June 30 update

Dear Friends & Family,

I'm passing on this wonderful email from some dear friends of Gerry and Lori. I know that you will be encouraged by their email and to hear some details of his progress from another's view. Thank you for your continued prayers!

God Bless,
Gina
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Richard, Kathleen, and I had a very encouraging visit with Gerry last Sunday night. It was one of the most wonderful visits we have had with Gerry so far. He has come a long way. This was the first visit where Gerry was trying hard to have a conversation with us. He can get out about 75% of what he is thinking about and then he loses his ability to find the right words. He gets excited and frustrated with himself. He was making good eye contact with each person in the room. Also, this was the first time that Gerry was using his hands when he speaks. Gerry was always a very dramatic kind of person, so it was so pleasing to see his personality coming back.

Before our visit ended, we reminded Gerry that there are people around the world that are praying for him. With great excitement, Gerry told Richard that he wants a copy of all the e-mails with all the responses. We are going to put together a book which will hold all the e-mails requesting information on Gerry. We are asking that you send us some words of encouragement that you would like to tell Gerry. Describe yourself and your family. Gerry has been so encouraged that so many people he has never met have been continually praying for him since his accident. Thank you for being so faithful in praying for the brethren.

If you are in the area, please stop and visit with Gerry. Read stories that are full of word pictures. Kathleen started reading a book written by Rose Wilder (the daughter of Laura Ingles Wilder author of the "Little House on the Prairie" books). Gerry so enjoyed listening and talking to Kathleen. He kept on saying that Kathleen reminded him of his oldest daughter Annesa. If you can read Spanish, Gerry understands and was correcting Richard with some of his diction when reading the Bible in Spanish. Come pray with him. While you are visiting, turn off the TV. Gerry will tend to focus on the television because it is easier for his mind than trying to follow a conversation. When he gets frustrated because he is having difficulty completing a thought, reassure him that you know that he is working hard and it is OK to rest. Start reading again so that he can see pictures in his mind through language.

Each time we have visited with him, we have been so blessed to see the work God in doing in this dear brother's life. If you have never met Gerry, just tell him that you are one of the many people who have been praying for him. His face will lighten up and he will want to take a good look at you. His vision is coming back but he has difficulty focusing on objects close to him. That is one reason why he is not reading on his own. If your story has a picture, show the picture to him. Gerry will hold the book about an arm's length away and stare while he focus his eyes on the object. Then he will start relating something of his past or start talking about what he remembers about the story. All of these things are so good in healing the brain damage he has suffered. Hope these thoughts will encourage you in how we can continue to minister to the Marinucci family.




In His Joy!

Laurell and Richard Dowling

Email your responses to ......
dowlingmom@earthlink.net