonight will be pretty rough. However, although we have not been
told this yet, you'd think they would give Cassie some rest
tomorrow evening/Tuesday morning to ready her for the surgery. We
should find out the game plan tomorrow.

I've added three new pics.

http://home.gci.net/~motherlode/Dad_Cass.JPG This is a typical
position for either Kris or I, with the other ready to jump in.
All the hardware hooked up to Cassie makes it interesting finding
a comfortable position to rest. She's a real hero in my book.
http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndService
s/emailGifts.htm

http://home.gci.net/~motherlode/Email.JPG I know I have said it
over and over, but these e-mails are what makes a big difference
of Cassie. This batch was just yesterday and today. Note the
black box next to her and the cables coiled up to her left.
These plug into a box on the headboard and into connectors that
go into her head. Today, I realized that from a side view, she
reminds me of someone plugged like in the movie Matrix! Only
for her, it's all real.

http://home.gci.net/~motherlode/Kris.JPG Kris is talking to her
Mom on the phone. Family and friends calling has also been a huge
comfort. The recliner she is sitting in is where one of us sleeps
at night.

Scoopin' up the manna! (i.e. living one day at a time on his
sustaining Grace)

Friday, August 12, 2005

Seattle Day 9

Dear Praying Friends,

OK, this e-mail is gonna be pretty tough. Be prepared. But, I
want to be very frank because we need you to know our hearts. If
you call and talk to Cassie, the last thing she will do is break
down and cry. She has a real passion to glorify the Lord. It's
not a put on, as those of you who know her personally can attest
to.

But we feel like we took a few steps back today.

Cassie is down to only one of the three anti-seizure meds she has
been taking, and she has been having numerous partial-seizures
that I would characterize as the "day-in, day-out" kind that have
been the norm for many months. Some of you close to us at home
have seen these seizures. But there's also the
"once-and-a-while" complex seizures where she becomes totally
disoriented and screams. These, along with the infrequent grande
mal seizures, are the ones that we can sort of "tag" with a date
or event like "The one at the deli" or "the one at the movie
theater" or "the one she had in the church parking lot." Not too
many of you have seen these. But if you have, they would shake
you to the core.

Cassie has had several of these seizures today, starting right
about the time we were hoping maybe they had enough information
and could return her to her normal levels of medication. And, as
it turns out, it appears that these screaming seizures are not
being seen directly on the GRID monitoring. They know the
location of the "day-in, day-out" variety, but these are
different. In my own words, imagine yourself on a bridge,
looking down into the water of a pond. You throw a rock into the
water. You see a plunk. But, there's also someone on the other
side of the bridge. He hears the plunk. And, as he looks down, he
sees the wave-ripples from that plunk. But he doesn't see the
plunk.

That's the concept one of the epilepsy docs was trying to
describe it to me, after her first scream big one today. What
that means is that 1. Cassie will need to continue having
seizures to find the "plunk" 2. If needed, they may have to go
in and re-position the contacts/GRID so they can then see the
"plunk."

Please pray that, if the Lord would allow, that they would not
have to go back in and re-position anything. That wouldn't be so
bad in terms of the procedure itself. They would do it by
removing the same piece of skull. But she would need to be under
anesthesia again, and would need to recover from that in ICU
again, In effect, it would mean three surgeries instead of two.
(And for a long time, we didn't really understand the GRID
procedure, so we were originally thinking of only one surgery.

Tonight will be a difficult night for Cassie. I came back to the
hotel room for just a few hours to send this e-mail out, and I
will be returning to the hospital where both Kris and I will deal
with what comes all night (like what we have to do even comes
close to comparing what she is going thru!)

We (meaning mainly Cassie with Mom and Dad, sortof tagging along)
have had several opportunities to share our faith. Cassie and
Kris prayed with the main surgeon today, and he was moved deeply.
I also have had several opportunities to share with others why we
are here, and I believe we are making quite an impact on several
people.

I'm no CS Lewis, and I'm not about to start dealing with "The
Problem with Pain" as he does, except to quote him: I am not
arguing that pain is not painful. Pain hurts. I am only trying to
show that the old Christian doctrine that being made perfect
through suffering is not incredible. To prove it palatable is
beyond my design."
Well, it certainly isn't palatable. If I had the power to choose
either a few days of comfort and rest, or a chance to be made
perfect in suffering, right now I'd say "Can't I have both?"
I'm not trying to "be spiritual" or "say the right thing" or
anything like that. But I am almost "forced into" a deeper level
of understanding as I watch my daughter suffer. I HAVE TO
BELIEVE that God still is in absolute control.
Cassie has received about 50 or so e-mails via the hospital
website so far. I hope they have to recruit another worker to
keep up. These simple notes of love are, for her, a visible
evidence of a "Family of God" event. Then there's Pastor Ray - -
- trying to drop in and see her as often as possible, with a
Strawberry milkshake. In tow each time. People are calling. Other
missionaries calling from overseas. We are simply undone by it
all.
Finally, I just have to say one more time that in all of this,
Cassie's well being is always the highest concern on everybody's
mind. We always know this.
We love you all.
Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on:
www.akcc.org/accpartners
<BLOCKED::http://www.akcc.org/accpartners>
Alaska Christian College, www.akcc.org
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Seattle Day 8

Dear Praying Friends,

Today has been the first somewhat "routine" day since Cassie's
surgery Tuesday. Thanks for praying for her. Your prayers are
felt, needed, and a real testimony to us of God's people
worldwide and the family of God.

Weds morning, the day after the initial surgery and placement of
the GRID aperatus, the EEG crew hooked her up to the monitoring
equipment prior to her leaving ICU. 114 contacts touching her
brain in that many places. Once all those wires were in place,
Cassie sort of looked like a someone under a hairdryer. The the
cables were bundled up and wrapped on top of her head, and the
umbilical snaked down to a power pack that plugs into the wall.

Cassie was moved out of ICU Weds afternoon to the same room in
the Epilepsy Wing of Harborview where she was the last time her
and Kris were here back in May for the initial phase of EEG
monitoring. Wednesday was pretty difficult and she dealt with
severe headaches and continued nausea. In addition, they dropped
her anti-seizure medication down to about 1/3 of what she
normally takes. She has been having seizures on and off since
then, and the doctors are pleased. The head nurse told me today
that some people come and have to be admitted for several weeks
before they can get all the data they need. This is even after
taking them off their medications. Maybe that's a glimpse of
what of family has been going through for the past eight months.

So here I was, thanking God for her seizures. Something that we
have tried for so long to get rid of - - - now, in this context,
a good thing.

Today has been better. Still seizures, but less pain in her head.

Every day she receives e-mails via the hospital's website. We
also got some flowers delivered today (Thanks Uncle "Bubba") and
a gift as well.

We even had a visit from Ray Feather, a GBC pastor in Everet
Washington. He and Cassie hit it off and he's going to stop back
in regularly. But he promised to bring her a Strawberry shake
each time he comes (Thanks, TA for thinking of contacting Ray.)

Please pray for Chelsie and Tyler, back home In Kenai. It's hard
on them not being able to be here. Pray also that we will do a
better job keeping them in the loop.

Finally, pray that they will get all the data they need and put
Cassie back on her meds sooner than the weekend. I guess I
should say that, with all the seizure stuff that needed to
happen, we never once felt that anything, I mean anything, was
more important than Cassie's well being.

I placed a picture of Cassie after the GRID surgery on the net at
http://home.gci.net/~motherlode/after2.jpg . It's of Cassie
sleeping soundly after being moved to the Epilepsy Ward. If you
see anything floating around her, it's simply the prayers of
family and friends. There' s direct line into her room, and you
can call. If Cassie's up to it, she can talk. If not, well,
you'll have to settle for kris or I. 206-731-3481

God is good. All the time!!

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Seattle Day 6

Dear Praying Friends,

We have received many responses from our Day 5 Update - - Some of
you asked for some questions and I will try to respond
individually over the next day or so. Kris and I were discussing
how we feel sortof like "Superman" and "Superwoman" because we
have so many people praying. But the only "S" on my chest would
be for "Spirit Filled"

We moved to a different Hotel. It's just across the street from
the one we were in - - but Kris and Cassie have been here before
and, after a few days where we were, we decided to move.
Mini-kitchen and cheaper rate. No AC, but great air circulation
(And it's not like we will be doing too much here but sleeping
anyway). Baroness Apartments 206-624-0787 Rm 406.

Harborview Hospital's telephone number is 206-731-3000. Not room
number yet. Cassie was in surgery today and is in Neuro ICU for
at least 24 hours afterwards.

He showed up at 8:40 but Cassie was not prepped for surgery until
3 PM. They had some helicopter arrivals with life threatening
situations, so Cassie's surgery got bumped. She hadn't eaten
anything since 10 pm last night, so the extra wait made it hard.
She was hungry! She had a couple of complex-partial seizures
during that time, and they eventually gave us a "waiting room" of
our own, so she could rest. She slept from 1130 until 200 or so.

The surgery went very well. It lasted about three hours. The docs
said it went about as smoothly as it could have, with no
complications at all. By the time we saw Cassie, it was about 9
pm. Her head was bandaged. But for those who asked, she decided
to have it all shaved off. Makes it easier to grow back
uniformly. The piece of skull they removed was about the
diameter of an apple. Once the GRID was in place above and below
her brain, they replaced the skull piece and bandaged her up.

Kris is spending the night in NICU. I was going to as well. But,
once I saw all was well, I decided to head to the hotel so I
could relieve Kris tomorrow morning.

The rest of the week will be a real challenge. Thanks for
holding us up.

When we were at the Seattle Space Needle on Sunday, a note came
around that was sitting on the window frame, The restaurant floor
turns once every 55 minutes or so. But the center and the
exterior wall (all windows) do not rotate. Well, someone had
written a little note and left it on the window frame. As the
note made it's way around, different people added to the note.
By the time it came to us, Cassie grabbed it and wrote "I'm
Cassie. I'm from Kenai. I'm here for Brain Surgery." By the time
it can back around, someone else had added "Cassie, we all wish
you luck" and I heard a boy at the table behind us say, "Mommy,
can we pray for Cassie tonight?" Cassie had left the table for a
few minutes and had missed all this. The boy didn't know the
note came from our table.

WOW! I don't know about the "Wish you luck" part of that story
(It was hard NOT to alter it so it would "preach" a bit better).
But I think that revolving restaurant was a good illustration of
the lives that have impacted us and the lives we are touching by
this adventure. But you know? It's easier to sound spiritual
when everything is going so well. Pray that our Hope will remain
in the LORD during some difficult days ahead.

Pray for Tyler and Chelsie at home, too. It's hard on them not
being able to be here. They're stuck holding up the fort
(somewhat, anyway).

One last story. I don't see how anyone at Harborview could have
planned this. But all the e-mails you sent to her using the link
at
http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndService
s/emailGifts.htm were hand delivered to her about 15 minutes
before she was wheeled into surgery. There were about 15 or so
messages to her. She read them all and, you should have seen the
smile on her face (and the tears on mine) as they led her off to
the OR.

Monday, August 08, 2005

Seattle Day 5

Dear Praying Friends,

First, some of the first part of this update may seem like a
repeat of information. That's because I was able to send a
partial update out to some of you, but not to all. But there are
new developments:

I got to Seattle on Sunday. Cassie had had the first attempt of
the WADA procedure on Friday the 5th , but had fallen asleep due
to the high medication levels used and the test needed to be
re-done on Monday the 8th,

Kris and Cassie were then able to relax on Saturday. On Sunday,
after my arrival, we were able to do something fun before all the
hospital stuff started. And we did just that.

We went up the Seattle Space Needle, we went on a boat ride tour
of the harbor, we visited the Seattle Aquarium, and we had an all
around great day. The weather was perfect - - - tailor-made by
the supreme Tailor!

We showed up at the hospital again today for a "do over" of the
WADA and this time everything went well. We then met with the
sugeon who will be performing the GRID Surgery and the removal
surgery, and we also met at the same time with the doctor who
performed the WADA.

The purpose of the WADA was to isolate the left and right side of
the brain from each other via medication. The medication is
applied to one side, and then a psych-evaluation is done. Once
medication wears off, it is applied to the other hemisphere, and
a similar evaluation is done for that side. By doing this, the
WADA provides inforrmation about which side of the brain is
primarily responsible for what function.

The great news about this is that today's WADA results support
entirely the data gathered earlier, ie. that most of Cassie's
critical functions are located (or have been reorganized) to the
right side of the brain.

The GRID will actually map fuctions based on observation and
electrical stimulation. In conjunction with the WADA, the Dr is
more confident of exact area to do surgery-removal of a portion
of Cassie's brain.

Needless-to-say, we are really thrilled!

But at the same time, we were told that the term "success" in
Cassie's situation, is the complete ceasation of seizures.
Currently, those odds stand at about 50/50. We all need to keep
in mind that going from many complex-partial seizures a day to
one or two a month (or to none WITH medication), while determined
as a faliure as far as the surgery is concerned - - - - - is
everything but that as far as Cassie's ability to be unshackled
by these seizures. Usually, these operations are done on a very
specific area related to scar tissue or tumors. In Cassie's
situation, there's more of an area under consideration, and this
surgery is quite specialized. Even for brain surgery.

We are certainly praying for a success. But we also are confident
that whatever happen, there will be great improvement.

PS. I will send this update out the way I always have. But it is
possible the server we are using to send mail will think that all
these e-mails going out at once are the work of a spammer, and
they will be blocked. It's also possible that I won't really know
this is happening. So I would appreciate it if you would respond
to this e-mail, letting me know you got it. If I don't get any
responses, I'll assume there is something not working and I will
set up a mailing list on one of the domains I have. Hopefully I
won't need to do that, but I will do it if that's what it takes
to keep you in the loop!

God bless each of you. Your partnership and prayers are
everything to us.

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Seattle Day 1 - 8/04/05

Dear Praying Friends,

Well, Kris and Cassie made it to Seattle without any incident.
Kris said Cassie slept on the plane most of the way.

Today, they met with a nurse/practicioner and discussed the WADA
procedure that would happen tomorrow. It should be rather
uneventful, but Cassie might be a bit sore afterwards.

They also discussed the GRID procedure that Cassie will be
undergoing next week. The biggest concern here is the risk of
infection during the week long monitoring, since a portion of
Cassie's skull will be removed and electrode strips will be right
on the surface of the brain. Add to that the added risk of
violent movements during seizures, and it's a lot to be concerned
about:

Cassie will not actually be admitted until Tuesday as it turns
out, not Monday. But Monday is the big day meeting with the
surgeons.

Cassie normally does a lot via e-mail and MSN. But while in the
hospital, it would be best to e-mail her via the hospital
website. They have a service where you can e-mail a patient, but
the e-mails are printed out by volunteer staff and delivered to
the room. That would be a real easy way to send an encouraging
word. The link is
http://www.uwmedicine.org/Facilities/Harborview/ClinicsAndService
s/emailGifts.htm Since she's not actually admitted yet, you
should probably note that in your e-mail. I'm sure they will
still get to her.

I will be leaving for Anchorage on Saturday to spend the night
with some dear friends and then flying out 6 am Sunday morning to
Seattle.

Thanks for your prayers and concern

Gary & Kris Harris
Serving Christ with Alaska Christian College
"Whole-life Discipleship"
gary@akcc.org
Visit Online Archives of our Hotline posts at
http://harrishotline.blogspot.com/

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Dear Praying Friends,

Well, we are into the final count down for Cassie's surgery. I
think I have messed up on a few dates in the last updates, so
please allow me to clarify--

Kris and Cassie will leave for Seattle on the "red eye" Thursday,
August 4th. Thanks to some real gracious gifts and change of
events, we are going to be staying in a hotel a few blocks from
the hospital. We had many offers, but in the end we decided that
it would be best to have a place like this to which we could
retreat.

Next, Cassie will have an appointment at Harborview at 11 AM.
This will be to discuss the procedure they will be doing on
Friday the 5th, called a WADA. I found info on that test here:
<http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gusb/wadadesc.html>
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~gusb/wadadesc.html , The WADA
will be to determine speech center location. The hardest part
of this, we are told, is the patient being able to lie still for
6 hours.

Then, Saturday and Sunday they will be able to relax in the hotel
room. I will fly in Sunday morning the 7th and join them.

On Monday the 8th, more appointments to prepare for the rest of
the week. She will be admitted on Monday. This will be a very
difficult week for Cassie. She will be taken off all her
anti-seizure medication and will basically just be going in and
out of seizures for several days, while the doctors perform Grid
Monitoring. I found some information on this here
<http://stronghealth.com/services/neurology/epilepsy/intracranial
elec.cfm>
http://stronghealth.com/services/neurology/epilepsy/intracraniale
lec.cfm

While the GRID is being done, Kris and I will take turns at the
hospital. In the mornings, Kris will go back to the hotel room
and rest, and stay at the hospital at night. Last go around, Kris
was there the entire time, 24 hours a day and I am so thankful I
can be there so we can "trade off" as necessary.

Then next Monday, the 15th - - we will be meeting with the
surgeon, and the surgery will take place on the 16th. The
surgery will be to remove brain/scar tissue. The recovery
process might be a bit scary. We are told that everything doesn't
always come back right away and it may be several days before she
has everything working again. If all goes well, I will be
returning to Anchorage Sunday evening the 21st, and Kris and
Cassie will be returning on the 24th.

I will do my best to send out regular updates along the way. Both
Kris's cell and my cell will not work in Seattle (We have local -
-Alaska only plans). If you call, you will have to leave a voice
mail and we will get back to you. There is also a link on
Harborview's website where you can send an e-mail to a patient.
We will get that info out once she is admitted as well as room
number info.

Kris and I will be "celebrating" our 24th wedding anniversary on
the 8th in Seattle. Also, Cassie's 16th birthday is the day after
her surgery, on the 17th.

On an earlier e-mail, I messed up on the surgery date and I also
got our older daughter's age messed up. Chelsie is 18, not 16.
She graduated from Kenai High this past year. There, now I think
it's all corrected.

Cassie is doing well. She has had a few times in the last week
where she has been out from the house, without Mom or Dad. We're
so proud of her. It's not just talk. She really knows that she is
in God's hands. What better place to be, right?

THERE or in the air!

Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on:
<BLOCKED::http://www.akcc.org/accpartners>
www.akcc.org/accpartners
Alaska Christian College, <http://www.akcc.org> www.akcc.org
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Friday, July 22, 2005

Dear Friends,

As Cassie's surgery approaches, I just have to tell you that God
is loving us up in so many different ways and thru so many
different people. Thank you!

I have been busy this summer with several major projects at ACC.
The main IT guy is gone for the summer, so I have jumped in and
have sort of been on call for the school all summer. It's been
fun, and challenging. But only because I have had to "learn as I
go" in terms of the network infrastructure on campus.

I have also been doing a fare share of database work in Access
related to the master mailing list program the school uses to
generate mailings and e-mail updates. I am also trying to build
up my computer business and have had some significant contacts
over the past few weeks.

Kris has been very busy this summer. She has stepped outside of
her mentoring role for the summer, working in the kitchen and
assisting the new book keeper. Cassie is known as one of the
"Campus Kids" and spends her days usually with Mom on campus.
All the staff there are basically extended family, and she feels
very comfortable there and helps out whenever she can.

Tyler is working for Arctic Slope Regional Corporation here in
Kenai, and travels up and down the Kenai Peninsula as a
roust-a-bout at various oil-related facilities. He is still not
walking with the Lord, but he has settled down into a regular
work routine, and I have to say that we are very proud of him.
Keep him in your prayers.

Chelsie . . . . Let's see, who is she??? Oh yeah, Chelsie is our
16 year old daughter who we never see! She is working at a local
cannery, and living there as well, Her shift is, now get this, 12
Midnight to 5 pm. I kid you not. She stops home every few days
to say hello, but not nearly enough!

Things are looking pretty good for Seattle. We have a room at a
hotel only 4 blocks away, reserved for the whole period. I will
not get to Seattle until the 7th, and if all goes well, I will
head back to Kenai on the 21st. Kris and Cassie will be there
form the 3rd unit the 23rd.

I got a call the other day from a dear friend from a local church
that partners with us in ministry. They are praying. There are
so many people and groups, Sunday Schools, ladies groups, men's
groups, youth groups and groupie groups all over this country and
others who are praying for Cassie. But you know something. That's
not for God. He doesn't need the noise of all those prayers to
get his attention. No, that is all for us. We need the sound of
all those heartbeats to keep us going. Thank goodness growth
never comes in a vacuum. It comes in the context of people, and
prayers.

God bless each of you!

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Cassie's Surgery Date is Set - 7/12/05

Dear Praying Friends,

Well, it looks like things are pretty set now for Cassie's next
trip to Seattle for Surgery. Here are the details, followed by
some specific prayer requests:

1. Arrive in Seattle either the 3rd of August or early morning on
the 4th, for an 11 am appointment. On the 4th and the 5th, they
will be determining left or right side of brain for speech
center.
2. The following Monday and Tuesday they will be placing a GRID
in Cassie's head and she will again be monitored for seizure
activity for a week
3. They will compare the results of the speech center tests with
the GRID Monitoring and prepare for surgery to remove dead brain
tissue
4. This surgery will take place on the 16th of August. It could
take 4 or 5 hours or longer. They will be removing dead or
damaged brain tissue
5. After surgery, the recovery period in the hospital will be 5
to 7 days.
6. Cassie will hopefully be able to return home the 23rd or
thereabouts

You know, I really gotta be honest. In just a few hours I have
gone from "This is what's going to happen sometime in the next
couple months to "This is it!" The inevitability is pretty
stifling. Please pray for the following:

- That the Lord will give Cassie a special peace through all of
this. She will have a whole week without medication while they
have the grid on her, which means she will be having many
seizures. It will be a very difficult week. She has been
incredible. But she is also tired and very scared

- That Kris and I will be able to hold up just a little bit
longer thru all of this. Cassie's seizures currently are less
frequent, but they also seem to be more violent. What a trade.

- That all the doctors involved would be touched by Cassie's
faith in a way that brings real significance to this whole mess.

-That there might be someone I can stay with in the Seattle area
and transportation back and forth from the hospital will not be a
problem (Seattle has a good public transportation system, I am
told)

-That Cassie will be home and recovered and be able to get
enrolled in school, even if it is a bit late.

- Kris was going to travel with Chelsie, our oldest daughter, to
the Carolinas, where Chelsie will stay and work for a year before
returning back here to attend college at UAF. But this surgery
time table will certainly mess these plans up somewhat. Chelsie
and Tyler both have bee really good about all of this and are
just as concerned as we are . . . . But it will be hard having to
alter plans to spend a week with Kris.

- That we will make the right decisions about when I should join
Kris and Cassie. My plane fare will be covered via air miles, but
I will not be able to stay at Harbor View Hospital (Kris will be
able to stay in the room with Cassie). So I will need housing in
the area. Kris will use all of her vacation days, but I will not
have any income during the time I am with them. A few of you have
responded with funds sent directly to us to offset this. Thank
you so much. If you have not yet but would like to help with this
specifically, please respond with the check to either me or Kris
directly and mail to our home address 1136 Walnut Avenue Kenai,
AK 99611. I am told that it needs to be done this way because
these gifts cannot be considered tax deductible.

I can't remember if I have used this term in one of these updates
before our not, but I keep coming back to the concept of being
sort of "raw" over this whole thing. One day I can talk about it
normally without much difficulty, but at other times it's hard to
keep the tears from coming. I teach an adult Sunday School class
at church, and I'm sure they understand what I mean. They have
walked with us through this entire ordeal.

But so have each of you. I long to be able to return to the good
ol' days of ministry updates information about what we are doing
at ACC. There is a lot happening on that front, too, believe me.
But for some reason God is allowing some real difficult things to
come our way. As we "shoulder up" to the tasks before us, we also
are amazed at the little ways (and the big ways, of course) that
we are being loved thru these times by folks in our church, by
ACC families, and by you. Thanks for sticking it out with us.

Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on:
www.akcc.org/accpartners
Alaska Christian College, www.akcc.org
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Saturday, July 02, 2005

Surgery is a "Go" 7/2/05

Dear Praying Friends

Well, we got word this week that Cassie will be going back to Anchorage for
one additional test and then brain surgery.

The one additional test is to verify that Cassie's speech center is nowhere
near where the surgery will take place. As we understand it, this center can
be in different places and if it is in the same area as the surgery, then
there would be additional considerations to look into before surgery would
happen.

So, what will happen next is something like this: Kris and Cassie will go to
Seattle, they will perform the test. If everything is fine, I will fly up
and be there for the surgery and recovery (10 days), which they will do
immediately after verifying. If there's a problem with this test, then Kris
and Cassie might return home. We're not sure.

They need to schedule a lot of resources for the testing and surgery, and
they are trying to do it all at once. But that means that, as things look
now, it will not happen until late AUGUST. We are seeing if the test can
happen sooner, and then the surgery might also happen sooner, just not at
the same time.

Cassie has stabilized quite a bit. She was able to spend some time with
friends at church several different times this week. Kris and I were also
able to get out for dinner and a movie while Cassie was with friends. This
was really, really great!

I was turned down on the job I was looking into as well as another "business
prospect" I was looking into, both on the same day. To be real honest, I am
really struggling right now with what to do. God knows our hearts and we
keep seeing over and over and over again how we are making a difference over
at Alaska Christian College, but I sortof find myself wanting to crawl into
a hole for a while and crawl back out and just "function."

Thanks for hanging in there with us.

By the way, Arctic Barnabas Ministries is in the process of moving it's
website to another provider, and Kris and I decided to stop using our Arctic
Barnabas e-mail and use our ACC instead. So, at some point, our Arctic
Barnabas e-mail addresses will stop working. Gary@akcc.org and
Kris@akcc.org . Cassie is now forgiven_free@hotmail.com

THERE ir in the air.

Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on:
<BLOCKED::http://www.akcc.org/accpartners> www.akcc.org/accpartners
Alaska Christian College, <http://www.akcc.org> www.akcc.org
35109 Royal Place
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

The Longest Day - 06/22/05

Dear Praying Friends,

1. Cassie - her situation has not changed much. Things are pretty strainedaround the house. We are still waiting on the test results.

2. Family - Chelsie is working at Fish Processing Refinery but not on the "Slime line."She is on the go, go, go, and we love, love, lover her.

Tyler is settling in to a good work routine and is looking for a place herein the area. He's come a long way from the "wayward son" days, but stilllikes to party (although the random drug test fear at work seems to bekeeping him in line). He even prayed at the table on Father's day. That meant more than any other gift that day.

Kris is working all sorts of hours in the summer at ACC. We don't see toomuch of each other. She's quite a trooper. It's a whole lot different inthe summer than what she does during the School year with students.

3. Finances - Our support is down almost $500 a month from where it startedat the beginning of the year. ACC extended the offer to kris to continue inher mentor role during the school year. But since it is wholy supported byour fund raising. she had to take a paycut of $500 a month.

We have just not been able to focus too much on getting out and maintainingour support. There was just a bit ofl loss due to the shift over to ACC. Most of the difference is the result of just some unfortunate situationswith several supporters.

As the result of the lower salary, I am going to have to find moreconsistant work. We were tettering back and forth for a while with my parttime driving and income from computer work, but we just cannot go on,I'm waiting on an interview as the tech guy for a homeshooling network herein Alaska, called IDEA. It would be in their local office, right around thecorner from campus. Pray! It would be great to fucus once and for all about finishing off some debt we had from the bookstore we used to own. I'll do whatever it takes to keep Kris on Campus.I pary for many of you as often as I can.

Thank you for sticking with us.If you haven't partnered with us financially with us, but have been with usover the years as our evolved, won't you please consider so now?

Thank you for the gifts that have come in to offset some of the expenses forCassie as we prepare for a trip to Seattle.

Gary Harris
To Subscribe to ACCs Email Updates, click on www.akcc.org/accpartnershttp://www.akcc.org/accpartners
Alaska Christian College, www.akcc.org http://www.akcc.org/
35109 Royal PlaceSoldotna, Alaska
99669
Cell 907-252-1574

Monday, June 06, 2005

The heat is on - Continue Praying 6/6/05

Praying Friends,

Kris and Cassie got home this evening from Seattle. In Kris' words "Cassie has had too many petit mal seizures today to count." Part of it has to do with the need to get back to therapeutic levels on the medication she was removed from during the first 4 days in Seattle. Part of it also has to do with the exhaustion she is experiencing.

Here are some very specific requests

1. Cassie will sleep thru the night without episode.

2. That Kris will sleep at night without episode. It's 1130 now, and the only way I could get Kris to go to sleep was by promising her I would stay up until 2 or 3 so she could at least not have to worry about hearing Cassie call. I mean it, friends. Kris is really, really, really worn out. Pray for strength

3. Cassie will return to high levels of medication shortly, and her episodes will once again return to a manageable level (What am I saying? How do you manage something like that? Well, you know what I mean)

4. All the results from Cassie's tests in Seattle will get to the top of stacks of paper, at the top of every doctor's list who has a part in the next three weeks of review.
5. We will need to schedule another appointment with the neurologist in Anchorage soon. Pray that timing will be right.

6. Pray for our financial situation. We need additional funds for this next trip to Seattle. Some of this is for accommodations - - but we have already seen God's people responding in that area. But more importantly, I will not be able to work at all this next trip up - - - and we need money to replace the income I will not be able to bring in to the family from my side work. If you would like to help with this, please contact me directly. While I think it could be sent to ACC and marked specifically, you would not receive a tax receipt for this gift. So, it might be better just to send it to us directly, or in care of our church. Anyway, just let me know directly if God is asking you to help in this way.

7. Pray for our resolve to get thru this. At times everything seems normal. At other times, we seem to have our own private hell that no one else knows about. We seem to jump from one state to another several times in the course of a day. Very burdensome grief followed by "Oh, we'll get thru this OK!" It's like I get up in the morning and determine to put on a good mood like I would decide what I was wearing.

I am teaching the book of Hebrews in Sunday School class. We have been talking recently about Christ as the perfect man. Sure he was God, but he was also man. And as such, it resonates with us when we read that he experienced what we experience. I know he knows how my wife is feeling right now as she tries to sleep. I know he understands my daughter's frustration and fear. And, all else said, I can sigh a sigh of calm resignation - - - He knows them, and He truly does care for both of them.

This is no trivial statement when we say that we know people are praying for us. At this late hour I can almost FEEL your prayers. You really are our lifeline right now. Thanks for taking the time!

Gary Harris

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Update from Kris On Cassie 6/4/05

Dear Praying Friends,

First of all, thank you so much for your prayers and love. This has been a horrific week that has been more than bearable because of your love and prayers. The Lord allowed Cassie to have many seizures beginning just a few minutes after being admitted. The seizure activity was intense and very difficult to watch and be powerless to stop. However, the Dr.'s got the information they needed in 3 days instead of 6 days and we were able to be released early. The Dr.'s will need about 3 weeks to process all the information they were able to acquire. We will have a follow-up appointment with Cassie's neurologist in Anchorage once he gets the recommendations from the staff here at Harborview. If Cassie is a good candidate for the surgery we will be making another trip to Seattle for one more test that will take a couple of days. Depending on what they find out, they would go a head and do the surgery and keep Cassie for about a week for recovery-for a total of around 10 days here at Harborview.

The Dr.'s at Harborview made it very clear that there are no guarantees that the surgery would take care of Cassie's seizures completely. Depending on the area of the brain that would need to be operated on, Cassie COULD lose her fine motors skills completely in her right hand (the side impacted by the cerebral palsy), and/or some of her speech skills. And the surgery could only decrease the number of seizures she is having, but not all of them. At the same time, the surgery could take care of her seizures completely. Only God knows.

Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we hear the results of her testing and move forward with her treatment. So far, medicaid has covered all of Cassie's expenses and we are very grateful. However, as we anticipate the next trip to Seattle there will be expenses that medicaid will not cover. Should our next appointment lead into surgery for Cassie, Gary needs to be here as well.

God has graciously provided the means to fly Gary here and home but we will have the added expense of housing and meals during that 10 days since only one of us can stay in the hospital room with Cassie. We appreciate your prayers regarding this, as well, as we look to the Lord to give us direction and provide for Gary to be there with us at this next appointment.

I am sending this update from Seattle as we had a little mix up on our return flight. Since medicaid is paying for this trip we had to have prior authorization (PA) for everything. The orignial PA had our return flight set for May 31st. I do not know why, as we were originally suppose to be at Harborview Hospital until Monday the 6th. I called the airline office as soon as I knew we were being released on Friday and thought I had everything taken care of. We were suppose to fly out today (Saturday) at 1:30. About 4:30 Friday I found out that I couldn't get the return flight because our PA had us returning on the 31st not the 4th. By the time I found out I needed to contact the PA office they had closed FOR THE WEEKEND. So here Cassie and I sit in our little hotel room in Seattle until Monday! Lord willing, we will be able to settle everything first thing Monday morning and be well on our way back to Kenai sometime Monday. Once again, your prayers are greatly appreciated!

After such a grueling time at the hospital we have actually really enjoyed just laying around, watching old movies, taking long walks around this very historical part of Seattle, eating and sleeping. We believe God has a purpose in everything-so we are thankful for the "lay-over" and enjoying it the best we can. Though we are homesick and ready to see family & Kenai again! (-:

Love to All of YOU,

Kris and Cassie

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Monday, September 26, 2005

Saturday, September 10, 2005

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Thursday, August 25, 2005

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Monday, August 22, 2005

Sunday, August 21, 2005

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Sunday, August 14, 2005

Friday, August 12, 2005

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Monday, August 08, 2005

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

Friday, July 22, 2005

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Saturday, July 02, 2005

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Monday, June 06, 2005

Saturday, June 04, 2005

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