“Why did you bring me back?”

Even though God says that we are to be ready in season and out of season, I’m often surprised by how God acts, writes Marty Davison. The things he has lined up for us are often beyond comprehension!

I hadn’t imagined that my first overseas trip as Missions Director would look like this… A message had come through on my phone, “…call me when you wake up.” The time stamp on my phone was 04:51 hours.

The previous day I’d been on the phone to one of our Elim Global partners, a pastor in Asia whose son, Justin, was very sick in hospital.

Justin had been diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. Chemotherapy hadn’t proven successful, and the doctors had told his mum and dad to expect the worst, that he’d slip into a coma and not wake up.

Justin had slipped into a coma and his dad had gathered the frail body of his son into his arms and cried out to God for the life of his only son. The whole of the Elim Global family, from the Americas to India, had united in accompanying the family’s journey in prayer, with words of encouragement and support.

Justin, a fit young teenager had been having difficulties with his breathing which didn’t improve with routine treatments, and further examinations were undertaken. We were shocked when the biopsy came back as cancer, but Justin was young, we prayed and sent words of encouragement, and his dad kept us posted with updates on WhatsApp, along with photos, and short videos.

Justin’s gone to be with the Lord. Paul Hudson had been on the phone with the family in the early hours of our morning.

Just hours before, I had been on the phone celebrating a small but what felt was a significant victory ‒ could it be the turning point; the miracle we’d been crying out for? – Justin had woken from his coma to announce he was hungry! 

… story continues