My dear friends

Greetings to you and your families!

For the first time in my life, I was wheeled into the service today. As my dear brother, Thomas Maphanga, brought me in the wheelchair, with my wife and sons following behind him, I saw my daughter, Ndumi, and some of her cousins and friends of mine weep. I knew that many of my friends found it difficult to face the reality that I had become so weak that I now need a wheelchair. For me as well, it's been a long road to this day.

One of the main symptoms of Motor Neuron Disease in my case is short breath. This one problem has had far reaching effects for me.

In my very active life before I got ill, I was one of the first ones to stand up and do things in the service; whether it was introducing the service, songs, guests or interpreting. Being forced by the disease to stop my contribution in word and song was part of the dying process already. But praise God! I could still walk into the house of God, hear His Word and enjoy the fellowship with His children.

Doctors had told me that MND weakens all the body limbs. Right from the beginning I knew that there were "horror stories" (one of them being confined to a wheelchair) around this disease, but I tried to live one day at a time.

Over the months I have seen how my mobility is getting more restricted. Some of my friends could no longer bear seeing me walking into the service without any form of support. My dear wife and friends started supporting me into the service. Even then there were tears as some saw how fragile I had become.

When a friend walked into the house with a wheelchair there were further tears as it dawned on my family where this was going. But that is weeks ago! There it waited in the physiotherapy room. I still tried to do without it, using a walking stick and other support. But today I just knew, I had to go into the wheelchair.

Yes, somehow we had hoped that by now the Lord would have intervened. And He has in many ways, but not the way we thought He would. As I sat in the service today my heart welled up in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord for His goodness to me.  I thought of many, especially in Africa, who would be so happy to get a wheelchair. Here, I have a brand new beautiful one! I thought of all the love and support that I am getting. How often don't I hear people say to me, "Please just say if there is anything we can do for you." One of the latest offers was from a young man, Nathanael Kalisky, all the way from France!

As you can imagine, this is one of the most difficult challenges I have had to face in my life. According to the specialists I am already living on "borrowed time." But I still know that the Lord could change this all in a moment. Whatever happens to me, my prayer is,

"Lead me to that rock that is higher than I."

"Just a  closer walk with Thee."

A blessed week to all of you.

Pressing on!

In His love

Fano

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