When times are tough, it's human nature to ask: "Why? Why us?"

It can test our patience and sometimes our faith.

But a Mishawaka man who is fighting the battle of his life says his faith and his church are giving him hope.

Every Sunday morning you can find Dave Sanders and his family at St. Paul Lutheran Church.

They were even there on a fateful Sunday in January when, before services, this 49-year-old husband and father of two teenage boys had a terrible scare.

"The tumor started bleeding on a Sunday morning, and I obviously could tell there was something wrong," Dave remembers.

But even his symptoms didn't stop him from his duties at church.

"I was helping with communion that morning, so I served communion to the congregation that morning," he recalls. "In the back of my mind, the C-word was there."

The C-word turned out to be "cancer" -- specifically, colon cancer. Dave immediately had surgery.

"It had metastasized to my liver and the lymph nodes as well, so, technically speaking, it's less than a 50-percent chance of a cure," he admits.

But Dave's faith tells him he will be in the other 50 percent.

"[I've] been through seven treatments out of 12, so I'm in the homestretch," he says.

And he is getting support from fellow church members.

"There was a lot of talk: 'What can we do for the Sanders family? What can we do?'" explains Doris Merkle. "We decided that the benefit was something we wanted to do for them."

Doris organized a benefit dinner that will take place this Saturday for Dave and his family. On the menu are all their favorite foods: broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, noodles, and all the fixings.

While Dave is still working, he does have some difficult days, but says the support of his church has kept him strong.

"They're good people. It's great," he says. "This is a blessing that I will be able to share."

It is a disease that has tested his family, but never their faith.

"We're dealing with it. It is a part of our life now. It's what was given to us," Dave explains.

The benefit dinner for Dave and his family is at St. Paul Lutheran Church this Saturday from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00.

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the church office or at the door on the day of the event.

For more about Dave, visit his blog at http://geetar_dave.livejournal.com