As we lead back in to the subject of God’s care for us, sometimes we are the agents of God’s care to others.
Even though they may not all recieve bodily healing here on earth, they can all recieve comfort from God’s people through us.
Where we may think that we have failed, others may be led into hope and thanksgiving.
Cakes at the Hospital
When we were in Pattaya, we used to take a regular team hospital visiting every 2 weeks, to visit the patients with some essentials and to offer to pray for them or their relatives.
Now, we often never knew the result of our visits, whether someone had been healed or come to the Lord orn not, but occasionally we would connect with people in times of grief and were able to comfort them, or to offer to pray for them.
We met a variety of people, from ordinary Thai people, to sick farangs (foreigners) who had landed up in the hospital, due to having very low funds.
The health system in Thailand is multi-tiered and starts off with the 1960’s equivalent in standard to what we might have known in the UK, with the government run hospital, through to the middle level private hospital and a top of the range hotel style hospital, for the rich and those with insurance.
Banglamung hospital was the government hospital, where most ordinary people went for treatment, where it is not uncommon for relatives to sleep at the side of or under the beds and to bring in the patients favourite food, to supplement the hospital food.
One day when we were in the lobby, after visiting, a Thai lady hurried over to us, with a big smile on her face, happy to see us.
She had a box of cup cakes in her hand, so she gave us one each.
“You visited my mother a while ago and she felt joy and peace after you prayed for her,” she told us.
“She was afraid of dying before you prayed for her, but after you prayed, she lived for another 3 weeks and was at peace and joyful every day.”
“She passed away last week, but we wanted to visit the hospital staff and thank all the people that helped her while she was here and took care of her.”
Even though her mother had died and did not get saved as far as we know, she was still blessed and felt peace with dying when she passed away.
We never know what comfort we may bring or what hope to a family as we bring the grace and love of God.