People Who Need Your Prayers ...

I have come across and visited a number of people in the last few weeks who really need a touch from the Lord. Of course, every day we meet people here with deep needs, and every week when we go to pray for the sick at the Government Hospital we are faced with horrendous situations.

Get this ... the Social Worker told us this week that they are only given enough funding and equipment for 25 patients. On Tuesday there were over 130 people crammed into the hospital. They were everywhere - in the corridors, outside along the pavement. Unbelievable. The unofficial motto of the hospital is, "We will never turn you away - but you have to bring your own bed!" And food. And blankets. And medicines. And faith.

But here are a few folk who could do with your prayers right now:

1. Winston Co (19 yrs old)
Winston is the son of Albert & Josie Co who live around 30 mins from Santiago. Josie is an amazing woman who used to be the Governor of the whole of Quirino province. She met the Lord and her life was changed. After a few years God called her to the ministry and she is pastoring a church and planted around 4 more!

Her son Winston was driving his motorbike in January and he was overtaking a truck. Out of the blue another truck tried to overtake him and he was sandwiched between them. He fell off his motorbike and was dragged along by the truck. His left foot was badly damaged. He lay in agony on the road, screaming. The truck driver stopped and looked back. He saw that Winston was still alive and, what is a terrible normality here, he was going to reverse over him at speed to make sure he would die. It is far less expensive to pay out for a dead person than to pay for someone to spend months of expensive recovery. So sad but true. Anyway, the first truck driver stopped him from killing Winston and said, "Stop, this is the son of our Governor!" Instead, they brought him to hospital.

He has been there for four months now and has found it so hard. I have visited him an several occasions and gave him my PS2 to help with the boredom. He has had several operations to his leg and foot and at last he is making progress. Above all, please pray that he finds the Lord through this terrible situation. He once walked with the Lord but he got involved with the wrong people at the wrong time in the wrong place. I feel he was really heading for trouble ... maybe God has stopped him in his tracks. Pray also for Josie & Albert as they went through a terrible few months where different members of their family passed away or were very sick.

2. Sheryl Cagatao (33 years old)
Last week Winston asked me to visit and pray for a lady who has been to Cornerstone a few times. Her brother in law is very active in the church and wanted me to meet her. She is only 33 years old and has found out that she has stage 2 lymphatic cancer in several parts of her body. She has had an operation and undergone 2 sessions of Chemotherapy.

But last week her body really reacted against the chemo. She ended up being in bed, unable to move and being sick all the time. Amazingly, after our prayer meeting for her at church, next morning she was up walking and eating again.

I have to laugh. I was telling her about how we are spirit, soul and body and was emphasising the need to get right with God spiritually. Winston pops into our conversation and starts talking away on Tagalog for 5 minutes. Next I know, we all have our eyes closed and Sheryl is praying a prayer of repentance to the Lord.

Please pray for a miracle. I talked to all her family outside the house and I KNOW that all it takes is a touch from God to show them that He is alive!

3. Selina (6 years old)
We have finally found out the latest about Selina. Winston & James Bastian went to visit last Friday, but Selina and her mum were out. But they had a great opportunity to speak to Selina's dad, who was a bit 'under the influence'. He has really turned to drink since his wee boy was killed. He has also become very aggressive and violent towards his wife - even in public. But our two pastors had a real heart to heart with him and he really opened up.

Next day they saw Selina. She is so beautiful with her new haircut. The scabs and infection on her arm has healed up but it has left a huge scar. We took her to the Doctor and he said that this is quite normal with a bad burn. He said it should turn darker as time goes on. We are still waiting to find out if she needs an operation, but now she can move and bend her arm freely.

Pray for Selina and her arm. Pray for the father with his alcohol problems. Pray for the mum as she tried to hold it all together. A few week ago she went to one of our members' house. "Can I wash any clothes for you?", Selina's mum said. Our member said that she did not need any clothes washed and asked 'Why do you ask me?" Selina's mum just said, "because if I don't get any money today I have no food for my children." Our member was touched and gave them a big bag of rice.

So many needs. So many desperate people. The more I live on this earth, the more I realise just how unbelievably and undeservedly blessed I am. And yet, why do I moan so much? Why is it that those who have the most complain the most, and those who have nothing suffer in silence?

To those who have been given much ... much will be expected.

Selah ......