A SEASON TO DIE Lois Carey, our new friend. We've had a very "stretching" and "emotional roller-coaster ride" these past few days. Let me explain.

Over the past 2 weeks, a Toronto Canadian work team has been helping CAM missionaries Ken and Cindy Spaugh in a work construction project in Patzún (about 2 hours from the capital city). Last week, Glenn and I were driving back to the capital and stopped off to visit the work site and visit the team members. They were finishing up their second week of "dry walling" and some "electrical work". The next day they headed to the resort town of Panajachel on Lake Atitlán.

Saturday morning, work team member, Bob Carey, 65 years old, had a splitting head ache. They drove back as far as Antigua with his wife holding his head as smoothly as possible on the mountainous roads. Early Sunday morning, Bob was admitted into a local hospital unconscious and in a coma. An MRI was performed and revealed a massive brain hemorrhage.

The work team left as scheduled on Sunday morning and flew back to Toronto while Bob's wife, Lois stayed behind. Sunday night, the neurologist, came and spoke to us (we were with Lois, Ken and Cindy) and said "it didn't look good". The doctor took down Ken's cell phone and said he would call us if his vital signs changed down.

Lois stayed with us last Sunday night and the following 4 nights. Before we went to bed, we watched her's and my favorite show, the "Amazing Race". Monday morning, we got a phone call at 6:30 and the hospital asked for us to come on down immediately. Because of 7am rush hour traffic, it took us 1 1/2 hours to go 10 miles.

In summary, it didn't look good for Bob. But it looks bright in terms that he'd be going home soon. Lois is doing well. They're both well-traveled, (Lois being from New Zealand) and have a heart for missions. She mentioned that they travel twice yearly on mission trips and fun trips around the world. They have no children and have been married 27 years.

Tuesday morning, Lois made the decision to "turn down" the life support system (apparently, you can not turn them off in Guatemala). Glenn and I joined Lois, Ken and Cindy in the ICU at noon. We sang songs around the bedside. Read scripture. Prayed. Told stories. Laughed. And cried.

Then on Tuesday afternoon, 1:35pm, (March 6th), 65 year old Bob Carey passed into the presence of our Lord, right before our eyes, this brought on by a cerebral hemorrhage. His wife of 27 years, Lois was there by his side. Here is Cindy with one of the workteam ladies
The following 3 days were a "blur" as we helped Lois with the tedious paperwork of dismissing Bob from the hospital into the funeral home, paying for the hospital bill, going to the Canadian embassy, getting death certificates signed and translated, and preparation of his remains. Glenn and I volunteered to make the travel arrangements for Lois's return trip back to Canada. Each night, we came back home totally exhausted. Lois flew back to Canada on Friday afternoon. Oh, yea, I stayed up until 4:30am on Friday morning making a "memory book" of e-mail notes from members of their church in Canada,so she could have that on the TACA plane to read.

As you think about it, pray for Lois and her encouragement from family and friends. Pray for the team members that worked alongside Bob and their grief that they are dealing with. Pray for CAM missionaries, Ken and Cindy Spaugh.



Judy Stewart
email judy.stewart@scbbs-bo.com