This past Sunday I attended a small church service in a neighboring village. About 15 locals were present and just as many Racers. Some of the Racers delivered short messages centered on the gospel. As I was sitting there John Fracker mentioned in my previous blog came over and asked if I and another Racer named Lauren would go pray over a woman who was very sick. We quickly left as to not disturb the crowd and walked up the road to a small farmhouse overgrown with weeds and vines. In the backyard near the garden sat an elderly woman in her wheelchair wearing purple silk pajamas and aviator sunglasses. Her husband was close by holding an umbrella to block the sun from hitting her frail skin. Next to her stood an old wood-burning stove with smoke billowing out of it. Her current house in shambles was on my right and a new home, which was under construction until the medical bills became too sizable, stood on my left. It was a moment and a sight that no photograph or film could capture.
Lauren and I came to understand that Jenny the woman in the wheelchair has been diagnosed as terminal with a rare bone disease. She was in immense pain and her repeated shudders and sighs made that apparent. Jenny accepted the Lord into her life in 2004 through the local ministry taking place by missionaries. Lauren immediately began to pray for Jenny and various part of her body. Jenny began to cry and at one point took off her sunglasses to expose her bloodshot grey eyes. I stood back and watch Lauren as she pour her hurt into this woman and touched her every so gently. I literally watch life come back into this woman and by the end of the prayer she was visibly more energetic. Had that been the end of our exchange I would have been thrilled but I had the feeling there was more to come. Her husband stood transfixed the entire time when John Fracker leaned over and explained he is a non-believer. Jenny’s desire since becoming a Christian is that her husband would accept Christ before her passing.
I knew when I walked into this scene that I wanted to pray over this man who’s name is John and with Lauren’s encouragement I walked over to him and placed my hands on him. I had no idea where I was heading but all I could think of was the book of Genesis, especially the beginning where it talks about the man and tending the garden. I opened with thanking God for all the beautiful things he has made in nature, the fields and trees that were surrounding us and the sun that shown down on us. I thanked him for the breeze, which at the moment was absent but as soon as I said “breeze” a strong gust came from behind us. I stopped for a moment and thanked God in my heart for that demonstration and then asked John if he felt it. He replied that he did and I saw a smile on his face. I then felt like the Lord led me to talk about how as a husband he has stayed faithful to his wedding covenant in that he has stayed by his wife’s side. Jenny has been sick for a long time and most people in the village have petitioned him to leave his wife because she can be difficult at times but he has refused. I told John that same commitment you have for your wife God has for you. That God gives us marriage so that we can better understand how he loves us.
At this, God placed a thought in my head that I have never had but based on the atmosphere seemed right. He told me ask my
creation if he is ready to accept his creator. I told John I wanted to be obedient to what God was asking me in that moment. I was sitting behind Jenny and Lauren who could hear the whole conversation. I asked John simply would you be willing to accept Christ into your heart today. He paused and then spurted out something in Romanian, we all looked to the translator who said he said yes. I sat there stunned for a moment and the Holy Spirit who was present from the beginning was radiating. I had the sense that John Fracker needed to step John through the prayer because it’s his ministry and that experience would only strengthen their relationship. They both prayed together and I really appreciated how John Fracker went about it. He told John that you have heard the gospel many times and that this is not a light decision. You are making a covenant before other Christians and more importantly God himself. He asked if he was prepared to honor that commitment starting today. At this point his wife was balling and I just stood back to take it all in. At the end we all stood together and prayed holding hands and then left. John Fracker promised he would send more Racers throughout the week. I shook John’s hand and told him I would see him in heaven. As we walked away I knew God led that man to Christ not me. God gave me the words and he set the atmosphere that day. Amen.
