Page 8 - News Spring-Summer 2025

There were three beds to each bay on the ward and,
starting at bed 1, we conversed with an elderly couple,
the wife had had tumours removed and she’d survived,
so we prayed for them. We went to bed 2, heard that
Abraham’s phone was blaring, and he was avoiding eye
contact, so we moved to bed 3, and prayed for a 98-year-
old lady and her granddaughter. As we were leaving,
Abraham called out to us; he heard what we were saying
and our prayers. He had issues with his feet, and he
requested prayer. We explained the Gospel and gave him
the magazine; we asked him if he had grandchildren, he
had seven, we asked if he had a favourite, and his eyes
lit up for clearly, he did. We said that the love he had for
all his grandchildren, and for his favourite, was the same times where people were not receptive. At one of the
love that God had for him. Abraham then asked to be hospitals, we met a man called Carlos, who had painful
reconciled to God and so we prayed for him and, when looking bolts sticking out of his lower leg. He was polite
we finished, I glanced up at him and he was dabbing and respectful to us, but he didn’t want us to pray for
his eyes. him and it became clear that he had some peculiar ideas
The nurses explained to us after we left the bay that about Christianity. He held a hand-written manuscript of
Abraham was a bit notorious where Christians were his own creation, which was about the book of Revelation.
involved. Any time a chaplain or missionary visited, he’d I’m not sure if he’d copied it from the Bible or if he’d
cause some sort of scene so he could avoid hearing from made up his own version but he was convinced that
them, he’d yank one of his cables out or blare his phone John the Disciple was John the Baptist (even though John
as he did with us. Basically, he did not want to know. And the Baptist is beheaded early in the Gospel accounts).
yet, as we prayed for the people either side of him, he No matter what we said, his mind was made up and
heard our prayers, and he was drawn in. If we’d gone in all we could do was wish him well.
sequence, he would have said no and dismissed us. It was
a great reminder for us at the time, that God can reach
people even when they’re doing their best to shut Him
out. We chatted a bit more with the people in bed 1 again, MY COURAGE AND
and Abraham shuffled off to the toilet. As he passed us, he CONFIDENCE JUST WENT
gave us all a pat on the back, and he had the biggest smile
on his face – which will stay with me for a very long time.
What were the challenges on the trip? On our first Sunday together as a team, we enjoyed
For me, nervousness. But whilst this was a challenge, worship at a local church and then went straight out to
I don’t think it ever goes away really. During our an open market to engage with vendors and people in
experiences on the hospital wards, we would go through the street in our small groups. It was hot, loud, dusty
one bay of patients, talking and praying with them. Then and very busy with people and traffic. I hadn’t planned
I’d feel nervous moving to the next bay and starting all what I might say in conversation other than share my own
over again. We spoke about this quite early in the trip testimony. Looking back now, it was my first time being
and we agreed that this was basically the price we pay to involved in anything such as this and I was overwhelmed;
be a signpost of Jesus, reliant on Him and not sure what’s my courage and confidence just went, and I didn’t share
going to happen next! or engage with anyone. All I could do was watch my
I’ve shared some of 'our successes’ (obviously, they are friend Richard as he struck up conversations with folk via
the interpreter and just be around to pray and to listen.
the Lord’s successes, we are just servants) but there were I am so thankful that Richard was there that day, having
the confidence where I failed, and I was able to learn
a lot from him; it turns out it that it was his first time too.
I was kicking myself afterwards and I shared my failure
with other team members who were all very encouraging
and said it was completely understandable. I rang Sarah
when I got back to my hotel room, upset that I’d made
a big mistake in coming on the trip, did I really travel to
other side of the world to not talk about Jesus? I knew
that I had a choice to make, I could either keep on kicking
myself and tell myself how useless I was, or I could pick
myself up, accept it, learn from it and decide to get stuck
in tomorrow. Which, I’m pleased to report, I did!
How would you describe the fellowship with the other
members of the team in Chile?
We were a very large team, 20+ of us. Even though some
of the team had been to Chile before for the most part it
was the first time we’d all met. Strangers at first and from
different backgrounds, we soon became good friends

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