Richard Bell Resumes Preaching a Month Early

Here is an update on Richard Bell, pastor of the Apple Valley Community Church, a Grace Brethren church in Winchester, Virginia. Richard was diagnosed last October with mantle cell lymphoma. His wife, Nancy, gives the following update:

We'd like to thank everyone who prayed for Richard during his treatments at Johns Hopkins Hospital over the past seven weeks. We thought you would like to know how positively God answered those prayers.

Richard tolerated the chemo much better than expected and they let us move back home two weeks early and then commute one day a week to finish the chemo these past two weeks. He had strength enough to resume preaching on September 16--a month earlier than the doctor anticipated. We praise the Lord for all of that!

Richard has to take a lot of precautions over the next six months not to catch any illnesses. He will be going every few months for routine tests for the study he is in
and to watch for relapse. The study is to determine if receiving just the high dose cytoxin without a stem cell transplant is just as effective as with a transplant.

It was interesting to find out that since all of his white cells were wiped out and he lost his immunity, in one year he has to start taking baby immunizations all over again. He has to be particularly careful not to be exposed to chickenpox or anyone who gets an immunization with live vaccine.

We are in the Lord's hands and trust Him for each day. We would still appreciate your prayers as you think of us.

-Nancy