A couple weeks ago, my nephew Steven went to the doctor for back pain. He’s 17 years old, a senior in high school, and very active. No real reason he should have back pain. They ended up finding a tumor on his spinal cord. Thankfully, it appears to be benign. But, it needs to go and he’ll undergo surgery very soon, possibly within the next few days.

Insurance should cover most of the medical bills. However, my brother and his wife are going to have to take a considerable amount of time off work to care for young Steven as he recovers. Odds are good that he’ll need more than one surgery to get the problem taken care of, with a ton of doctor appointments in between each one. They have several children in the family and Steven is the eldest.

I’m asking two things from you, if I may be so bold to do so.

First, if you believe in the power of prayer, please send one up for Steven. Add him to any prayer chains you may have through church as well.

Second, Steven’s family is going to need some financial assistance to deal with the lack of full income over the next several weeks, plus paying for whatever the health insurance won’t cover. They’ll have some money coming in, but it will be dramatically less than they’ve been living on. This family was just finally getting back on their feet after a series of setbacks so they don’t have much in the way of savings. If you could spare even a buck or two, it would help tremendously. If you wish to donate any funds, please click this link. It will take you to a Paypal page set up to receive donations. Note, you don’t need to have a Paypal account to donate. If you look toward the bottom of the page, you’ll see where it says to click to donate using a credit card or bank account.

Again, prayer first. Then, if you wish to donate a buck or two, please do so. I will be eternally grateful for any help and support you can lend.