drug treatment for throat cancer starts "working", although "time works against" him for a "turnaround" of the medical condition.
Glenn Ford, who leads the International Church of Budapest (ICB) (http://www.church.hu) since 1999, told BosNewsLife in an Internet exchange he was pleased to be able to eat during this week’s Thanksgiving Day in the United States while meeting family members.
"It was great to be around a table full of family. I have missed this special holiday for the eight years we have lived in Hungary," he said, before spending his first Sunday, November 26, with wife Terry and her parents in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Last month the pastor rushed back to the United States after doctors in Hungary suspected throat cancer saying it was "beyond operation." Ford soon began a special drug treatment in the US. "The treatment shows signs of working, but it will take more time," he cautioned.
Yet, the pastor, who once flew dangerous missions during the Vietnam War, made clear he is not giving up his battle against cancer. "I am still running the race of following this treatment so that it gains strength over the cancer growth. We stand strong in the Lord, and the power of His might, and continue to strike at the enemy, this cancer must be pushed back, and discharged from my body."
THROAT TROUBLES
But he added that ,"according to a scan last week, there is not much space left in my throat to continue to swallow or breathe through." Ford stressed, "We continue to pray for a quick turn-around so that the treatment destroys more bad cells than the cancer can produce. We must be very close to that point, but time works against us as the tumor has grown almost completely across my throat. But we know God is faithful, and He is greater…We expect to see a real turn-around within the next few weeks."
Ford asked church members and Christians around the world to "please pray with me for a quick work of turning this cancer around so that it begins to regress instead of progress." His health troubles come at a time when the ICB is at the forefront of missionary and evangelistic activities in Hungary and several other former Soviet satellite states.
The ICB was the first new church to be recognized by Hungary’s government since Communism ended in 1989, under Ford’s predecessor Glen Howard. The church is part of the Association of International Churches of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, but the congregation includes Christians of virtually all denominations.
SPREADING GOSPEL
Since its foundation the ICB has given away 300,000 copies of the Hungarian and English book "Is Jesus God?" explaining why Christians believe Jesus Christ is Lord, and 50,000 copies of American author Josh McDowell’s book on the life of Christ ‘More than a Carpenter’. It also hosted a historic national conference for older pastors and their wives who remained Christians under Communism when several of them were persecuted by authorities and the secret service.
In addition, the ICB has been involved in the Central European Bible Institute and supporting missionaries as well as Hungarian and other Eastern European churches. The church says it also organized evangelistic ‘crusade’ meetings and ‘March for Jesus’ events, aimed at spreading the Gospel and "Bridges of Prayer", with Christians traveling across Hungary "to bless this nation and all seven neighboring" countries.
Besides, the ICB is involved in humanitarian projects, including supporting orphanages in Hungary and Romania, as well as refugees. It also feeds, and preaches to, the homeless and the elderly. "Our prayers are not in vain," said Ford, who still planned to return to Hungary in January to continue his ministry.
(Supporters wishing to give financial support to the pastor and his wife Terry were advised to send monies through Learning to Live Ministries, 5650 Sheffield Place Melbourne, FL 32940 and request a tax receipt if needed. Or e-mail icb.church@gmail.com for more information).
This American ignorance is totally obnoxious, and disrespectful of our culture and history.
Hungarians have been Christians for 1,000 years. The Hungarian state has a Christian foundation…check out the story of our king Saint Stephen. Or check out the Saint Crown, the symbol of our state and nationhood. Our national anthem is a church psalm, as well (not a stupid marching song). Hungarians have died by the hundreds of thousands over centuries, in defense of Christianity (see all the battles with the Ottoman Empire)…also check out 1956, and the story of Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty.
Who are you to come to this ancient Christian land and “evangelize”?…Take your disneyfied “religion” back to yankeeland.
Amen!