As many of you know I get to be part of an amazing team of friends going into Costa every week to tell people about Jesus and how much God loves them. Recently Tim and I had the privilege of sitting at the bedside of a man called Ian.
Martin invited Ian into Costa 5 months ago after he said “I need healing!” Ian used to regularly come to see us and ask us to pray for him. He had many major health conditions, one being panic attacks, which we gladly saw disappear soon after my friend Jules, prayed for him. Even though we didn’t see breakthrough with other areas of his health, Martin on our team, had the privilege of leading Ian in a simple prayer to receive Jesus on one of the times he visited us.
3 weeks ago Ian caught Sepsis and wasn’t expected to live. He asked for Tim who had given him his number and told him “If you’re ever feeling alone, call me” That night we all prayed and the following day both his son and the hospital were amazed at his turn around overnight as his body began to fight the infection. When Tim visited him the next day Ian said he wasn’t ready to die. We all kept on praying as Tim faithfully visited Ian praying for him, reading scripture and worshipping in his room. I joined Tim for what turned out to be Ian’s last two days. Ian sadly died a couple of hours after our last visit with him.
But this wasn’t the end of the story...
As a team we were invited to the funeral this week. Tim was asked if he would help carry Ian’s coffin and to read a poem which was such a privilege. We were mentioned in the tributes as Ian’s friends and we later discovered he talked a lot about ‘his friends, the healers!’ At the wake Tim had an opportunity to pray for a young man for family reconciliation and Jules and I got to sit and talk with many of the friends and relatives which was such an honour. Just before leaving I got to talk with Ian’s wife who was so warm towards me and us. In the course of the conversation she suddenly asked me about the resurrection and who made Jesus rise from the dead? When I said God did, she said...”at last someone has been able to tell me” and then turned to her friend next to her who I think was slightly deaf and said loudly, “God raised Jesus from the dead!!”
I am still amazed how at a funeral I got to talk about the resurrection of Jesus!!
This story is still continuing ...
The day after the funeral Tim met for a coffee with Ian’s son where he was able to share about God’s heart and they made a real connection. Ian’s son says he is looking forward to visiting us in Costa soon as also is his mum and friend
We are all seeing God’s amazing goodness through the life of a man who asked for healing.
