hairless love ENCOURAGEMENT IN THE FACE OF CANCER By Michael Hutton

ONE OF THE MOST DREADED words in the English language is the word cancer—especially if you are a child. Aaron Phillips, a typical twelve-year-old from Park Hills, Missouri, recently learned that he has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Aaron is the son of Gary and Donna Phillips and the grandson of Ann and Wayne Phillips, pastor of Fellowship FWB Church for 27 years.

The congregation at Fellowship is a close-knit family. When they found out about Aaron’s illness, they wanted to help, to let the Phillips family know they were standing with them during this difficult time. 

The youth group decided to shave their heads so Aaron would not feel alone when he lost his. But they went one step further when they decided to raise money with the upcoming head-shaving event. The funds would pay for gas used to take Aaron for treatments.

When the day arrived, a total of 11 people participated in the event including nine teenagers, Aaron’s Sunday School teacher, and a member of the youth ministry team. With so many heads to shave, the regular service was cancelled…but God definitely spoke to everyone that night. The group raised $230 and a local gas station agreed to match fifty dollars in gas.

Aaron is still being treated at Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Please pray for him and his family. Visit Aaron’s website (set up for him by the school system). The address is:
www.farmington.k12.mo.us/lincoln/aaron/.

Jesus said it best when He said we should love our neighbors as ourselves (Romans 13:9c). The actions of Aaron’s friends not only impacted the life of a twelve-year-old cancer patient, they changed their world.

Michael Hutton and wife, Holly, are newly appointed home missionaries to Spring Hill, Tennessee, where they will plant a new church.