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By
Michael Palace, Taiwán
 very
year around the same time, I have to visit a particular office to
take care of some personal paperwork. My visit there is usually
made easy by the help of Judy, one of the women in the office who
speaks English. (My Chinese falls short in situations that involve
business and legal terms.) I always considered Judy a godsend.
Last year I hadn't been able
to reach her to ask if she could set up an appointment, so I feared
she had changed jobs. However, when time came to visit the office,
to my pleasant surprise I found that Judy was still there. After
several minutes of introductory chat, she burst into tears.
“Judy, whatever could be the
matter? Are you okay?” I asked.
She proceeded to tell me that
her husband had been diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer of the
liver (he had already had one tumor removed), and that the doctors
had told them he didn't have long to live.
“Thomas is only 42,” said a
tearful Judy. They had two young sons. Judy was beside herself with
worry over their future, but I managed to calm her down. I proceeded
to pray with her for her own peace of mind and heart, for her husband's
health, and that through this her husband might get to know the
Lord. We prayed that if it were His will, God would do a miracle
and heal Thomas, even in this late stage of cancer.
With a smile, Judy expressed
her appreciation that I had taken the time to talk and pray with
her. I replied, “Well, that's my job, you know!” (I've been a missionary
working with the Chinese people for 25 years.)
When I called Judy the following
day, she told me Thomas was due for a thorough checkup in the hospital
a few weeks later, at which time they would know how much longer
he had to live. I told Judy I would call her again around that time.
Those few weeks had elapsed
when I had to return to the office to finish that paperwork before
the end of the year. Christmas had just passed, and strains of “O
Come All Ye Faithful” were still ringing in my ears as I got together
some things for Judy and Thomas to read—some leaflets and a
booklet of comforting promises for the dying and bereaved, Glimpses
of Heaven. They were going to need all the encouragement and
strength they could get from God's Word, I figured.
When I arrived at the office,
Judy was not at her desk. I supposed she was with her husband. Surely
she was more needed at his side than in the office at this time.
Then suddenly she entered the room. She saw me, and lit up like
a light bulb! At Thomas's final checkup, she explained, the doctors
had been baffled when they couldn't find any trace of the tumor.
Previously the same doctors who had told Thomas he didn't have long
to live had shown him a clear image of the cancerous tumor on the
ultrasound screen. Now they could find no trace of it! It had disappeared!
Both Judy and Thomas had been ecstatic, but were unable to find
my phone number to tell me the good news. Judy and I rejoiced together,
right there in the office.
As I looked down at the Glimpses
of Heaven booklet still in my hand, I realized how little faith
I had had that God would answer our prayers. I felt a little embarrassed
in front of the Lord about that, but very happy that God had given
both Judy and Thomas a most wonderful Christmas gift—the gift
of life.
Thomas imports baked goods,
and he had given his wife a bag of biscuits (cookies) especially
for me, as a little thank-you gift for praying for him. Then it
was my turn to cry.
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