Raymond Bond Update

Memories of Dad

2007-04-21T23:19:00.000-05:00

MEMORIES SHARED BY GORDON

I have many memories of Dad - too numerous to recount in these brief paragraphs, but these few illustrate the kind of father and man he was.

Dad loved to fish. He had a special affinity for crappie and large mouth bass. I remember fishing with Dad as a small boy at a dock down at the Lake of the Ozarks. We got up early, drove to the lake, ate breakfast at a little diner and then got down to business fishing. It was a chilly morning, and I was more interested in hot chocolate than fishing, but then the crappie started biting. We fished for about 3 hours and caught 40 some hand sized crappie. It was a great day of fishing and a day I will always treasure having spent with Dad.

More than fishing, Dad loved people and loved to be of help to them. Specifically, Dad had a tender heart for people who suffered from mental illness. I distinctly remember one balmy July afternoon in St. James, MO. We were traveling home from some event in a driving rain. There was a woman walking along the road in a full length woolen trench coat. Dad stopped an asked if he could give her a ride somewhere. She seemed dazed and confused but accepted the offer. Her manner and actions made it quickly appearant that she was mentally ill. We took her to home, let her get a shower, gave her some dry clothes and shared a meal at our table. Dad made arrangments with the local authorities to get her the assistance she needed.

Later on, Dad served as a social worker in northern Missouri. One of the men in his care was an avid Pittsburg Steelers fan. Dad knew that I, too, am a Steelers fan. He wrote and asked if I had any Steelers souveniers that he could share with his friend. I sent Dad a mug and a leather Steelers baseball cap. Dad gave his friend the cap and later told me how elated the man had been to receive the simple gift. Dad was always looking for an opportunity to share "a cup of cold water" to those thirsting for kindness.

Most of all, Dad loved to share the story of Jesus. I remember many nights sitting in someone's living room behind an old Bell and Howell 35MM filmstrip projector, turning the knob and listening to Dad share the Good News of Jesus through the Jewel Miller film series (I nearly had the presentation memorized). There was no joy greater to Dad than an opportunity to share the Story with someone hungry to hear it. His zeal is a legacy that continues with his family and all those with whom he shared the Good News.

Dad will be greatly missed by those who know and love him most, but his legacy lives on all whom he helped, encouraged, taught and won to the Lord. We long for the day that we'll see him again and know with certainty that we will as we live out the faith he planted in our hearts.

See you on the other side Dad!
Love,
Gordon

MEMORIES SHARED BY BONITA

Daddy always had high expectations of his children. Today I look back with a grateful heart that he expected nothing but the best from my brothers and me, but there were many times in my growing-up years when I wasn't so appreciative of his expectations, wisdom, guidance and correction.

I inherited my Daddy's "gift of gab," but it wasn't always viewed as a gift. My earliest recollections of church were our family's years with the Ulman Christian Church. There was another little girl who attended the Ulman Christian Church. She and I were two peas in a pod, because she had the "gift of gab" too, and boy did the two of us put it to good use...except our timing was a little off.

Sharla and I would begin by whispering, but it was never long before one of us would say something that caused the other to giggle. And before we knew it Daddy was no longer preaching to the congregation, but was giving directives to "two little girls who were going to be sitting on the front row if they didn't stop talking." Yes, Daddy's correction didn't stop at the church doors, and I have many memories of being called down from the pulpit for talking, giggling, or goofing off. Daddy always was one to put God's Word into action, and the scripture..."Train up a child..." was no exception.

Another memory I have of my Daddy was his love of going shopping with "his girls." Daddy was THE BEST man in the world to go shopping with. He would send Mom and I into the dressing rooms and then go pick out pieces of clothing, one after the other, and bring them to us. Mom and I spent many hours in dressing rooms being waited on and pampered by Daddy. What a wonderful example of servant hood he taught me through that experience. Daddy truly had a servant's heart.

Daddy loved to sing and he passionately passed that love on to his children. Daddy loved to hear his children sing, especially if we were singing praises to God. I remember one particular time I shared a special number for an evening Sunday service at the St. James Christian Church. When I was finished, Daddy got up in the pulpit and said something about popping buttons. I was young, and didn’t understand that phrase of speech, so I thought he meant I had lost a button while I was singing. I started looking around on the floor for it, and Daddy stopped to ask me what I was doing. I said, "You told me I popped a button so I'm trying to find it." Needless to say, Daddy's sermon started with several chuckles from the congregation, and I was thoroughly embarrassed when I found out I had misunderstood what he had said. Daddy continued to pop his buttons over the years, and he never hesitated to let my brothers and me know just how proud he was of us. That is a gift from Daddy I will always treasure.

There are so many memories I have of my Daddy, but the most precious memory I will cherish was created during the last 24-hours of his life. Easter Sunday afternoon Daddy and I sang together. We sang every old hymn we could possibly think of. Daddy remembered every word of every song, except for one. We both got mixed up on the second verse of All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name. After we finished the song Daddy said, “Well…aren’t we a pair? We’ve known that song all our lives, but we sure got confused. Yes, you and me are quite a pair.” After an hour and a half of singing hymns, Daddy said he was just too tired to continue. I told him I would keep singing to him. Then Daddy said, “Thank you sweetheart. I’ve always loved hearing you sing.” Well, today my Daddy is singing with the angels, and I’m just a little jealous. But I’m so comforted by knowing that one day I will, once again, sing with my Daddy, and on the other side of heaven we won’t be forgetting the words.

Thank you, Daddy, for the wonderful legacy you have left behind. God gave me THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD when he gave me you. I will always love you!

Because of Jesus,

Bonita

MEMORIES SHARED BY MARK

Breakfasts were very important to Dad, and not just because it was the first meal of the day. It was quality time first thing in the morning. In a minister's family, nights are shot with church activities and nights that aren't planned would somehow fill up with the unexpected. So Dad would save the morning for us. Sometimes it was the doughnut shop for a simple sausage sandwich on toast, or it might be waking up to biscuits and gravy that he knew exactly how to make. Regardless of the menu, it was time with Dad that he wanted to spend with us. If you ever got breakfast with Raymond, you were a very special person.

We had the cleanest flue in Macon County, I guarantee it. I'll never forget the winters in Junior High and High School. Our home had a wood furnace that Dad really enjoyed using. He didn't enjoy stacking the wood, as he always seemed to let me do that. Nevertheless, if it got above 40 degrees, dad let the fire go out and he cleaned that firebox - and I mean cleaned! He'd call a friend in the church who would come with his tools and drop the chain down the flu (maybe 4 times a winter). Dad was not going to have a fire in the house. He had enough catastrophies with Mom in that house, but that's a whole other story.

If the band was playing, Dad was in the stands. Marching competitions, band contests, jazz concerts, or solos in the spring, Dad was on the front row to listen. He would even critique all the other bands, and they never messured up. I think he was a little bias. He was the greatest encourager for me to do anything I wanted to do, but if I committed to it, I would be putting forth my best effort. That's a motto he lived his life by.

Thank you for living an excellent life, Dad. You certainly did your best!

Clay in His Hands,
Mark

Text From Dad's Celebration Service, 4-14-07

2007-04-18T15:58:00.000-05:00

The Truth He Believed & Lived

Written by Rick Yoder

(Rom 8:28 NRSV) We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

Raymond Bond: What can I say about someone who was a very dear friend to me and to many, many people? Now I know this may come as a surprise to you but Raymond was a very organized person. And if that does surprise you, you probably didn’t know him very well. Knowing Raymond he’s already trying to better organize heaven – I can imagine the Lord saying, Raymond it’s OK just relax and enjoy.

Several years back I got a call from Raymond, could you come to our house for dinner, there are several things I want to talk to you about. When I die, I want you to preach at my funeral. My privilege – but don’t make it too soon ok. This is really sooner than I had planned, would have loved to have him around some more as would we all, but as the scripture I just read teaches, All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. And without a doubt this is His Purpose.

I’ve known of Raymond Bond all my life. From the earliest memories it was a name that I remember – all through my life he surfaced from time to time. Then about 5 years ago, Raymond and Therma showed up and Capital West and soon after made it their church home. What a blessing it was working with Raymond and Therma. During these past years we grew close in our faith and our walk with God. After hearing Marks memories, I feel privileged because of his invitation to breakfast on several occasions.

If you were around Raymond in the last 10 years or so you might have thought, “he’s a little over dressed this morning.” Therma told me the other day that after retiring from full time ministry, Raymond he went from suits to his relaxed clothes and those stretch shirts that were a normal part of his wardrobe. You may have noticed a spot on his tie. Mark wanted me to point out that was left there on purpose, he said look at that tie, we left that spot just because it was dad, he never made it through a meal without something on his shirt or tie. That was just Dad.

Raymond wasn’t perfect in his life but his life is a testimony of faith and a trust in God that saw him overcome some difficult hurdles. Over the past several years we had some real heart to heart talks about the struggles he had faced in life, he shared with me the pain that he endured, we talked about faith, hope and the future, for his kids and his wife all of whom he loved dearly. Raymond’s life was a living illustration of what God’s Amazing grace can accomplish.
Raymond’s legacy is one of faith, trust and dedication to God’s Word. He loved to teach, to preach and to help people understand the word better. You couldn’t be in a Sunday school class with Raymond with out knowing that, even if he wasn’t the teacher he was still teaching. . (I loved having Raymond in my class, he always made teaching easier – always had something to add and it was always worthwhile) I was reading some of the comments that people made on the Raymond Bond update blog and this comment from Susan said - Hi Mark, Hi Rachael, I am so sorry to hear of your loss,,,I will remember how much I was blessed by your dad and his words of wisdom when he visited my Sunday School class. I received such strength from him at the time. I believe that those comments could be shared by many that sat in a class whether he was teaching or just participating in it.

He was so excited about the Sunday school class he’s been teaching these last few months. Just a couple of months ago he dropped in my office and shared with me some really neat Charts and maps that he had found on the internet, charts that were going to be very useful in his upcoming class. He told me about a new study guide he found which had was written by Orrin Roots “training for service” He said “by the time you take people through this book they will be ready to teach others.” I know that he didn’t get to finish the study but from what he said it was going great, and I pray that someone will pick up the torch and carry that study on to completion – preparing more to follow in his footsteps.

I was looking at the table last night at some of the things that Characterized Raymond’s life – his record book caught my attention, page after page of people that Raymond baptized into Christ – looks like well over 300 names. If Raymond baptized you, would you raise your hand?
If your life has been influenced by Raymond’s teaching would you raise your hand.
There’s his legacy!

Some time ago Raymond gave me several boxes of books, studies and notes from classes he taught and sermons he preached. One of my favorites is a binder filled with his notes from the Personal evangelism Class that he taught in 1997 at CCCB. Included in those notes were some teacher’s evaluations from the students. I want to share a few of those.

-Mr. Bond did a terrific job with this class! The only thing I don’t like is not getting our 8:00 break (grin). But that’s not bid deal – Haha!

-My favorite class. It was something I really didn’t know much about. I really thought this would be my lest favorite class but thank you for the surprise.

-This has been my favorite class here at Central so far. Mr. Bond really knows his stuff and is a very personal teacher. I learned about evangelism from a spiritual aspect instead of just using the Bible as a textbook I feel I experienced personal growth and spiritual growth from this class.

-Mr. Bond is one of the most “right on” professors CCCB has.

-Mr. Bond is very down to earth – treats us all as human beings. He expresses genuine concern for us. He has exemplified a Christ like behavior in teaching us. I know I have learned more from this class than any other this semester.

-Good Class! Wish it was longer course. Really enjoyed it! Suggest 2 days a week instead of just one. Excellent material. This is the right teacher for the course.

Yesterday as I was driving to the office, I was listening to the Radio, one of my all time favorite songs came on – It’s one of those songs I love to turn up and just sing along with. I can only imagine by Mercy me.
“I can only imagine what it will be like,
when I walk by Your side…I can only imagine, what my eyes will see,
when Your Face is before me!I can only imagine. I can only imagine.
Surrounded by Your Glory, what will my heart feel?Will I dance for you, Jesus? Or in awe of You, be still?Will I stand in Your presence, or to my knees will I fall?Will I sing ‘Hallelujah!’? Will I be able to speak at all?I can only imagine! I can only imagine!
I can only imagine, when that day comes,
when I find myself standing in the Son!I can only imagine, when all I will do, is forever, forever worship You!I can only imagine! I can only imagine!

I can only Imagine, The scene Monday Morning as Raymond finished his race and was ushered into the presence of his Lord Jesus Christ as he laid down his earthly, physical body and received his new body, robed in righteousness of Jesus Christ, incorruptible, pain free, cancer free, forever to rejoice with the saints of God around the throne of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Today is a day of celebration – celebration in memory of a life that was lived with an undying commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. It was back on July 25th of 1960 that Raymond made his profession of faith that Jesus Christ was the Son of God and he wanted to commit his life to Jesus Christ. That day in keeping with Biblical Teaching Eddie DeVries baptized Raymond in water for the remission of his sins and was given the gift of the Holy Spirit as a guarantee toward his eternal reward which he realized on April 9th 2007 at 9:58 AM.

Through the tears shed since that time we realize that they are tears of mourning simply because Raymond will no long walk among us, but also are tears of Joy for him as he walks on streets of Gold, and waits for us to join him in that eternal shore.

As I thought about a passage of scripture to sum up the truth he believed and lived I think of the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy.
(2Ti 4:6-8 NIV) “6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

Paul Wrote of his own life, the time of my departure is at hand, and that is an important fact, with a lesson worth reminding ourselves of. We can’t remain here forever!

I believe that Raymond would have loved to be able to remain on this earth for a little longer, more time to love his wife, care for his children, to hold his grandchildren, watch them grow up in the Lord, but the fact remains we can’t stay here forever. And the time of his departure was here. Did he fear it, NO! He was prepared – if there was anything that describe his life -

A. He Fought the good fight. He finished the Race and he kept the faith.
Look at the ministries he was involved in...

While attending Midwestern School of Evangelism in Ottumwa, Iowa he met his wife of 44 years. Together they served churches in Puerto Rico, Ulman, Eldon, Arvada, Colo., St. James, Macon and Benton City, Jefferson City and Fulton. From these congregations many life-long relationships were formed.

He simply had a passion for people and even when he wasn’t in full time minsitry – that passion continued, many times he would call me or drop by my office, “Brother Rick, did you see that young family that came Sunday morning? I got to talk to them, they really have some needs, I want to help them. His Servant heart kept him longing to serve people.

If anything could be said – it is he fought the good fight for truth– he was convinced of truth of God’s word. Nothing lit him up more than for someone to play light and free with the word of God – If they failed to preach the whole plan of God – he was incensed. That is why is was so determined to teach, to share from his heart his passion for the word of God. When I think of Raymond’s life, I think of his commitment to Truth and his desire for people to know Jesus Christ in a personal way.

Reading through his personal evangelism course it was no wonder the students wrote the things they did – he taught them to share Christ the way Raymond did, by his life style. Serving, loving and demonstrating Christ in all he did.

Raymond completed his Race – he never gave up! I remember the last conversation I had with him was about his excitement for the lessons he was teaching and how fast his class was growing – he said, “people are hungry for truth, they just eat it up”

Raymond could say with Paul, 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

It can be said, Raymond carried out the desire of the Lord Jesus Christ.
(Rev 2:10 NRSV) Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
(James 1:12 NRSV) Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

When Raymond asked me to preach at his funeral I have expected him to hand me a sermon he had prepared, that would have been him – Here’s what I want you to say. But I think his life really tells it all. I want to share with you Raymond’s personal testimony – I wouldn’t be surprised if you have heard it before.

“As a young person I felt very lonely and unloved. Dad had died when I was very young, and due to illness, Mom had been removed from the home during my elementary years. The search for love and acceptance led me in many directions. I tried to find acceptance through academic achievements, and vocal music, but I soon learned that I could not always come out on top and since my sense of acceptance was dependent on high achievement, I felt like a failure. My sense of loneliness and being unloved only increased.

Then Sharon invited my to Sunday School and church. There I heard “God loves you”, but really didn’t trust the truth of that statement. I challenged the thought with such questions as, “If God loves me, why did my Dad die, leaving mother and me alone? If God loves me, why did Mom become so ill she had to leave the home?” A Sunday school teacher seemed to be alert to my frustrations and anger. She invited me to her home and share with me how Jesus loved me enough that He died to offer me eternal life.

I remained skeptical, but continued to attend services for 9 years. It was at a summer Christian Service camp that Eddie DeVries asked me if I had a personal relationship with Christ! As I told him of my anger and bitterness, he shared with me how Christ would forgive and accept me if I would accept Him. That very night I gave my life to Jesus, and as Eddie lifted me out of the baptismal waters, I had a sense of forgiveness and that he guilt for my anger and bitterness had been removed.

Even now there are times I struggle with some of those same feelings, but I have discovered God is able to provide the sense of peace and acceptance I need. He continues to teach me that He can and is willing to meet all my needs. But the greatest thing of all is knowing that I will spend eternity with the one who loves me most, Jesus Christ.

I ask you on behalf of Raymond Bond, do you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
Do you believe that Jesus was died for your sins, was buried as a dead man, and rose from the grave as a victor? Are you willing to confess that Jesus is Lord, telling God and the world that you accept his gift of grace? Do you repent of the sins that led Jesus to the cross?
There are many folks, even here today, who claim to be a Christian, but have not really made Jesus their Lord and left their sins behind. And finally, will you be baptized and thus be buried with Christ. You see, baptism is the way in which we too die to our sins, are buried, and rise again to a new life in Christ. When you are baptized you renounce your old, sinful lifestyle, burying it in the waters of baptism, and when you come up out of the water, you rise to a new life, basically rising from the dead just like Jesus did.

Memory Sheets

2007-04-16T11:26:00.000-05:00

We are putting together a book of memories of Raymond's life. This will be a wonderful thing for Mom and our whole family to be able to read over and see all the ripples that were made from Dad's life. If you would like to complete one of these sheets, you can download one here and mail it to Mom at the address found in the previous post.

Thank You

2007-04-16T06:34:00.000-05:00

Our family would like to take this opportunity to say that no words could possibly begin to express the deep gratitude we have for the overwhelming outpouring of love and friendship we have witnessed over the past several days. God is so good, and in His infinite wisdom He knew we would need each other to make it through this earthly life so He created an earthly family and the family of God. What a wonderful blessing each and every one of you have been to our earthly family. Thank you!

We are still overwhelmed by the hundreds and hundreds of people who came Friday and Saturday to share in mourning our loss and celebrating Dad's life. What a tribute to Dad, but more importantly, what an AWESOME witness of what God can do with a single life. That is the MOST IMPORTANT lesson our family wants everyone to learn from Dad's life...Look what God can do with ONE SINGLE LIFE when we allow Him to use us.

Our family will continue to post to this blog. Many people have asked to see individual family photos so I have posted them. The Bond children birth order is Gordon, Bonita, then Mark. Those of you who knew our family from the Eldon, MO and Colorado years probably remember only Gordon and me, but in 1977 we had a wonderful addition to our family, my birthday wish and nightly prayer for 11 years, our younger brother, Mark.

Again, thank you for the outpouring of love and friendship to our family. Please continue to keep us in your prayers as we know the days ahead are going to be full of many adjustments.

Therma Bond
1414 Gregory Lane
Fulton, MO 65251
thebonds@socket.net

Gordon, Nancy, Tyler, Travis & Kayla Bond
4903 Driftwood Drive
Liverpool, NY 13088
gordon.bond@gmail.com

Bonita & Brandon Bond
2606 Randy St.
Mexico, MO 65265
bbond_1966_2000@yahoo.com

Mark, Rachel, Ruthy, Moriah & Javan Bond
1135 S Rosedale Sq
Webb City, MO 64870
ourbondfamily@yahoo.com

Funeral and Visitation Arrangements

2007-04-10T22:04:00.000-05:00

Words cannot express the gratitude we have for the outpouring of the Church. This incredible support system that Jesus left for us has carried unspoken burdens over the last few days. To each of you who make up the Body of Christ, we thank you for ministering to our family.

Both the funeral and visitation will take place at Ninth Street Christian Church in Eldon, MO. The visitation will be from 4 PM until 8 PM on Friday, April 13. The funeral will be at 11 AM on Saturday, April 14. Burial will be 13 miles away at Spring Garden Cemetary in Eugene, MO.

A map to Ninth Street Christian Church can be found here.

Memorial gifts can be made to Callaway Christian Church (where Dad attended and taught Sunday School). Dad has always been one who loved special projects. When each of us kids got our first home, he found joy in providing something extra to complete a special project. In the congregations where he served, he found joy in doing special projects where there wasn’t budgeted money. Our family doesn’t have anything in mind and will allow the church to make that decision, but gifts given in his honor will be used to tackle a special project for the church where he last served.

Some have asked about flowers. The recommendation we have been given is a florist in Eldon called Flowers & Co. and you can reach them at (573) 392-2900. Flowers can be delivered to Phillips Funeral Home and they will transport them to the church.

We are looking forward to celebrating Dad’s life this weekend. We plan to have memory sheets for those who attend the visitation to fill out that will be placed in a book that Mom can read in the days ahead. So many have shared stories of the impact that Raymond had on their lives. Those special memories, both serious and funny, are what remind us that God’s plan is so much bigger and better. If you are unable to attend the visitation and would like to share your memory, please do so on a standard 8.5 x 11” paper that can we can three-hole punch and mail it to:

Therma Bond
1414 Gregory Lane
Fulton, MO 65251

A Life Well Lived :: God is SO Good

2007-04-09T13:24:00.000-05:00

We know the information shared this morning was a major change from the previous updates. Dad developed a fever on Saturday night that came down on Sunday. Mark & family arrived Sunday evening after Easter services in Oronogo. Dad was able to communicate and share some fun thoughts and hear all about Easter Sunday from Mark.

Then, during the night on Sunday, his high fever returned. Once they were able to cool his temp down, he remained in a peaceful sleep. He stayed that way until he traveled to be with Jesus this morning about 10 AM.

In all of this, we absolutely rejoice at God's divine plan. As always, it is perfect. We have so many milepost we could share from this journey to see how He had the best possible way figured out. Dad could always appreciate a plan that worked and was detailed. However on this journey, we didn't have all the details, but we now have the peace of knowing that there is no suffering.

One quick story: Two years ago at Dad's first surgery, our family was able to meet a woman who was waiting alone in a waiting room while her husband was going through exploratory surgery for a cancer that had only been seen in 3 patients in the United States. While we waited to hear of Dad's surgery results, Mom was able to minister to a wife who was scared. That was amazing to see. Last night, God used His perfect timing to use Raymond's life for His glory right up to the end. When the shift nurse talked with our family at 4:30 this morning, she shared with us the details of what we should expect in the upcoming hours. She also felt comfortable to share that she had just learned her mother had been diagnosed with untreatable cancer just six days ago. Our family promised to pray for her and her family. Her name is Laura. Would you join us in lifting this family up in prayer?

With the developments over the last several days, none of us knew how Dad would handle treatment options for the tumors. God did, and his treatment option was best.

So many have already expressed their love and support today with visits and phone calls. We are so grateful for the timing of those visits and the words and prayers that were shared.

Please know in all of this, that we praise God for an indescribable peace. We ask that you would pray for continued strength for the family as we make plans to celebrate Dad's life. Arrangements will be completed tomorrow and we will post on here when those will be. As of this moment, tentative plans are for a Friday visitation and a Saturday funeral.

Thanks, Update & Prayers

2007-04-09T08:19:00.000-05:00

We would first like to thank each of you for your prayers, words of comfort and encouragament during this time. We know Dad has greatly appreciated it.

Dad has taken a turn for the worse here recently and spiked a fever and Dr.s have reported there is infection as well. The Doctors know it won't be much longer before Dad's in the arms of his Father.

This is overwhelming to hear I'm sure, as it was for us, however we know that Dad knows the hope of Jesus and know where he will be and with whom he will be and that is a comfort to us during this time as I know it will be for you as well.

We again ask for your prayers for Dad and for our family as we will be needing them during this difficult time.

A Good Saturday

2007-04-07T20:09:00.000-05:00

Today was another good day. With the support of a walker and his nurse, Dad walked the full length of the CCU hallway. He surprised himself! Each day Dad is regaining strength, and we are so grateful to God for His wonderful, daily blessings. Dad still has a long way to go, but daily progress gives us hope.

Many people have asked if Dad can have visitors. While we appreciate every one's desire to cheer Dad up and give him encouragement, right now he just can't tolerate much commotion. You are more than welcome to come to the hospital to visit, but please understand that whichever one of us is staying with Dad at the moment will probably come visit with you in the hallway. The hospital staff are stopping most visitors at the nurses desk and having our family members meet them in the hallway. Dad is still sleeping most of the time and doesn't do much conversing. We read his email letters and cards to him, which he really enjoys, but we spread them throughout the day as Dad doesn't stay awake for very long periods of time. There will be many days ahead when Dad will welcome company and enjoy conversation, but right now he needs to spend his time recuperating. Thank you for understanding.

Please continue to keep our family in your prayers. We know God hears each and every one.Our family wishes everyone a blessed Easter! What a wonderful hope we have because HE IS RISEN!

Another Good Day, and Over the 48-Hour Hump

2007-04-06T20:37:00.000-05:00

Dad had another good day today. His vital signs are stable and he is experiencing less pain. Today two physical therapists helped him stand and take a few steps. He sat in a recliner for 2 hours this morning, and had just gotten into the recliner when Mom and I changed places at 7:00 tonight. We anticipate that Dad will be in the Critical Care Unit for a few more days, maybe several more, but he is making hourly improvements and we are all thrilled with his progress.

We have received many, many cards and emails. Thank you so much! All your messages are such a HUGE encouragement to all of us. Since my home is going to be home base for quite some time, if you would like to send cards please feel free to mail them to my house. We are picking up the mail in Fulton on a weekly basis so if you've sent cards to Mom and Dad's Fulton address, they will get them.

Raymond and Therma Bond
c/o Bonita Bond
2606 Randy Street
Mexico, MO 65265

God is so good. He continues to sustain us in all ways. Thank you for all your prayers, love, and support. Words just can't express the gratitude our family has for each one of you.

A Good 24 Hours

2007-04-05T17:59:00.000-05:00

Wow! It doesn't seem possible, but Dad has been in the Critical Care Unit for a little over 24 hours now. Thank you for all your prayers, love, comfort, support, etc., etc., etc. In the past 32 hours we have experienced more than the mind can comprehend, but God is so good and He has pulled us through, and all your prayers have definitely been felt.

Dad's heart rate is finally in a "workable" range. For the past 14 hours his heart rate has stayed between 100-130. Considering the fact that his heart rate was peeking over 200 after surgery yesterday, 100-130 is wonderful. His blood pressure has remained in normal ranges and has been stable for the past 14 hours, as well. All other vitals are good.

Mom stayed with Dad last night. I returned to the hospital at 8:30 this morning and sent Mom home. She got about 6 hours of very good sleep. Please continue to pray for Mom's body to rest well so she keeps up her strength.

Dad and I had a good day. It was a blessing to be able to sit by his side and just watch him sleep. His sleep is very interrupted, but he is resting. He had a BIG day today. He began all the normal post-op routines of coughing, taking measured deep breaths every hour, and moving around in the bed as much as possible.

Around 10:00 this morning the nurses turned him on his side and he stayed that way for 2 hours. Around 2:00 this afternoon, the nurses sat him up in bed and he stayed sitting up for 25 minutes. He did GREAT!

Brandon was brought to the hospital by a friend of mine around 4:00 this afternoon, then Mom returned at 5:00. She plans to spend the night, again, tonight. School is out tomorrow since it is Good Friday, so that's one less worry for tomorrow. I will relieve Mom in the morning and spend the day with Dad, tomorrow.

Keep the prayers coming. That's how we're going to make it through!

Resting Comfortably

2007-04-04T22:22:00.000-05:00

Dad has rested comfortably this afternoon and evening. He has yet to open his eyes for more than a couple of seconds at a time, but he has communicated with Mom, Brandon and me. Mom is staying at the hospital tonight. I will go sit with Dad tomorrow and have Mom sleep. It's been a long day and my mind is not real clear tonight so I'm keeping this update brief. Thank you for all your prayers. Please keep praying. God is good, and we are trusting Him to supply our every need.

Out of Surgery :: In ICU

2007-04-04T14:35:00.000-05:00

Before Dad's surgery was over, a doctor came out to talk with Mom. While in surgery, they found some tumors and a large mass in his pelvis. Obviously, he stated this isn't good news. That mass was removed as it was causing the blockage in his intestines. The tumors are a spreading of the bladder cancer. Evidently when they did his surgery a couple of years ago in St. Louis, not all was removed.

Just after the doctor left, Dad's cancer doctor came in to tell Mom that the results from the pelvic biopsy were back and that there was cancer in his pelvic bone. Because the cancer is in the bone, it is considered stage 4. Even with the news of tumors, the doctor was optimistic of treatment options.

So, as of last report, Dad would be moved to recovery and then to ICU for probably 4 days. Pending his heart continues to hold up, they will discuss treatment options in a few days.

We appreciate your prayers and ask that you would continue to pray for strength. Pray for Dad as he recovers in ICU and as the news of the results are shared with him. Pray for Mom that she would have strength during these days and that she can rest at night.

Dad is Headed to Surgery

2007-04-04T10:22:00.002-05:00

Based on this morning's X-Rays, they are taking Dad to surgery right now. They are concerned with some hernias bursting and want to get a better look as to what is really going on inside. A great team has been assembled to take the best care of Dad as possible. Dad has had good rest the last couple of days. We were told this could be a long surgery as they don't completely know what they are dealing with.

I got to have a good talk with Mom and Dad on the phone as I am back in Oronogo this morning. They are at peace with whatever God has in store. It wasn't a fun converstation on the phone, but it was great to hear Dad's voice and to know he is prepared and ready for the future - whatever that may be. If God brings him through this surgery, I know Dad's desire is to continue to teach the new Christians and those still learning at the church in Fulton.

We ask for your prayers once again. We ask for strength for the family, wisdom for the doctors, and just peace as we wait to hear from the doctors.

Definitely Feeling Better

2007-04-04T06:15:00.000-05:00

Dad is definitely feeling better! He and Mom have a morning routine of freshing him up and getting his bed ready for the day. Dad says he likes the way Mom and I make his bed, although I don't think it's any different from the way the nurses make it. :) Usually, this routine happens about 8:00 a.m., but today Dad called at 6:00 and said he was up and ready for Mom to come over. Now the fun begins! :)

Heart Rate Increased

2007-04-03T12:49:00.000-05:00

Dad was able to rest yesterday afternoon and night. During the night his heart rate increased and as of 11:00am today, it was up to 168. They have given him a new IV medicine to help decrease his heart rate and it is beginning to come down. Right now, it is extremely important that Dad is able to rest in his room which he does throughout the day with several naps.

We are so thankful for the thoughtful words so many have shared in letters and phone calls. Dad has touched so many people around this country and it is such a blessing to have this situation lifted up in prayer. We know there are many who await for updates everyday. To help reduce the number of phone calls to his room for updates, we will try to update this blog daily as well as throughout the day when information needs to be shared. There is not computer access at the hospital, however we'll do our best to keep everyone informed. We greatly appreciate everyone's prayers.

Biopsy has been taken

2007-04-02T12:28:00.000-05:00

Our family traveled up from Oronogo after church on Sunday. During the night Saturday, Dad started having problems and was trying to spit up the backup in his stomach. The doctors decided to put an NG tube down his nose to remove that fluid. That has made him so much more comfortable and he is looking and feeling so much better.

They took Dad for X-Rays today and the doctor said they look so much different than they did this weekend, in that they look better. They can't see any blockage in his intestines. His white blood cell count has dropped back down and that is very encouraging that the powerful antibotics are working. They are working so well that they are not going to do surgury as they had anticpated doing today. That is a huge answer to prayer, and Mom credit's God for His answer to your prayers!

Dad had just gotten back in the room from the X-rays and they came back for him to go for his pelvic biopsy. He came back about 20 minutes after that and got back up in his bed ready to rest from all the good news. So we all have come back to Bonita's house to eat some lunch. Several families from Bonita's church have provided meals. What a tremendous blessing! The biopsy will have to be sent to a lab and results will be back in about 2-3 days.

When we first got to the hospital today, Bonita read a STACK of Ecards that were delivered from the hospital that had been sent by friends and family over the weekend. It was so amazing and humbling to hear all the names of people lifting up Dad and the rest of our family. We can't thank you enough. It is so powerful for us to see His Church care for our family from all around the country. Thank you for your prayers. We will continue to keep you posted as we continue on this journey.

Some Good News

2007-03-31T16:56:00.000-05:00

Here's some good news that arrived on my 30th birthday...

The orthopedic doctor told Dad that the hip fracture does not require surgery. He also said the spots on his hip and shoulder are nothing to worry about. They are more or less small craters in his bone. That was wonderful news to hear.

The webbing in the pelvic area will be have a biopsy taken on Monday. Because the cells dry up so quickly once they are extracted, a radiologist has to be present to read them immediately. We'll report more news once we know results from them.

The hospital has a website to send eCards to the patient. If you would like to do this, you can click here and they will be delivered to Raymond's room.

Thank you to all the family and friends who continue to lift up this situation to our Heavenly Father! Your kind words that you have shared with us are very encouraging. Also, the visits to the hospital have been very apprecaited.

So, as Mom said today, this is a very good day and good news. Just having answers as to what is going on has been nice, but getting good reports back really makes the day special.

Test Results Are In

2007-03-30T09:30:00.000-05:00

Dad's doctor came in this morning to give the results of yesterday's tests. He confirmed that the webbing they saw is cancer. The cancer seems to be in his pelvic area, left hip, and right shoulder. They do not know the source of the cancer and do not understand why it is showing up in these areas. All of his organs are clear and his bloodwork all came back good. With his previous experience of bladder cancer, we were told that there was a chance that this type of cancer could matastisize to the lungs, however his lungs are clear. An oncologist (cancer doctor) will be joining the team to help find the source, rate the stage, and create a game plan for treatment.

Mom and Dad are both doing well. In the back of their minds, they have both been anticipating this news. Your continued prayers are appreciated.

Several have asked where they could send a card to and the best place would be to Bonita's home in Mexico as she could deliver the notes and cards to him. You could also email her and she could print off the notes for Dad. Bonita's mailing address can be found here.

End of the day of Tests

2007-03-29T23:45:00.000-05:00

Dad's intestines are still being stubborn and not wanting work well. He experienced quite a bit of tenderness in his abdomen today, but again the pain was kept under control with Demerol.

Dad had quite a few visitors today. It was good to see familiar faces and to spend some precious time in prayer with friends and family. Thanks so much for all the love, concern, and prayers.

Around 2:00 this afternoon Dad was given some radioactive dye in preparation for a bone scan. The bone scan took place at 5:00 tonight and was a very long procedure. The doctor ordered some extra x-rays following the bone scan so Dad was moved back and forth between machines and tables several times over a two-hour period of time. Needless to say he was quite worn out by the time he was brought back to his room around 7:00 p.m. His room was a busy place tonight, which made resting almost impossible, so the wonderful nurses moved Dad to a very quiet room where he should be able to get a good night of rest.

Some Test Results

2007-03-29T23:13:00.000-05:00

Mom and Bonita stayed with Dad until about 10:30 last night when they were encouraged by Dad to go home and get some sleep. Dad slept very well last night and made improvement as his bowels began to function during the night.

The doctors wanted to do a complete abdominal scan and a bone scan today. The results of the abdominal scan came back that all his organs look good and his blood work is good. During the course of these tests, they noticed a fracture in his right hip bone socket. This could be the answer to the major leg pain over the last several weeks.

They have found something they are calling "webbing" in his pelvic area that they are going to continue to investigate. A bone scan is scheduled for 5 PM tonight. I spoke with Dad on the phone and his spirits are much better than yesterday. Getting some answers is so much better than just waiting in the dark. He is still experiencing some pain in his abdomen that they are controlling with Demerol.

Again, we thank each of you for praying for Mom and Dad and our family.

Admitted to Hospital

2007-03-28T17:40:00.000-05:00

I got a call this afternoon from my sister that my father was taken to the emergency room last night. He's been experiencing pain in his legs for almost a month, requiring him to use a walker to get around. Last night, he was experiencing major abdominal pain and some swelling of his abdomen. He battled bladder cancer two years ago this June and, with surgery, he was cancer free.

As of a phone call just minutes ago, he has been admitted to the hospital and they can not hear any bowel sounds as they seem to have shut down. I'm sure the next few hours and days will be filled with tests.

We don't know much at this point, but we know Who knows all is is over all and we will trust Him. Thank you for praying for our family.