In April, through Señora Reina, we were introduced to a family in Pacca, near where Esmeralda lives. Virginia was dying of cancer, and we had already been praying for her and her husband Angelino in church for some time.
When we finally met her, it seemed the end was very near. They believed she might have only a day left. They asked if I would come pray over her and share a few words.
I think what they were really hoping for was perhaps that the Christian pastor might somehow have the power to bring healing. We found out later that they had already called the nuns, the monks, the Catholic priest, and even the witch doctor. And when none of those efforts changed anything, they turned to the Christian pastor as a final hope.
I went and shared the gospel with those who had gathered. As a family, we sang, and then I prayed over her. She was unresponsive, barely breathing. As I laid my hand on her and prayed, she gave a deep, rattling breath, and then stopped breathing. I thought she had died right there during the prayer. But then she breathed again. And over the next few days, she revived!
Remarkably, she was able to sit up. She ate. She drank. In the end, she was even able to talk a bit. We visited her as a family several more times over the next few weeks. They came to church a couple of times and even brought Virginia with them. When we would sing or when I preached, she would often cry.
Stephanie and I had several conversations with her, encouraging her to seek the Lord and to make things right while she still had the opportunity. And then, some weeks later, she passed away.
We don’t know where Virginia is now. We do know that God, in His mercy, gave her a second opportunity when death seemed inevitable. We pray she took it.
Please also remember Angelino and their two sons, the youngest is nine. Many members of her extended family visited during those weeks. They heard the gospel, many for the first time. We’ve invited them again to this week’s revival meetings. They didn’t come last night, but we’re still hoping they may come.
The seed was planted. May the Lord give the increase!
The entrance project will cost around $1,000; $525 has been given—thank you, friends! If you’d like to contribute to the entrance project, you can PayPal me with a note “Farm Entrance Project” (to help me track for taxes).
Juan David 