December 21, 2001: Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Hi friends. The following is our annual Christmas letter, which some of you may get in the post as well. I thought I'd fire it out to you electronically as well, and perhaps save a few paso's. If you don't get it in the mail, feel priviledged. It means we think so highly of you that we're confident you won't be offended.... Plus, if you're on this list, all this is old news anyhow.

But know this... your support and comfort, along with your prayers for Sheri and me (and for those who suffer but whom we cannot or will not see) have meant the world to us. I truly believe I could not have survived thes past nine months without your shoulders to lean on. Thank you for bearing my laments, sharing our victories (however small) and just generally being kind to us. We love you.

Take time these next few days to think about the notion of a God who took our frailty upon himself, who would not let his creation suffer alone. Advent is a time of anticipation--waiting for him to come. It is solemn because it reminds of those times when we are alone, but also joyful because of the hope his coming brings. Christmas, however, is pure joy. It is a glorious, happy, even sensual holy day, in that we celebrate the stuff of life--we remember that God not only called the earth good, he embraced it and became part of it. In his smallness, God in Christ reminds us that being earthlings is a good thing, and so we feast and give gifts extravagently, with plenty of holy indulgence. Once a year we open the alabaster jar and pour out good things on those we love.

And those in need.

Please remember them too, as we eat, drink and are merry. Find a way to invite those who suffer or are alone to the feasting.

And so, enough. Our Christmas letter follows.

Dwight

Christmas 2001

Dear Friends: We can’t begin to tell you how good it feels to say “Merry Christmas” this year. In fact, there’s never been a time in our lives when we’ve been more conscious of how important our friends—both near and far—are to us, and because of that, this Holiday greeting is full of our best wishes and fondness for you and your family.

Our year, as many of you know, has been anything but ordinary. We started 2001 with lots of promise and excitement—Sheri got a new job early in the month and Dwight had been in his position just long enough to get a feel for the tasks that were before him, and to be filled with all sorts of expectation for the good that was before him.

Sheri’s job offered a grim foreshadowing of sorts, as in January she accepted the position as program manager for the American Association for Cancer Research. The AACR is a membership organization for scientists and doctors engaged in, (go figure) cancer research. Each year the AACR gives away millions of dollars to leading specialists in that field and Sheri is responsible to help structure and market those grant award programs. It’s been both a good job and quite frustrating for Sheri. On the plus side, she works with some very interesting people, her office directly overlooks Independence Mall (where they signed the Constitution and where the Liberty Bell hangs), she gets to go to fun places for their annual conference (New Orleans in ’01, San Francisco in ’02) and she’s been able to develop some of her very marketable job skills. On the negative side, she’s had to deal with what we’ve grown to call “founder/president syndrome,” watching her boss’ boss micro-manage and major on the minors, handcuffing the best employees’ best ideas and generally squelching creativity. It’s not anything we haven’t seen before after a decade in the non-profit sector, but it’s frustrating none-the-less.

Dwight started the year with a meeting of his board of directors that set a very ambitious and exciting plan to grow EAPE/Campolo Ministries, and over the first three months of the year saw some exciting things begin to unfold for the organization. Dwight was also beginning to get regular requests for him to come and speak and by the end of March had not only been back to Canada to speak at Essex Gospel Tabernacle (the church he grew up in) but had a full late Spring and early Summer planned that would take him to South Carolina, Tennessee, back to Canada and out West.

Of course, as many of you know these plans—and those set for EAPE—came to a crashing halt at the end of March. Dwight had promised Sheri and his GP that he would lose 40 lbs. in the spring, but early in his workout schedule he noticed an odd pain in his left hip. After a couple weeks of treating it as a pinched nerve a CAT scan led to the frightening discovery that he had Multiple Myeloma, a very serious kind of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. After the shock of the initial diagnosis (he was diagnosed on the day Sheri was flying home from AACR’s annual conference) came a whirlwind of tests and consultations that led very quickly to monthly, four day-long Chemotherapy sessions from April to August. After each of these sessions Dwight was laid up for at least another full week of convalescence. Because of these long and necessary absences from the office, Dwight and his board were forced to reexamine their goals for EAPE, and in July they decided that the organization would scale back its plans and that Dwight took a medical leave in order to concentrate on getting well. EAPE was extremely generous to us, given that Dwight has only been there 8 months when he became sick, and while he was very disappointed, he understood the dilemma that his absence posed for the board.

We learned very early on that we were not up to the challenge on our own, and sent the word out as far and wide as we could that wanted and needed prayer—those of you who have given us your email addresses have been receiving our regular updates since early April. The response to our pleas has been overwhelming—and quite rewarding too. We have been bombarded with well-wishers and from the start have sensed the deep peace that only comes from outside of ourselves.

That comfort was especially needed in the autumn, when Dwight underwent a stem cell transplant, a relatively new procedure that, while quite taxing, was not nearly as demanding as a bone marrow transplant. The transplant was a two-day procedure starting October 10, meaning Dwight had to spend just a few days in the hospital; however, he was home very sick after the transplant for nearly two months, extremely fatigued and ill from the chemotherapy. It was the first of December before he had the energy to get out of the house, and right around that time we had a major scare when his right hip began to give him extreme pain. The doctors initially thought that he might have a recurrence of the cancer, but the appearance of a nasty skin rash on his right leg showed us it was shingles, not Myeloma. For perhaps the first time in recorded history a collective sigh of relief went up to heaven, thanking God for shingles. And just before this letter was written the doctors gave us very good news about Dwight’s prognosis, which we hope will be confirmed in mid-January when “Day 100” after the transplant allows the doctors to talk about “remission.” If that happens, then Dwight will begin looking, once again, for a new job in which he can serve, write and speak.

Through all of this Sheri has had to take on the role of chief nurse and nurturer in the Ozard household, and she has done extremely well. Dwight can be a trying patient, to be sure, but Sheri has endured his ups and downs with grace and kindness. A brief holiday in Maine with Sheri’s parents the week after Labor Day (just before the process for the transplant began) gave us a much needed breather, allowing Sheri to hike with her father in the coastal Maine mountains and Dwight to enjoy a short parenthesis in his treatments and even get in a couple rounds of golf. Also quite therapeutic was a weekend visit in late July from two of Dwight’s former roommates and best friends, Chris Das (EPBC) and Bob Holmes (Huron).

Another comfort through this demanding year has been our newfound church, Wayne Presbyterian. We had spent last autumn searching the area for a place of worship and had only decided on Wayne Pres. at the New Years. In spite of our new-arrival status, the staff and congregation there have been a constant source of strength to us.

And so have you. We simply couldn’t have managed this year without the support of our family, friends and others who have prayed for us, looked after us, written us notes of encouragement or stopped by. Thanks.

And so, as we go through this wonderful advent season, we pause and give thanks for all the ways that the Creator has come near to us in this busy season. And, as we have done since the beginning of our ordeal, we also stop and remember those who have no voice, no power, and no one to give them comfort and kindness. Despite our trial, we know that we are extremely blessed, simply because we have known mercy and kindness and grace in the midst of a difficult situation.

And so, it is with full and grateful hearts that we wish you a very, merry Christmas and the most promising and prosperous of New Years.

With our love and affection,

Dwight & Sheri Ozard

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