Blessed Transplant

Pastor Paul Amstutz

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis is a big medical term — one that presented even bigger challenges to Pastor Paul Amstutz and his congregation at Princeton FMC (WV).

After he’d suffered for more than five years from pain in his midsection, doctors finally diagnosed the problem: his kidney filters were closing up and shutting down. The disease (which began with a virus) resulted in eight days in the hospital last year alone and regular doses of prednisone, which left Amstutz fatigued, bloated and no better off. Without a transplant he was only weeks away from dialysis.

Lots of prayer — and a Christmas letter to a wide variety of old friends and church members (he’s pastored in a few southern states over the years) — resulted in hundreds of encouraging cards and letters plus much-needed funds for noncovered expenses (like his wife JeDonna’s motel room near the hospital). His sister Carol donated a kidney, and on March 24, Amstutz received a new lease on life.

Before, during and after the ordeal, his congregation provided support on all fronts: taking Amstutz and family members to and from Charleston (a one-and-a-half-hour drive) for doctor visits and the eventual surgery, transporting his sister to and from the airport, fetching badly needed medication inadvertently left back at home, continuing his schedule of home visits, etc.

May 16 the church celebrated Amstutz’ return to the pulpit. And though he’d hoped to be back even sooner, “God took care of everything,” he says. One of the unexpected outcomes is a deeper understanding of and connection with people facing hospitalization and surgery. Thankfully, he’s never minded hospital visits. But now, more than ever, Amstutz can enter a room, grasp a hand and offer encouragement that only comes from having “been there.”