God promises to supply all our need. We all count on this whether it is for physical needs, financial needs, spiritual needs, or any other need that we may have. We can ask God in faith believing, and He will answer us and take care of us in whatever problem or situation in which we may find ourselves. Time and again God has answered my prayers and sometimes in very unique situations. I have counted on Him in this past year as well. Can you think of problems and troubles in your own life in which God has answered you in some marvelous way and you could not fathom how He was going to answer you in your call to Him.
There were so many preliminary details to work into my weekly schedule during this past year since discovering my own cancer last July. I saw a number of doctors and others who were helpful in planning every detail for x-rays, surgery, recovery, counseling sessions for treatments, and on and on until I finally entered the treatment phase itself. That was the hardest time of my life physically, with so many problems to deal with due to the chemotherapy I received every two weeks. The problems did not relent fully, even between the treatments, and were worse during the first half of these four months. The chemo changed for the 2nd half of my treatment. I still had problems but the side effects were not as severe.
Some of you have gone through this trial in your own life or you have family members or close friends who have gone through cancer and you feel like you are going through their problems with them on a daily basis. Charlotte has been a real trooper for me in helping me in so many ways and especially as my driver. Many of you have been praying for me and I will always be so grateful for yours prayers and words of encouragement to keep me going from appointment to appointment for four full months! I have completed those treatments and I am so relieved that they are now behind me. It will be months before all the side effects completely disappear. I still need your prayers for future doctors’ appointments. I have also elected to have gene counseling for which I will need to pay if I am chosen to undergo that testing. They do not choose everyone for this kind of testing. Different cancers have been in our family for three generations. The insurances have fully covered all testing and treatments, for which I praise the Lord. I was able to use my sick and vacation days at the Board during this time. During these months God has supplied all my needs. I can’t thank Him enough for seeing me through this rugged time of chemotherapy.
I think of another time in my life, while serving in Kenya, that I did not know what I would do about a huge problem. It was while I was on vacation with Joan Davenport. She had come to help us at the Mwingi Hospital until her mission station in Sharjah reopened after the furlough of her co-workers. We drove down to a modest-priced resort called Trade Winds, maybe some 20 miles south of Mombasa. We had our own room like in a motel situation. As we were nearing our destination, my VW sounded terrible and I was afraid that it would die on me (an African term). I did not have any money for repairs, but we knew that we could not get back to Mwingi without God providing for us, in what seemed an impossible situation with all that we had brought down with us in the car. The next day we drove the car, which groaned all the way, back up to Mombasa to the Volkswagen dealership. We were so thankful that we arrived without a breakdown.
The service people were very kind to us, but they looked over the car and told me that it needed a new engine and it would take a while to have that done! I asked about the price of a newer car. He showed us another VW station-wagon which was a demonstrator car with only 5,000 miles on it and I could buy it for $5,000 with the trade-in. I told them I had no money and that I was a missionary on vacation. He suggested that they would pay for a call to my dad in the USA. I was amazed that I could get him on the phone since there is seven hours difference in time. It was early morning in Philadelphia. I quickly explained the situation that we could not keep the old car and what this new demo VW cost. My parents often bought demo cars themselves at a good price. I rejoiced with unspeakable joy when Dad agreed, on the spot, to send the money needed! I had never asked him for any such huge favor in my life! The salesman told him that he could wire the money and how to send it. In minutes I was the owner of a brand new car – the first new one in my life! Joan and I were able to return to our vacation for a good rest and a wonderful relief to our minds and spirits to enjoy our week of relaxation at this seaside resort on the beautiful Indian Ocean.
God used that “impossible situation” to show me how He could answer my need for transportation back to Mwingi. Both Joan and I daily rejoiced over and over how God provided a new turquoise car so quickly and that we could safely drive back to our vacation spot with our transportation problem solved within hours! God tells us to ask of Him and to call upon Him in our need. This one was an expensive need. This car served my needs for trips to the hospital at night, for delivery of babies, or emergencies as well on the long dusty, bumpy trips into Nairobi for food and hospital supplies. Each of us would pick up food and needs of the other missionaries as we only went to Nairobi, about once a month. During my first few years I had no transportation and had to rely on other missionaries to take me to Nairobi when the need arose for a few days break from our work. It was too long of a trip, back in the old days, to make it in one day with the roads in such deplorable condition (for there was no tarmac until we arrived at Thika) so we usually had to stay at missionary guest houses or later at the Bible College guest apartment for a night or two.
We have found the answer to our lack of Full Service on return mail; we were not able to receive our address changes electronically. I attended the May meeting of the Greater Philadelphia Postal Consumer Council and met a lady visiting from Memphis TN. She works in the area of Full Service for the USPS. She told me right away the answer to our problem. We had waited over two years to receive an answer, but those in Postal One never hit on our problem. This will save us fees. It works like this: instead of the mail piece returning to us (extra work for the USPS) we will get our information electronically at last. This will take about 2-3 weeks. I thank God that she was at our meeting and she was able to address the situation in minutes. Technically speaking, we needed to change the code in our barcode! An application has been e-mailed to them to process. We will also change the electronic code on our envelopes processed in our mailing machine.
Yes, God does answer prayer. This one took a long time to answer our need but it came with the right person who could solve the mystery to our problem. Do you have some unanswered need in your life? Take it to the Lord in prayer in faith believing that He will answer you. It may not always be the answer that you expect. God knows what is best for us when our hearts are right with Him.
I have one request before I close this letter and that is to remind those who are planning to move to notify us ahead of your move so that we have the new address when we are ready to send out the next mailing. This is especially true for those who live overseas.
I am so thankful that God does answer prayers as you have read in just a few examples. May you too know the blessing of answered prayer in your life! Please remember our missionaries who request prayer for their needs on the field regularly. May God bless you for your faithful prayers on their behalf. This is a great encouragement to them as they labor daily to make Jesus Christ known to the millions who don’t even know His precious name. We have the life-giving message they need to not only hear and but to receive Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. Then eternal life is secure for them.
P.S. I have several new appointments coming up I will have seen my surgeon on June 24th and schedule an Ultrasound, as well as having a follow up blood test an hour prior to seeing my oncologist on July 13th. Pray with me that all may give positive results for my good and God’s glory.