Hannah To Hannah
July 2002 All rights reserved. Copyright ©2002. Issue #30
Providing "Christian
Support for Fertility Challenges"
including infertility or the loss of a
child at any time from conception through early infancy.
A monthly publication of Hannah's Prayer Ministries.
This month's topic:
Infertility Within the Military Family
A Heart for the Military by
Jenni Saake, Founder of Hannah's Prayer
Helpful Links and Resources
God's Ways by Conny Hutchinson
How We Should Pray for Our Military by
David Schroeder,
General Director of Cadence
International
Hannah's Prayer Medical Hall of Fame
Newsletter Submission & Reprint Information
A Heart for the
Military
© 2002 Jennifer Saake, Founder of Hannah's Prayer
With our focus on the unique issues faced by military personnel
and their families as they struggle with fertility challenges, it seems an
appropriate time to share a side of my story I haven't told members of Hannah's
Prayer before. While I have never served in the military myself, the first 20
years of my life were closely tied to the military, and my heart remains with
those who lead this exceptional lifestyle. In the process of sharing my
background, I will tell you a little bit about Ralph Camp, the only other
original member of our founding Board of Directors who continues serving in
active Board capacity. It is a special joy to tell you about Ralph,
for in addition to our professional relationship, he is also my Daddy.
Before I tell you about my parents and the way my upbringing has influenced my
views of military life, I need to transport you more than 60 years back in time
and introduce you to another man of vision...
A young, homesick American soldier, stationed
in the Philippines, found friendship and a sense of family by attending a weekly
dinner and Bible study in the home of Cyril and Anna in 1941. As Jesse Miller
realized that God and His Word were the keys to living a fulfilled and satisfied
life, he was deeply touched by the hospitality, Christian fellowship, and Bible
teaching he found each time he visited this couple's home. One night Jesse
prayed, promising God, "If I ever have a home of my own, You can have it
for servicemen."
God used that year in Cyril and Anna's home to strengthen Jesse for what lay
ahead. When the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor led to the devastation of Clark
Air Field in December, America was plunged into war. Jesse's personal horror
included the "Bataan Death March" and three and a half years as a
prisoner of war. God comforted and sustained Jesse through the Bible verses he
had memorized during his year of meeting in his home-away-from-home.
After his release, Jesse attended Bible School, and then joined a mission where
he met his wife, Nettie. For a short time Jesse and Nettie taught Filipino
students, but Jesse had not forgotten his commitment to open their family home
for members of the military. In 1951 the first official Christian Servicemen's
Home was opened in Manila, Philippines. Overseas Christian Servicemen's Centers
(OCSC), whose sole focus was to share family lives and the gospel of Christ with
U.S. military soldiers overseas, was born in 1954. Missionary families soon
opened their homes as servicemen centers in the Philippines, Japan, Okinawa,
Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Panama, and Alaska. By the late 60s, such centers
spread to Europe where "hospitality houses" were founded in Italy,
West Germany, Greece, and Spain. Other countries of ministry now included Korea,
Guam, and the United States.
OCSC changed its name to Cadence International in 1994. Today there are more
than 40 Cadence homes open to American military members and their dependants
around the world. Cadence also participates in ministries providing Russian
language translation and gospel outreach to the military forces in nations of
the former Soviet Union, as well as to the Philippine National Police and Army.
Cadence International is headquartered in United States office facilities at 101
W. Jefferson, Englewood, CO 80110 and may be contacted by visiting their Web
site at http://www.cadence.org,
or by mail at P.O. Box 1268, Englewood, CO 80150, or by calling (303) 762-1400.
Thirty years ago this month, I was born as my parents' answer to prayer, ending
their own struggle with secondary infertility. Ralph and Betty Camp had been
newly appointed as missionaries with OCSC (happy ministry anniversary, Mom and
Dad!) and were excited to start their missionary internship in Michigan. We
moved to the Philippines when I was eighteen months old. Ralph and Betty have
been in active military ministry ever since, currently serving in central
California, working with Navy members at NAS Lemoore.
Like my friends, who were also children of military parents, my life was spent
moving. By the time I entered junior high, I had already attended seven
different schools (including one Department of Defense school). Much of my
childhood was spent near two military bases on mainland Japan, as well as an
assignment on the island of Okinawa. Until I entered high school, we never spent
more than 24 months in one home (often less time). We experienced just about as
much of military life as it was possible for civilians to know.
My Dad wasn't always a civilian though. It was on a tour with the Navy that he
came to know his own need for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through
a servicemen's center in Guam. Upon discharge from the military, he remained in
Guam for about 2 years to help in the center, and then returned to the United
States, where he married his high school sweetheart and headed to Bible School.
Overcoming severe learning disabilities (Dad was told he could never graduate
high school, much less consider college), Ralph graduated
from Multnomah School of the Bible, was ordained through the Conservative
Congregational Christian Conference, and soon was appointed, along with Betty,
to OCSC.
Through the course of 30 years of ministry with Cadence, Ralph has written and
taught countless Bible studies, Betty has cooked thousands upon thousands of
meals (50 or 60 people crowded into our tiny living room for Christmas dinner
was pretty common), and my parents have shared the joys and trials of lonely
single men and women, as well as the life experiences of many military families.
Often the families they have ministered to have been touched by fertility
challenges or the death of a child, allowing my parents to draw upon the comfort
of God's grace and their own experiences of miscarriage and secondary
infertility to offer hope in the face of these needs.
My Dad has been one of my greatest sounding boards through our personal struggle
with infertility. The poor guy has been incredibly patient with the hours of
discussion about his daughter's reproductive system, learning more about his
little girl than any father would ever want to know! He has also stood with me
as I've wrestled through deep theological questions regarding sin, punishment,
faith, fertility, the moment life begins, and the eternal destiny of miscarried
babies. (Thanks for all the long distance phone calls and pacing the floor with
me, Dad!)
Ralph joined the Hannah's Prayer leadership team when we officially created a
Board of Directors in 1996. He has faithfully continued on our Board since that
time, serving as our Board Secretary the past 4 years. I've leaned heavily on
his wisdom and leadership abilities in the formation and structuring of this
ministry. As the only female member of our Board who still has a living father,
I feel doubly blessed to have him serving by my side in this ministry; he has
taken on the title of "Board Daddy" for us all.
Dad is currently completing his Master's degree in Apologetics. Like Jesse
Miller before him, Ralph Camp has a heart for members of the military and their
families. And even more so, a heart for the Lord! Dad and Mom, thank you for
your commitment to the life-calling God has given you, the rich heritage you
gave me as the daughter of missionaries, and for your sharing in my calling to
encourage those with fertility challenges!
Hannah's Prayer will be unveiling our new Community Forums in September, 2002. These message boards will include a special resource section for military families. Please drop in and join the discussions!
The following are some other military resources available over
the Internet (none are specifically Christian-based):
How to adopt in the military:
http://www.adopting.org/military.html
http://adoption.about.com/cs/military/
Infertility in the Military discussion board:
http://preconception.com/cgi-bin/boards/milinfert.pl
Infertility in the Military chatroom:
http://infertility.about.com/library/blchatmili.htm?
Military Infertility Treatment Facilities (IVF):
http://www.af.mil/news/airman/0502/infer.html
Military Tubal Reversals group (including the mailing list and the group's Web
tools such as message archives, polls, files, and photos):
http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/MilitaryTubalReversals
God's Ways
by Conny Hutchinson
June 21, 2002, marked my husband's 10-year anniversary—not our
anniversary—but his with the United States Army. My husband Dan and
I met during our senior year at a Christian university. I was pleased when I
found out about Dan's active duty commitment because of his scholarship from an
ROTC program. My dad is also retired from the Army, so I have been around the
military pretty much all my life; and I do love a man in uniform. After
graduation, Dan soon went away to his Basic Course, and after we were married in
December of 1992, I was given quite an introduction to life as a military
spouse!! There were weeks alone because my husband was on field exercises,
obligatory formal functions to attend, protocol and politics to learn, and best
of all, friends to make and experiences that I'll never forget!!
Since our marriage, nine and a half years ago, we have lived in California,
Washington State, Texas, Germany, Virginia, and currently Missouri. Some of my
friends from "back home" in Knoxville, Tennessee, tell me they feel
sorry for me, having to uproot every year or two (or if we're really fortunate,
three)!! But I wouldn't trade my life for their stationary one. God has put us
in the military; it is a part of HIS plan for us and HE has used the military to
be a blessing to us. There are moments I do wish to settle down or to own a home
or to go to a church where I am not, once again, the "new kid." There
are times when the military bureaucracy can drive you crazy, the
"hurry-up-and-wait" way of the Army can put all of your plans on hold,
or the uncertainty of where your husband might be sent next can make planning
impossible. This is the life we knew when we began our infertility journey.
If you think about it, military members range in age from 18 to 40+; but most of
them are of prime childbearing age. Pregnant women, newborns, and children are
everywhere you look at a military facility or hospital. This was a hard thing
for me to deal with as a part of a childless couple, especially at our church in
Germany, which was pastored by an American missionary to service members. In a
church of all military families, it felt at times there were baby showers,
pregnancy announcements, and new babies on almost a weekly basis. It was among
these many Christian people that I sometimes felt the most alone!
Another fact of the military is that medical care seems to focus on the families
who are having babies; there is not much staff, money, or interest left for
those of us who deal with infertility. But the Lord blessed us in our
infertility journey with doctors who cared and were interested. The first one we
encountered after the obligatory
year of "trying on our own" was just a family practice doctor who had
an interest in gynecology and who was perhaps tired of treating the ordinary
colds, flus, and viruses he saw every day. Once he started us on our way to
having initial testing done, another fact of the military arose: he was moved to
another assignment. It was also during this time that the Lord led me to LIW,
where I learned so much from the other women going through the same situation in
treatment, as well as emotionally and spiritually. Through that and my own
research, I was able to actually work with and give suggestions to the next
doctor (an OB/GYN) about a course of treatment for my husband and me. When we
were trying to conceive again a year or so later, we were stationed at a post in
Virginia that I had never heard of before in my life—but there was a huge
Naval Hospital about 45 miles away that had a real infertility clinic,
which is a rare blessing. In my dealings with other women going through
infertility in the military, such a clinic is a rare thing indeed. It was hard
to get an appointment and the drive and inconvenience of going there was
difficult—but the care was adequate.
I've found that if you pursue things in the military medical system, you can
eventually achieve what you want, sometimes by getting a referral to a civilian
provider and sometimes through the military channels. I think it all comes down
to the fact that if you're a Christian in the military, the LORD is
ultimately guiding you anyway, guiding you to the duty assignment with the
medical care or channels that you need. There is a verse in the Bible that the
"heart of the king is in the Lord's Hand" and I believe that the heart
of the military generals, colonels, and other personnel is as well. That has
been my trust as we have journeyed through infertility in the
military! God's grace is always sufficient. There are frustrations and
discouragements, especially when you are in a situation at your duty station
where you don't have a choice of doctors/medical professionals; or you are just
a social security number instead of a name; or you find yourself having to wait
for months to get an appointment. These are situations that I did not always
find edifying at the time, but in the end have been able to look back and see
how my faith in GOD had to grow because of my sometimes lack of faith in the
medical service!
The Lord has given us two children, both conceived after two very different
treatment situations, both born at military hospitals. Since medical care is one
of our benefits in the military, it has been a blessing (in spite of the
frustrations) that we did not have to pay for the many rounds of Clomid or the
procedures, such as a hysterosalpinogram, out of our own pocket. That in itself
is worth the frustration and delays in the military's treatment of infertility.
I am often jealous when I hear of the "royal treatment" some of my
civilian friends get from their doctors and medical treatment facilities, but I
must say I am completely satisfied with the care I have received in the
military—and I am actually thankful for the frustrations and delays we have
encountered. I can look back and see how God used the military for our
good, as He does all things in His own timing, not ours. I have learned
that His ways are not always our ways: His ways are better!
- Conny has been a member of Ladies
in Waiting since March of 1997. She and her husband have struggled
with infertility as a result of male factor diagnosis (varicocele) and PCOS. She
serves as Moderator of the Hannah's Prayer Military Group and Co-moderator of
our Motherhood After Infertility group. Conny lives with her husband and
two children in Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
"These are the times that try men's souls… What we obtain
too cheap, we esteem too lightly; `tis dearness only that gives everything its
value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be
strange indeed, if so celestial an article as Freedom should not be highly
rated."
— Thomas Paine
"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the
history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by
succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be
commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God
Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows,
games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this
continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."
— John Adams
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo
the fatigue of supporting it."
—Thomas Paine
If you have an encouraging quote that has especially challenged you, please
e-mail Jill at newsletter@hannah.org
so that we may consider it for an upcoming issue of Hannah to Hannah.
How We Should Pray for Our Military
Reprinted with permission from Cadence International
Prayer Partners,
As American troops continue to deploy to various worldwide locations in support
of Operation Enduring Freedom, I urge you to support them through your faithful
prayers.
How should you pray for our men and women in uniform and their families during
these days? Pray for:
— PROTECTION. Yes, pray for the safety of our military personnel as the
faithfully carry out their duties on behalf of our country. But, please also
pray for the protection of marriages and families that are under the tremendous
stresses of extended separation, little communication, and ongoing uncertainty.
— PROVISION. Pray God will provide the strength, wisdom, and patience to
endure these tumultuous days. Pray He provides comfort and courage for those
separated from loved ones during the approaching holidays.
— PERSPECTIVE. Like the rest of us, people in the military are wrestling with
questions that have emerged from the difficulties and suffering of these tragic
events. The best article I've read on these issues is written by Randy Alcorn in
the newsletter, Eternal Perspectives. (This article, Nineteen Reflections on Our
Current
Crisis, can be read on their website, www.epm.org)
— PEACE. Certainly we should pray for world peace and the eventual end to this
current conflict, but we must also pray that Christians in the military know the
internal peace that comes from trusting God. Pray they will "be still and
know that he is God."
— POWER. Pray that Christians will depend daily on God's Spirit and on His
Word. Pray they will boldly proclaim Jesus to those around them. Pray for a
significant advancement of the gospel in these days of opportunity.
— PERSEVERANCE. In God's Word, endurance is portrayed as a holy concept. It is
a critical part of the believer's walk with God. Pray military people and their
families will endure these days with strength. May we all lift our eyes to the
coming hope of our Savior's imminent return for his children.
Thank you for your prayers.
David Schroeder, General Director, Cadence
International
If you want more information about how to write military personnel, email us at:
pers@cadence.org
Medical Hall of
Fame
c) July 2002. Jill Amack, editor of Hannah to Hannah
Time is running out for entries into our very own Medical
Hall of Fame! Entries must be received by July 31 to be considered for the
August issue of Hannah to Hannah.
Because I've had a variety of infertility-related health problems, I need a
doctor who is up-to-date in the latest diagnoses and treatments. If at all
possible, I want a doctor who will listen to me, who will encourage me to do
research of my own, and who will partner with me in my treatment of choice. I
love to recommend the few exceptional medical professionals that I've been
privileged to work with, because I know just how rare and wonderful they are.
For this reason, we've decided to create a "Hannah's Prayer Medical Hall of
Fame" for our August newsletter "Diagnosis and Treatment" with
doctors recommended by our members. If you've found someone in your area that
has made a difference for you in your struggle with infertility, please share it
with us!
Please write to newsletter@hannah.org,
and include:
Doctor's Name
Specialties (if any)
Address
City, State Zip Code
Phone number
Web site address (if applicable)
Your name
Your City and State
Comments
We would like you to include your name, since we would like to send a copy of
the August Hannah to Hannah to your doctor with a note telling who
recommended them. We'll also send some general information about Hannah's Prayer
for them to share with other patients who might benefit from our ministry.
Certainly, this will not be an all-inclusive list. But if you're new to an area
or just looking for a new doctor, our "Hall of Fame" will give you a
great place to start.
Updated Newsletter Submission Policy
Hearing about your personal struggle with infertility and God's
faithfulness in your life is so important to us! But because of the large number
of submissions H to H receives each month, it is sometimes difficult to
keep track of all of them. In order to make our work more effective and less
chaotic, all submissions to the newsletter (whether by snail mail or e-mail)
must include the following information:
— Full name
— Address
— City, State Zip
— Phone number
— E-mail address
— Has this work been published previously? Yes No
— (If yes, please provide publisher's name and address)
— Does H to H have your permission to use this work in the newsletter?
Yes No
— OPTIONAL short biography about your infertility journey
If you have several submissions (example: sending one e-mail with several poems
attached or mailing several poems in one envelope) each individual
submission must include this information. Submissions not including this
information will not be used in H to H. Thank you for your assistance
with this new policy!
Is your organization sponsoring an infertility, adoption, or
infant loss seminar?
If so, please e-mail Jill at newsletter@hannah.org
so that we may consider your announcement for an upcoming issue of Hannah to
Hannah.
RESOLVE Infertility and Adoption Conference 2002
September 27-28, 2002
Magee Women's Hospital
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
We are planning our infertility and adoption conference for 2002. The date
has been set during National Infertility Awareness Week, September 27 &
28th. We are very fortunate enough to be able to hold this year's conference at
Magee Women's Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Friday at 7:00 p.m. and
on Saturday from 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. A detailed schedule is available on our
Web site at www.resolve.org.
Pregnancy and Infant Loss Parent Support Group in Glendale, California
Fourth Thursday of every month
7:30pm – 9:30 pm at Verdugo Hills Hospital
Main Entrance, 4th Floor, Council Rooms
1812 Verdugo Blvd., Glendale, California
The Pregnancy and Infant Loss Group of Verdugo Hills Chapter of The
Compassionate Friends, is for parents who are grieving the loss of a baby
through ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, newborn or early infant
death. Mothers and fathers are invited to attend alone or with their partner. We
will meet on the same dates and times as the general Compassionate Friend
meetings, but in an adjacent room. For more information please call (818)
957-0254 or contact Susan tcfsgh@pacbell.net.
Infertility & Adoption Group
Fourth Thursday of every month
7:00-9:00 pm at Evangelical Free Church of Fresno
3438 E. Ashlan Avenue
Fresno, California 93726-3597
For more information, please contact Pete and Linda Weller at 226-4100.
Infertility Support Group
Last Friday of every month
7:00 pm at the First United Methodist Church
72 Lake Morton Drive
Lakeland, Florida 33801
Phone contact: First UMC Counseling Office (863) 644-8241
Please call to confirm time and location. Should you require further information
or confirmation, please contact Laurie Busey at greggbuseyz@yahoo.com
or phone (863) 644-1507.
Hannah's Prayer is not directly related to, nor has any financial interest
in, these organizations. We prayerfully list them to help you find other
resources that may be of blessing or encouragement to you.
2002 Hannah to Hannah Topics & Submission Deadlines
When submitting, please include your full name, mailing address, and e-mail address to be considered for publication. If you like, include a little information about you, like: "Jenni lives with her husband, Rick, in... They have struggled with infertility for…" This helps our readers to get to know you better, but it is completely optional.
October 2002 – Pregnancy Loss Month and Thanksgiving – submissions by September 1, 2002
November 2002 – Adoption Awareness Month – submissions by October 1, 2002
December 2002 – Christmas and Holiday Coping – submissions by November 1, 2002
Newsletter Submission and Reprint Information
Hannah's Prayer is a California based, non-profit 501(c)(3)
organization, established Jan 1, 1995. All staff members are unpaid volunteers who are proclaiming
Christians (from a range of denominational backgrounds) and have personal
experience with the heartache of fertility challenges. 
was
designed exclusively for Hannah's Prayer by