Favor

I am not usually one to ask for favors.  But I need your help!  I would like for you all to shower Jon with cards, letters, and care packages (that include something he can DO).

His address will be (beginning September 1st until mid November)

Canal Square Apartments
359 N. West Street
Apt. #282
Indianapolis, IN 46202

Here is the story behind this idea:

I posted something on Craigslist one day selling stuff for boy/girl twins being born this summer.  I wanted all my cute stuff to go to someone special and not just to the Goodwill pile.  A girl emailed me back and said she was interested in buying them.  I was to text her or email her back.  So being the person I am who doesn't think through things before I do them,  I emailed and texted her.  About 15 minutes after I did that, I started freaking out.  I was thinking O My Gosh, what if this is not a girl named Brittany, what if it's the Craigslist killer.  This is of course after I invited her to my house.  So immediately I started stalking her on line.  I was checking all social media outlets, googling her, any route I could find.  When I googled her name, up came an article from Hilton Head that had been written a couple of years before.  It was about a guy named Ben (her husband) was battling cancer for the 3rd time.  A foundation was raising money for this couple because he had already been treated at MD Anderson, and was undergoing a stem cell transplant at Emory University in Atlanta.  I was thinking OMG, if this is the same girl this is just crazy.  Well, to make a long story longer (HAHA) it was the same craigslist girl!  She was now pregnant with twins, due in early fall and her husband was a 3 time cancer survivor.

Well, in the last few months, they have become great friends to us!  It ends up they are strong believers and actually go to our church.  Our paths would have never probably crossed at church or the community so God had it for us to meet them on craigslist!  Now, please understand that at the time we met them in April, Jon had NO idea he was faced with stem cell transplant.  We do not personally know anyone who has undergone this type of treatment.  The fact that God put them in our lives at this very time is completely amazing and a total God thing!  Because they now have twins (a boy and a girl) and Jon is going through high dose.  They are such Godly people and I love hearing what God has done in their lives through Ben's cancer.  And he is such an encouragement for Jon and someone Jon can talk with and he knows EXACTLY where Jon is!  It's truly amazing.

So, in talking to them recently this is some advice that they gave to us as Jon faces some very intense months of treatment.  One thing is they said for Jon to have something to look forward to at the end of this journey.  I'm working on that piece.  And another piece of advice is just for Jon to feel loved and encouraged during this time. Also, to keep his mind active and alert.  So this is the favor:

I am asking that if God lays it on your heart, to shower Jon with cards, letters, care packages, etc. Get creative in what to send him.  I would love to see him receive something everyday for the 2 - 3 months he is there.  Unfortunately, the reality of his situation is that it is easy to get stale mentally, to get depressed, and just in general to deterioate.  I would love for him to have something everyday to read or do.  Jon will start out as outpatient.  He will be admitted if the doctors feel it is necessary.  Otherwise, he will come home for dinner and to sleep.  This will help because when his counts are ok, he will be able to see the kids.   All in all he will not be feeling well so any encouragement will be appreciated!

Again, here is his address:

Jon Strebe
Canal Square Apartments
359 N. West Street
Apt. #282
Indianapolis, IN 46202