One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

While we were in Pasadena God had called us to missions. When we went to Texarkana the clock had to be reset because the mission board policy was not to recruit anyone who had not been at their place of service under two years. So everything was on hold. Finally, after two years communication resumed and we were on the track to the mission field. After all the interviews and exams we were appointed as missionaries by then President Baker James Cauthen. Who had been a missionary to China during the Shantung Revival. Eventually we headed to Missionary Orientation in Pine Mountain, Georgia. But wait a major piece of our life took place. while in Texarkana our third child, our baby, Tina was born right after I returned from a mission trip to Haiti with Wade Akins. I returned on Friday and she was born on Sunday , August 1974.. As time went on and we were heavy engaged with the mission board, Tina had some health issues. Our doctor, Nathan Wright examined her from head-to-toe seemingly several times. But she kept losing weight. He submitted his data to his former med school professor and still no diagnosis. Their only thing they came up with was "failure to thrive." Her body was not assimilating the nutrients she needed to live. When the doctor at the mission board saw her medical records they suspended our appointment process. We got the call one day and from that day forward Tina started to gain weight. Was this another miracle? Absolutely! After several months of monitoring her, Dr. Wright sent a report in on her health and we were back on track and headed to Georgia on January 1976.