Jim and Jan Holsclaw have served with Wycliffe for over 25 years. At times, Wycliffe missionaries face dangers while serving overseas. God also allows them to face battles at home and in their own bodies. While visiting their daughter in Washington D.C., Jan’s stomach became very distended. Jan and Jim went to the hospital after consulting their doctor in Orlando. This is Jan’s story of how God’s glory won over cancer through the prayers of friends and supporters.
It was Sunday, October 8, 5:15 p.m., in the emergency room of a hospital in Arlington, Virginia. The doctor entered the room, closed the door and said, “I did not expect this. I have very bad news for you. I’ve just spoken with the radiologist and your CT scan reveals an abdomen filled with metastatic cancer. We don’t know if the primary source is from the ovaries or the colon.”
My daughter Jana was sitting to the left of my bed, Jim on the right. We were in shock. Holding on to each other, we wept. The first words I remember uttering were, “Oh, I didn’t want it to be cancer.” Jana said, “Mom, Jesus knew.” I continued, “I’m not mad; I’m not angry at God; I’m not afraid. I’m just sad.” And we continued weeping.
Then Jana phoned her sister, Jill, in Santa Barbara. Jill literally yelled, “NO! NO! NO! GOD, I NEED MY MOM! MY KIDS NEED THEIR GRAMMA. Mom, when can I come? I want to be with you!” Our son-in-law, Rich, phoned our son, Jon, in Beijing. Awakening from a dead sleep, he and Amy learned the news. We were all in disbelief.
We slept little that night. Our lives had just been thrown into utter chaos. Early Monday morning, Jim talked with my doctor and the doctor prayed for us.
As we said goodbye to Jana and Josh at the airport, we didn’t know if I had hours or days to live. When we arrived in Orlando, a friend met us and drove us directly to the doctor’s office. He had reserved a room for me at Florida Hospital Orlando, and another doctor had agreed to be my surgeon/oncologist. Surgery was scheduled for Wednesday, October 11.
Jill came immediately from Santa Barbara. Jana came from Washington, D.C., a few days later. I talked twice a day with Jon in Beijing. On Wednesday morning, I was wheeled into surgery.
Later that day in an e-mail to his support team, Jon wrote the following:
“We would greatly appreciate your prayers for my mom, and the whole family, as the Lord brings it to your mind . . . I'm struck by the words of Paul in the book of Philippians, when he says that he ‘eagerly expects and hopes that he will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage, so that now as always, Christ would be exalted in his body, whether by life or by death.’ Our prayer is that the glory of God would win the day. Every day.”
I was unprepared for what happened in the following weeks as people around us prayed. Several of our partners wrote, “You’ve prayed us through all kinds of crises over the years; now it’s our turn to pray for you!”
God provided for all our needs during the weeks after surgery. All of our medical bills to date have been paid for through the gifts of our partners. Other people, including friends from Wycliffe, church and our neighborhood, ministered God’s grace through food.
I recovered from surgery, and my first chemo treatment was scheduled for November 1. I felt peace, and that was a huge praise! I was given two chemo’s for this treatment. I received the first easily, but within minutes of receiving the second, my body reacted negatively. Nurses quickly stabilized my body, and 45 minutes later they successfully finished the treatment.
As I approached the next round of chemo, I was afraid. I expressed my fear to my nurse. She said, “We’re not going to think about what happened last time. We’re going to trust Jesus in this chemo session. In the name of Jesus we’re going to ask that your body receive this second chemo.” And then she prayed for me. And her prayer was answered! I had no negative reaction. God helped me tolerate the aggressive chemo regimen that only 44 percent of women are able to complete.
A few days later a friend reminded me of the story of the paralytic in Mark 2. His friends carried him onto a housetop and removed the roof to get him to Jesus. My friend said, “Jan, all you have to do is hang onto your pallet and we’ll do the rope work. When your faith and resolve are flagging, we’ll have faith for you!”
Our hearts were overjoyed to learn on March 15 that I was in remission. The CT scans revealed no cancer. Daily, I choose to focus on God’s plan for me and am grateful for each day of life. And I could not have survived the last six months without God, Jim, my kids, their spouses, my grandkids, my medical team and our partnership team.
As Psalm 115:1 says, Not to us, O Lord, but to You goes all the glory for your unfailing love and faithfulness.