Our hearts were saddened on Saturday to learn that Pastor Jerry Valentine, who has been battling cancer for some months, fell in his home and hurt his chest area as he landed across or onto his recliner. He was rushed by ambulance to UTMB to be checked over concerning the fall.

Debbie and Jerry were originally told that he had abscesses in the stomach cavity, but that diagnosis was later changed to reflect that what was first thought to be abscesses was actually more tumors growing there and causing extreme pain.

Not only was Jerry in pain from the tumors and the fall in his home, his body was very dehydrated, and his blood count not normal, so he was admitted to UTMB with Debbie and Jerri staying with him.

Debbie wrote on Sunday on Facebook that she was going home for a while leaving their son, Jamie, to sit with Jerry for the night. “The Internal Medicine doctor came in this afternoon and talked to Jerry very frankly about the cancer being terminal,” wrote Debbie, “and what to expect as his body ‘begins to get ready for death.'” “He has been in a depression all night. The Hospice Care director for UTMB will come by tomorrow and visit with me,” said Debbie. “The IM doctor said she will have a more accurate timeline about life expectancy soon.”

No one wanted to hear these words and so many people have been and are praying for Jerry and this family that many I have spoken with simply cannot accept this diagnosis and projection. We are praying for a miracle, but know, too, that God works in ways we cannot envision or imagine. So many believed that Jerry still had work to do here on earth, and that God would raise him up to do that work. More than 47 messages followed Debbie’s post in quick succession assuring the family of continued prayer and offering hopeful suggestions.

Many have responded to the plea for a Meal Train of food being delivered to the Valentine home for those who are waiting there to hear while others take turns staying in the hospital with Jerry. If you are interested in being a part of the Meal Train, please contact Joni Harding who has organized this effort. Joni can be reached at (409) 682-5794.

Our hearts are heavy with this news, but are trusting God for peace and strength for this beloved family that has won the hearts of those who live on Bolivar and those who live far beyond. People are praying for them all over the world literally. Conflicting emotions tear through human flesh in wanting to keep Jerry on earth with us and seeing him move to Heaven where he will not have pain any longer and where he will be eternally in the arms of the Saviour he so ardently preaches about in his church and speaks about to everyone he meets. May God richly bless the Valentines and all that love them today. As he fights his valiant battle, the new Church of Christ building on Highway 87 continues to be built to welcome those who will worship there.

(As of this writing, Jerry is still in UTMB.)

Brenda Cannon Henley can be reached at (409) 781-8788 or at [email protected].