Asia-Pacific Regional Communications Coordinator Todd Aebischer provided the following update about Liza Halbrook, a system/network administrator at the Asia-Pacific Resource Center who has served in various capacities with the Church of the Nazarene for more than 15 years:

I was in downtown Manila when I received the text message from Liza Halbrook. The large, inoperable tumor in her abdomen had been confirmed: Stage 2 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Then she gave me the rest of the news.The oncologist was recommending eight chemotherapy treatments, 21 days apart, with a cost of more than $2,500 USD per treatment.

My mind raced. How on earth could we help with this dire need? The pressure in her abdomen was already causing tremendous pain. There were more CTs and tests needed, and due to the size of the mass, chemo needed to start sooner than later.

Driving down the street, I stopped at an intersection for a red light. As I gazed at the light I began to think, this is greater than anything we can handle, but with God, nothing is impossible. I began to praise God for what He was going to do.

A few hours later after arriving at the campus of Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary, I found Liza and her husband, Brooks, who had also just arrived.

The smiles on their faces were not what I had expected, and then they gave us the new word. While they were still in the office of the oncologist, he told them about a special study for patients with “interesting” presentations of cancer. He believed that Liza’s case was just such a situation. He immediately placed her on the list of patients for consideration for the study. This study would cover all medication costs for the participants!

We are praising God for His incredible working in the lives of Liza, Brooks, and their two children. Our God does answer prayer, and we are diligently lifting Liza before the Lord, praying for a complete healing and for the provision for their needs.

Continued prayer is requested for the Halbrook family. To read updates from Liza, visit her Facebook page.

--Church of the Nazarene Asia-Pacific Region