JOY IN THE FACE OF DEATH BY WALTER ERIC
panicked; I experienced the peace of Jesus who impressed on me: “Today is the most meaningful day in the Christian calendar. Perhaps it is the best date to go home and be with my Saviour.” Aware of my sin, I remembered the Easter 2021 will stay in our memory words of the repentant criminal next to for good. My wife, Christel, and I Jesus: “Lord, remember me.” My heart picked up COVID-19. While I enjoyed filled with intense joy and responded time at home resting and reading, with great assurance! “Praise Jesus, I my wife fought for life at Aga Khan am right at his side and can hear his Hospital in Nairobi, Kenya. words: ‘Today you will be with me.’ I Our oldest don’t need to worry.” My heart filled with daughter, who has After seven intense joy and experience with hours of waiting, responded with great doctors, hospitals, praying and and insurance assurance! “Praise Jesus, negotiating, I was companies, admitted to the I am right at his side.” immediately same ward where took over crisis management, and my wife was fighting for breath. To together with our other children, assure me of his love, our good Lord greatly encouraged us, gave advice, gave me a beautiful window bed prayed and informed friends near Christel. I spent 10 days there; across the globe. Without their she spent 23. loving, sacrificial, round-the-clock I had packed a new notebook, commitment, we would have been at which became my “Corona Diary” a great loss what to do. and helps me not to forget all his On the eve of Good Friday, my goodness. Here are excerpts: conditions deteriorated rapidly. My • The ward had recently received breathing worsened, and at 5am I special “high flow” machines, phoned our friend, Dr. Umar, and said: which added much needed oxygen. “I am suffocating.” He immediately • Our doctor friend was supported advised to get an ambulance. by one of the best specialists in Descending one flight of stairs lung diseases. from our apartment was agonising • Unlike my people-oriented wife, and left me exhausted. But I never I am usually a coward about
JOY IN THE FACE OF DEATH
SIM worker Walter serves with Life Challenge Africa in Kenya, which seeks to show Christ’s love to Muslim neighbours. He recounts his experience as a COVID-19 patient and the grace God provided him during suffering.
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Please mark your calendars for Feb 26 to Mar 3, 2023, Sunday evening to Friday evening for Global Assembly 2023. We will continue to monitor the global pandemic. At this time, we are prayerfully moving forward with our plans. Martha Muhindo GA2023 Planning Team Coordinator, Nairobi, Kenya
speaking to strangers, but God gave me easy access to sufferers in nearby beds, people from diverse backgrounds whom I talked to freely about the Bible and Jesus! • In spite of extreme demands and the risk of infection, the nurses showed extraordinary love, efficient service and fearless commitment. Most were Christians; our two doctors were Muslim. Our sovereign Lord brings together amazing teams to accomplish his grace! We are deeply grateful to the many who prayed. Perhaps most people prayed we would get well quickly. But I believe these weeks of hospitalisation were a special gift of our loving Lord, watching over us, speaking to us, making us aware of areas in our life we would never have discovered. Learn more about Life Challenge Africa Walter’s work with Life Challenge Africa equips Christian leaders in Africa with resources and support to develop relationships and connections with Muslim neighbours. Learn more at https://life-challenge.org/.
PLEASE PRAY: • For full recovery for Walter and Christel. • For the Lord to minister to all those suffering from COVID. • For more opportunities to engage neighbours with the good news of Jesus. WWW.SIM.ORG
