To help financially during this time of great need, please forward your offering to Tom's sister:
Darla Wexttsen, 16738 N. Tolle Lane, Mount Vernon, IL 62864
checks may be made payable to "Grace Community Church"

There is also a deposit account set up at US Bank to help defray Deb's uncovered medical expenses.
Visit any US Bank branch office to make a deposit in cash or by check for "Deborah A. Smith Memorial Fund".
Please be sure to mention Charity Paddock or Nellie Haverkos to be sure the gift is properly deposited.

If you use this link to join iGive.com, then go shopping there, as much as 26% of your purchases will help the family.

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Friday, June 15, 2007

How you can help Deb and her family

You may have already seen this information. If so, please pass it along to others in your life who know and love Tom & Deb Smith of Ashley, IL and Cincinnati, OH, and would want to know about their situation.

Deb Smith (of Tom and Deb) was just a few weeks ago diagnosed with cancer. The cancer is already very advanced and is in her bones, lungs and lymphatic system and eyes. The doctors initially gave her 6 to 18 months, depending on treatment and so forth. However, it has been much more aggressive than even they foresaw, and she is now (just in the last few weeks) hospitalized in St. Louis. She is in a lot of pain, which they are trying to control with a morphine drip. She also has difficulty swallowing, presumably due to the radiation treatments. The doctors say they expect her to stay hospitalized. Tom drives 200 miles round trip to be with her every day. While insurance covers some expenses, there is still much it can't, and they are really strapped. The medicines and the travel are particularly draining on their resources.

A number of Tom and Deb's friends are calling on those who know and love them and suggesting ways we can all get involved to help. And quickly. Here are some ways.

PRAYER. God still heals, and Deb needs healing. Her daughter Charity said that we should pray for healing, for hope, and for freedom from pain.

MONEY. Tom's sister Darla is taking charge of processing contributions to help them. Checks should be made out to "Grace Community Church" and sent to:

Darla Wexstten
16738 N. Tolle Lane
Mount Vernon, IL 62864

CARDS. Deb receives great encouragement from the cards and notes she receives from friends. Calls, visits, and e-mails are out. She has very little stamina right now. So an encouraging note or card to remind her of the many ways she has blessed you over the years both personally and through support of Tom and the church could help brighten her day. Here's her address at the hospital:

c/o St. John's Mercy Medical
615 South New Ballas Rd.
Creve Coeur, MO 63141

Tom could use encouragement too. Here is his contact information:

pastortomsmith@yahoo.com
Tom and Deb Smith
10517 N. Panzier Lane
Ashley, IL 62808


There may be an opportunity for an informal fund-raising get-together of some kind in Cincinnati in the very near future, so that the local folks here could meet, maybe get some musicians among them to ply their talents, gather picnic-style, pass the hat, and pray. We'll see what comes of that, and let you know.

STAY INFORMED. Read this blog for updates. Thanks to Barb & Ric Hine for the inspiration. Also, in you wish to be added to the e-mail update list, send a message with your contact information to Loving Deb Smith.

GET THE WORD OUT. If you have the e-mail addresses of others who need to know about this, that would be most helpful if you pass the information to Loving Deb Smith or spread the word yourself.

You may receive this information from other folks who love you and Deb and Tom. If you do, it just shows the unity of the Body of Christ, the truth of John 13-17. Might be a good idea if you could also send this note to folks in your life who might want to know this information or be able to help Deb and Tom Smith in some way in this time of great need. Please ask them pass along to their networks as well.

3 comments:

Barb said...

Blessings for getting this up and running!

Anonymous said...

My family will always love all of you.. for the great years in the Lord we had with all of you and all the memories.

This life on earth will often times shake every foundation we have and challenge everything we have ever believed - but Jesus challenges us to continue to overcome all of our life!

Grace is given in measure to need - I am praying Grace an extraordinary measure be continually poured out on your family from all of us..

Your family has served the Lord and sacrificed for him in great measure... Not many people know how deep and strong spiritual warfare is on the West Side of Cincinnati ... but your family overcame it and succeeded completed eternal fruit here!! The devil is angry still for your work here... stand firm... you began your journey as a family, stay together in all seasons so that you finish the journey as a family united.

I am praying for all of you - and for Deb, Laverne said it right... Deb has always been a special measure of Christ Grace for all to see!

With much Love and Respect for all of you, and great memories I will always cherish!

Chuck Squeri

Anonymous said...

Dear Deb & Tom,
I cannot find words to express my grief and heartfelt concern for you during this unbelievably difficult time.

So much of who and what I am is because of you and who YOU are. You have loved me, fed me, mentored me, trained me, taught me, prayed for me, stood by me, believed in me, and given me more grace than I've ever deserved. Because of you I feel I know who Jesus really is. Thank you for that.

I am richly blessed to be surrounded by your words, pictures, books, and art, and I am beyond grateful.

I pray for you daily, fast for you weekly, and thank God for allowing our paths to cross on this, the "first leg" of our eternal journeys.

Peace be With You,
Paula