Dear praying and most appreciated friends;

Bad news travels fast and has gone around the World once, while good news is still pulling his boots on. (Said someone). Judge for yourself if this is bad news, good news or great news.

A friend of mine said once "The liberals don't have anything to offer, but they say it so beautifully". Our Doctor too, does not have much too say, but he says it so gently. Here is what he says: The tumor marker are good, the tumors are shrinking they have not advanced, in a nut shell we have the cancer "AT BAY".

To keep something at Bay is to have that thing trapped or cornered with no option but to confront in violence in order to get out. Examples come to my mind: A rat on a dead end alley cornered by a cat AT BAY. A child exasperated by a over protective legalistic parent kept in his room AT BAY. (While his friends are playing on the street) Or the Russian kept AT BAY by the American at the Baltic Sea in the Gulf of Finland on the West, and in Vladivostok by the Sea of Japan in the East without exit to the warm waters as they have tried several times through Iran and Afghanistan.

Cancer is not advancing. If it wants to advance it will do it over our dead cells which have been strengthened by faith and science. The last battle that lasted over six months has left a huge grave yard on Ruthie's body of dead cancer cells and heroic good cell in the Arlington Memorial Cemetery of Ruthie's Liver.

The Lord has answered through the Doctors again and every time. Twenty years ago Cancer was found in Ruthie but she asked God for healing in spite of doctors given her only a year or two of life at best. Ruthie specifically asked the Lord for fifteen years after the example of Hezekiah.

The thirty-eighth chapter of Isaiah, or the next-to-last of what is regarded as Isaiah I, starts with the words: “In those days was Hezekiah sick unto death.” There follows the story of Isaiah coming to Hezekiah with the words: “Set thine house in order—for thou shouldst die and not live.” Hezekiah, upon hearing the message, turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord. “The grave cannot praise thee, death canot celebrate thee, they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.” In a little while Isaiah returned, brought a lump of figs to place on the boil erupted on the body of the sick king, and said in the name of the Lord: “I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.”

The Lord answered favorably. Then after the fifteen years was over Ruthie was found with Cancer in her bones. This time Ruthie called the "Big Guns"; we were attending the General Assembly of the PCA and Paul Kooistra led a prayer with about three hundred other pastors. Again our Lord answered favorably and give her five more years.

Now seven months ago, Ruthie broke he leg and was evacuated to the USA and was found with the cancer at fourth stage returning aggressively to her bones and liver. (Round three with cancer for Ruthie). This time we appeal to the whole known world of the Gutierrez friends and their unknown friend of friends. Foolishly, in our effort to prevail over God we came close to something like filing a lawsuit against the Lord on the basis of promises made and precedents of his favor on behalf of other servants of old such as Peter's mother in law, the Lepers, Barthimeo, the Canaanite Woman, Eneas, the lame,the mute, Lazarus and many others. But with Jesus as our loving Lawyer and the Holy Spirit as our Counselor we have reached to something like an out of court settlement satisfactory to both parties.

I am not a spin doctor, but here is my reading of the situation: "There is no doubt that the Lord wants Ruthie for Himself. (Just as much as he wants you and me). There is no doubt either that Ruthie wants to stay a little longer on this world to serve".

Since this is her third and last appeal to the King; he has answered: GOD WILL KEEP THE CANCER AT BAY AND RUTHIE WILL GO HOME WHEN SHE HERSELF ASKS GOD IN PRAYER TO BE TAKEN IN GOD'S GOOD TIME AND WILL WITOUT ANY CONDITIONS ATTACHED. Praise the Lord!. (Remember that this is a letter to you my friends and to talk frankly to each other everything and I also said that this was my reading to the situation only) To die is still gain!!!

We are rejoicing, so please rejoice with us. We have been comforted, so be comforted with the same comfort that we have been comforted. Our Lord is patient, loving and merciful.

May his name be praise by all the generations. A sheep of his pasture.

Gerry Gutierrez