Summer, Finally!

This summer I will be working at camp, as I may have said before, but I wanted to send out a support letter, but I also thought posting the letter on here and telling you a bit about my summer plans and different forms of support I would LOVE from you.

If you would like to support me in any way, please send me an email HERE and I will be able to send you some more information and I would also love to know who is supporting me so I am able to thank you and keep up personally updated on my summer. Thank you so much!

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Dear FRIENDS,

Summer is nearly here!  This past year has been very challenging for me at school and adjusting to living with a serious chronic illness.  Last September, I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  MS is generally diagnosed in people my age and is a debilitating disease affecting myelin which acts as insulation surrounding nerves.  The worst symptoms of MS are fatigue, loss of vision, loss of feeling in my hands and legs and continued attacks which damage the nervous system throughout my body.  Every patient with MS responds differently to the disease but unfortunately my type is aggressive with very short periods of relapse.  I am participating in a drug trial at UBC which means I inject myself (painfully) with an interferon every other day.

MS has been a difficult adjustment and has caused me to think about my life very differently, in terms of school, my career, time management and much more. I have just finished my second year of nursing in Prince George at the College of New Caledonia. It was a busy year with classroom lectures, labs and clinical rotations at the hospital. It was wonderful to be working in the hospital at least two days a week. I absolutely loved working in the hospital; it was great to feel my career choice affirmed every time I was there.  But it was very hard.

I have been given a unique opportunity this summer. Echo Lake Bible Camp, a small camp in Northern BC near Vanderhoof, needs a camp photographer this summer. I will be capturing the great moments that camp provides for children through games, activities, skills and much more. I am excited about this chance  to spend my summer at camp with a great friend, making new friends, serving God and taking pictures.

I have learned that I cannot do life on my own.  I need help.  God has given me the strength and courage to face challenges in my life.   Please keep me in your prayers this summer.  Constant fatigue is something I struggle with on a daily basis. Also, would you pray that I won’t get any more attacks from MS this summer?  I am hoping to have minimal setbacks over the summer and next year and am praying that the new drug they are testing for MS will be available to me in 16 months time.

I also am going to nursing school at UNBC full time next year and I have saved up about half the money I require for 3rd year.  Would you consider supporting my work at camp this summer by donating to Echo Lake Bible Camp’s student bursary program?  I have chosen to serve God this summer at camp while I am strong enough to work with children and share my gifts with others.  I would appreciate your help so much as I serve the Lord at Echo Lake.

Thank you so much for taking to the time to consider helping me this summer.  Your prayers, support and financial help will make a world of difference in my life and in the lives of the children I touch this summer at camp.

Blessings,

Kate Goertzen                                                                                                                                 goertzen.kate@gmail.com

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Hope you guys have  great day!
On Thursday I will fill you in on what I am doing for the next three weeks!

~Kate