South Africa
My bonus dad, Pappie was dying. He had a brain tumor, was unconscious, rail-thin and at the end of life. There was no God in our family and yet my Mom prayed. Sitting beside him, she said, “God, if you’re there, I will search for you and follow You till the day I die.”
In that moment, he woke up, and the healing process began. I remember him coming home, unable to walk, learning to move, eat, and work all over again. My mom kept her promise – she lived for and searched about, with and for God, till she passed away in her 60s. I would see her up in the wee hours talking away with God in the garden, her restless soul arguing or laughing – doing real life with Him. I went into life never doubting God existed.
Emra
South Africa
have seen a lifetime of God making what seems impossible, possible in my life.
Taking complexities in our 52-year marriage to a love that has lasted and stood the test of time.
The greatest of all God’s miracles and working in our lives, is the healing of our first-born son, Mark, from a debilitating illness.
In September 2022 he began to experience a slight blur to his right eye, coupled with excruciating pain. After rounds of CT and brain scans, hospitalization and multiple visits to a doctrine of doctors, none could give a conclusive or satisfactory explanation for his intense suffering. By December he was completely blind in the right eye, coupled with excruciating pain.
January 2, he collapsed at home from pain this time to his abdomen. He was readmitted. More tests and scans revealed a large mass on his liver. After three biopsies which revealed no cancer cells, it was presumed his prior melanoma diagnoses had returned, and he was referred to oncology. He would require 6 rounds of immunotherapy but there were no guarantees. So began endless rounds of hospital visitations and fewer answers.
My journal entry for 13 January, read: ” Last night was a disaster. My poor boy’s suffering is off the chart. I need 90,000 South African Rand this morning for his first treatment. All I have is Jesus. He is all I need.”
The struggle for his soul was a bitter one. By evening his body was wracked with pain. The maximum medication had been administered without relief. Unable to sit or lie down his emaciated body hung between the support of his brother and father … As he hung there I thought of Jesus … an image etched in my mind forever. I thought of how Jesus hung on the cross in excruciating pain for my boy … his only hope. I’d only just read: “I and the Father are One and We have come to bring salvation to this soul. He was bought at a high price, the precious blood of Christ. Stand back Satan, this soul is mine.” Hope welled up in my heart knowing the Father and the Son had come to draw my boy to salvation. Jesus draws a line in the sand that Satan may not cross, because of what Christ did on the cross – with power and authority He could claim my boy back and bring him to salvation … and He did!!!
By evening the money was paid and the precious life-giving treatment was on its way. As the sun was setting on the Sabbath, Marks best friend and a pastor friend arrived at the hospital to anoint him. Since then we’ve watched with amazement and gratitude the miracle of God’s saving grace and answer to a mothers prayer unfold, as Mark gains strength and grows in Grace. There’s nothing too hard for God. All power in heaven and earth has been given Him … united with His Father they do battle for the souls of men and woman. All we need to do is reach out in faith and touch Him.
On the 15th April he recommitted his life to God in baptism.
There’s so much more…God is enough ❤️
Olivia Maritz
