by Paul Janzen
As mentioned in our cover story, during this spring & summer’s COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, many of our ministries have been curtailed. Significantly, our missionaries miss the freedom to visit and minister in homes. This short story highlights this part of missionary life that we very much hope can resume soon.
THIS PAST YEAR there were two particular elders who Joanne had been wanting to visit for some time. When they heard that Joanne was still unable to come over, one of these two ladies asked if I would come.
I said, “Sure, I can do that,” but afterwards thought to myself, “Then again, I might get tied up for a long time listening to these two … and drinking a lot of tea.”
However, I knew them well enough to know that it actually might be kind of fun. Besides, they were both so lonely and in need of some encouragement.
Joanne had prepared a tin of cookies, and she reminded me to take my time with our friends. (Cookies to go with our tea … now I knew for sure that I’d have to stay at least an hour.)
Both ladies were happy to see me, even though I knew they were disappointed that I wasn’t Joanne. We started talking together and I was pleased that things were going along quite well with our visit.
After a bit, I found myself asking them if they could pray for me for the Parkinson’s disease I was dealing with. “Wait! What?” I immediately thought. “This isn’t right. I was the missionary. I was the one who was supposed to be asking how I could pray for them.”
Without skipping a beat they looked at each other as if to say, “Let’s do it. Let’s pray for Paul.” I wasn’t prepared for what happened next. Both got up from where they were sitting (one using a walker), and went to their knees. They meant business with God.
I felt like saying, “You don’t need to kneel down.” But I kept my mouth shut. One placed her hands on me, as they prayed for my healing.
As I left their home, my eyes teared up as I prayed, “Father, thank you for these two elders who blessed me when I thought I had come over to be a blessing to them.”
Paul & Joanne Janzen live and serve in the North Battleford, Saskatchewan area. They’ve walked alongside their First Nations friends for over 25 years. Paul was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2017. He continues to persevere with the Lord’s strength.
(from Northern Lights issue #552)