About Us

This is is the family blog of Rachel, Kevin, Jude and Evie Hill. Kevin is an IT Infrastructure Engineer at Esquire Solutions and Rachel is a stay-at-home mom and freelance photographer.  Her photography can be seen at her website Rachel Hill Photography and her facebook page.  We live in the Atlanta area with our three year old son Jude and our 20 month old daughter Evie.

In October of 2011, Kevin was diagnosed with stage 3 melanoma and has so far undergone three surgeries to remove the tumor and lymph nodes where the melanoma has spread.  He underwent six and a half weeks of radiation and a month of high dose interferon in an attempt to keep the cancer from coming back.  After another two months of low dose interferon, we were crushed to find out that the cancer had recurred as stage 4 metastatic melanoma in June of 2012.  Kevin then completed half of a three month interleukin-2 regimen, which required grueling week-long inpatient therapy and brought us to our knees.  At the end of August, 2012, we learned that the treatment did not work.  We are choosing to trust in Jesus, because we have nothing left.

We ask you to join us in prayer for strength and endurance as we “wait for God [our] Savior, [our] God will hear [us].”

The domain name “micah77.org refers to the bible verse Micah 7:7 which reads:

But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.

In college Kevin was in a youth group that sang a version of this verse as a worship song, and I always liked it.  Besides that it was a domain that was available!

This verse has taken on special new meaning to us as we have begun our journey into intentional neighboring in a neighborhood of great poverty in Southwest Atlanta.  Just 2.4 miles from downtown skyscrapers, Centennial Olympic Park, world class sports venues, museums, and other attractions, lies a beautiful, scary, amazing little neighborhood called Adair Park.  It is in Atlanta Police Department’s Zone 3, which got me a little scared the last time I googled it.  There are many challenges in a neighborhood like AP (our little nickname for our beloved new ‘hood), but it is a place where can “watch in hope for the LORD”.  The Lord wants to make all of us whole, including many who have been forgotten in areas of darkness.  We have moved to AP not to try to “fix” our neighbors, not to try to “save” them, but simply to love them as Jesus has called us to.  And in the amazing turn of events of the past year, God has shown us how much our neighbors have to offer us and has allowed them to minister to us in ways we never thought imaginable.

Who knows where the journey will lead us next?  We are hurting and scared and cling tightly to each other, to our children, to our God.  We watch and wait in hope for the Lord.  Our God will save us.

 

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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Wes McMichael July 7, 2012 at 11:58 am

Hi, guys.

Kevin, I just sent you a friend request on a professional FB page I set up for my students and work colleagues. I don’t get into anything political on that page, nor would I use it to make political comments. I’d really like to stay in touch as you go through all of this.

Either way, though, you are in my thoughts a lot, and I truly wish the best for you.

Thanks for the blog, Rachel. It is in my RSS feed, and I read every post.

Best wishes.

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2 Annette(Khadijah)Williams September 4, 2012 at 12:19 am

I’m a Breast Cancer Survivor,and I had a chance to meet you Rachel in the Big Lots….It’s all for the reason to tell I feel your pain…You and your family will get through this : ) : ) God Bless The Hill Family : )!!!! Love n’ Peace, Lady Khadijah…Smooches

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3 ROCHELLE FLETCHER December 19, 2012 at 12:17 pm

Hi Rachel! I met you today at Emory and your story of strength and perserverance really touched me!! Just looking at you smiling and upbeat, I would have never guessed you were going through so much! I pray that God will comfort and keep you like only HE can! You, Kevin and your children are in my prayers! It was such a joy to meet you! Take care and God bless.

~Rochelle

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4 Ann Peterson January 10, 2013 at 7:43 pm

Hi Rachael,
We met in the airplane on the way from LA to Miami. I can’t get you and your family off my mind. I am praying for you and have asked my community to do the same. You are an inspiration and caused me to pause and reflect on what is important in this life. I will be thinking of you and Kevin daily and keeping up with your progress through your blog. It was a pleasure to meet you and Jude.
Ann

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5 Lynn July 15, 2013 at 10:43 pm

Hoping things turn around with Kevin very soon! Melanoma sucks! I am stage 4 and have been blessed with NED for 3 years and nearly 4 months. It was in June 2009 I was diagnosed with Stage 4. Went through garbage to get to here. I just finished a immunotherapy trial in April using BMS’s Anti PD-1 at Moffitt in Tampa. Dr. Weber is my oncologist. It was 30 months long and last Friday I was told my next scans , lab work and visit is 6 months away!! No more living in 3 month increments! I would like to share a link to your webpage if you don’t mind. Prayers for you all and the family!

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