Madison, Tera, I walked down the street, booklets with the Gospel of John in hand, as we invited our neighbors to service at our house. None of us were wild about being “those Christians” – the type that go door to door handing out pamphlets to strangers – but all that changed when we arrived at the little purple and teal house with a store out front.
We were immediately invited into the shade of their home, a welcome relief from the constantly scorching Guyana Sun. Mary introduced herself and her two daughters, Martha and Ambika. She began to explain that her family needed prayers. Her father, Danny, has cancer and is 3 hours away in Georgetown with her mother, Elsie, undergoing chemotherapy. She told us of Danny’s unwavering faith that God will heal him so he can continue to serve Him here on Earth. She told us that he would be returning from Georgetown the next day and we asked if we could come back to pray with him. She excitedly agreed and we all said a prayer together before we left.
The next day Tera and I returned with Hannah in tow. Danny was sleeping when we got there but we stayed to chat with Mary, Elsie, and the girls about their lives and their steadfast faith. After some juice and praying for Danny together as he slept, Elsie shared with us that she was born without a functioning right arm. We hadn’t even noticed! Ambika and I played off to the side as Mary explained that Ambika attended a special school for children who learn at a slower pace. Ambika is about 7 or 8 and only says a few words but she and I had fun together regardless. We made plans to return the next day to meet and pray with Danny before we headed off to our ministry site for the night.
As we walked home Tera started drawing startling conclusions about how clearly God intended for us to meet this family…
Ambika has a learning disability. I’m a special education teacher.
Elsie can’t use her right arm. Tera couldn’t use her right arm for years until three surgeries and God’s grace brought her back to compete at the national level and almost qualify for the Olympics in swimming.
Mary’s father is battling cancer. Hannah lost her dad to cancer 4 years ago.
We were floored as we connected the dots and couldn’t wait to see what happened as our relationship with this family continued to grow. Were we about to witness a miraculous healing? What else did God want us to give them? What did God have for them to show us? With so many questions swirling in our minds, our hair stood on end in anticipation for the day to come.
The three of us – Tera, Hannah, an I – returned the next afternoon now with our teammate, Kristan, who has the kind of faith in miraculous healings that can move mountains. Danny was up and ready to meet us! His family helped him over to sit in the hammock across from us and he began to describe his journey. He had already undergone one surgery to remove part of the cancer and was going through chemo to make the main tumor small enough to remove. He showed us a picture of how he looked before the cancer and the difference was startling. He told us that he had lost over 100 pounds from the chemo and he wasn’t a very big man to start with. As he stretched out his hands to show us where the chemo had darkened his skin… he began to cry. In that instant I felt my heart crack right down the middle. There is something about seeing a grown man cry that just breaks you.
Here is a man so in love with God that even in his pain he walked in faith. He cried as he explained the pain he felt but he still has hope. “I know my God gon take care me” he said over and over. And he means it. This man, staring down death, has eyes that are FULL of life. Though his body is sick and dying his soul is so alive.
Tera shared with him her promise from God for healing and restoration. His tears, and ours, flowed freely and strongly as he grabbed on to both of her hands for dear life. So we prayed. We prayed and prayed and prayed for God’s will, for His healing, for His goodness. By the end tears were anything but scarce and hope was tangible.
But the Lord wasn’t done yet. Danny mentioned that he missed going to church but he was too weak to make it to service without falling over, so Tera asked if we could bring church to him. We sat together, the body of Christ, and sang His praises.
This family has completely taken over our hearts. Their goodness and faith reminds me so much of the Holy Family. Mary, just like Our Lady, is always saying yes to love and yes to God’s will. Before his cancer, Danny was a carpenter just like Saint Joseph and Jesus. And the love they all have for each other is even deeper because of their unfailing love for God.
Friends, divine appointments are a real thing. Every day of our lives there are places God wants us to go and people God wants us to meet. So be aware, listen to the Spirit, and be prepared to take those meetings with intentional hearts.
We will continue visiting our dear friends for the rest of our time in Guyana. Join us in praying for Danny’s healing and his family’s strength. If you feel called to help this family in more tangible ways you contact me through either facebook or email: [email protected]
