San Diego where the leader of Hungary’s first English language evangelical church since the collapse of communism received, apparently successful, treatment for throat cancer, BosNewsLife learned Saturday, December 23.
Glenn Ford, an American pastor and a Vietnam War veteran, told BosNewsLife that "it might be hard to understand, but political pressure from the USA caused Mexican authorities to harass the hospital where we were to shut it down."
American officials have reportedly pressured Mexican health inspectors to crack down on dozens of natural cancer therapies, provided near Mexico’s border with the United States to make it easier for American patients to travel there.
CANCER THERAPIES
Critics argue that natural cancer therapies have not been scientifically proven and could delay the allegedly more effective conventional cancer treatments, including radiation therapy, chemotherapy and surgery. Supporters of alternative therapies say however that medical authorities control all research funds and facilities and that nothing is given to natural therapists to prove their case.
Pastor Ford said he arrived at the Mexican facility December 4 after flying from Budapest to his native United States where he was advised by his doctor to receive a more "high performance treatment" across the border in Mexico. "Several times during our stay, we had to pack up and leave. This interfered some with treatment schedules, but the staff there made a valiant effort to keep the treatments as up to date as possible," he added in an e-mail exchange.
"Intrusions from the authorities aside, I was pleased at the way the hospital operated, and pleased at the treatments received. Their most powerful cancer weapon was a new treatment just brought in from China. Of 1,000 cancer patients tested there, 980 were cured, and that was using natural products with no harmful side effects," Ford claimed.
"TURN-AROUND" REPORTED
After nearly 12-days of treatment, Ford said he experienced a "a turn-around last Friday, December 15, where the tumor is now becoming smaller instead of larger." He stressed he was thanking "the Lord" as there was really "very, very little room in my throat for it to grow more without choking me into the next life."
Ford left Hungary in October when he first apologized to members for throat problems during a sermon. He left behind the International Church of Budapest (ICB), the first new church to be recognized by Hungary’s government following decades of communism when religion was discouraged.
The ICB (http://www.church.hu), which is part of the Association of International Churches of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, includes Christians of virtually all denominations and has been very active in missionary activities. Since its foundation in 1989 the ICB gave 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’.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE
It also hosted a historic national conference for older pastors and their wives who remained Christians under communism, soon began a variety of humanitarian projects, including working with the homeless and refugees, and started evangelistic outreaches across the country. Ford expects to receive a "clean bill of health" by February and said he and his wife Terry plan to arrive in Hungary January 12.
"After being in Budapest for eight Christmases in a row, it will be a treat to spend Christmas with our family in the states this year," Ford stressed. Church members and other supporters so far paid over half the $24,127 in expenses related to the center treatment in Mexico, not yet enough to pay all the bills. "Friends are a wonderful expression of God’s goodness. I wish I could tell" each of them who "much [they] have meant to me during this ordeal," he said.
Ford, who flew dangerous missions during the Vietnam War, earlier described the battle against throat cancer as a fight against a monster. But referring to Bible verse Psalm 118:17 the pastor said: "I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord."
(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).
