Stories from our field
A special encounter
Arjan Vaders had had contact with Dyane since September 2021, mainly through her sister, Evelyn. In April, Arjan would be in Lima for a conference, so he said that he would like to meet Dyane.
Arjan, ‘We arranged for a meeting at the Seminary. I was a bit anxious about it since I didn’t know how she would be and what should I say? I had heard from her sister that after everything that had happened, she had been deeply depressed, but also had come back to her senses. She tried to be strong, so as not to be a heavy burden to her mother and to be there for her two small children. She realized that she could still be a mother. Fortunately, Pastor Moises (who is active as a church-searcher for GlobalRize) and his wife Mary from Chili were willing to be there with us.’
Intensely sad
‘Dyane was wheeled into the Seminary by her father. She told us herself about how she had experienced and worked through the accumulated suffering and grief. From the death of her first child to the third who had to be delivered by cesarean section during the Covid epidemic. She told how it was that as she laid there in Intensive Care under the oxygen – it was like a dream, she experienced the care and safety of a man next to her bed. ‘An angel? Or Jesus Himself?’, came to my mind. She is thankful that she is still alive, but intensely sad that her husband did not survive the Covid infection.’
Why me
‘After being home for two months, she was robbed during her work, got a bullet in her spine, and became paralyzed. While she was still in the car she already realized it – she couldn’t move. ‘Why? Why me?’, she asks us with tears in her eyes. She says, ‘I am Catholic and believe in God, I pray with my rosary and try my best to make something of my life. I’ve always been good to others, sometimes too naively. Why did all of this happen to me? Do I still need to learn something? I am not angry at God. He gives me life. This must be good for something.’ She also tells us that her father had had seven bullets in his body, but God had spared him and he had fully recovered. That gives her the hope that she may be able to walk again.’
Why not you?
‘Pastor Moises led the talk. He kindly answered with a question in return, ‘Why not you? That is the answer. We don’t know why things happen, but we know that we can trust in a sovereign and almighty, loving God. And He knows why. He wants to have a personal relationship with us and with you. At the same time, He didn’t personally send Covid-19 to you, that is a viral infection that is going around the whole world. Also, not the bullet – that came from a thief who was after your money.’
Unbearable headache
‘Moises told about a young boy in Venezuela who became half paralyzed by a tumor in his head. He couldn’t even recognize his mother anymore and had unbearable headache. The pressure was relieved by doctors, but there was nothing more that they could do for him. The family and the church didn’t give up praying for healing. After some weeks he could move his finger again. After some therapy and exercises, he regained all his functions and even his memory. The doctors couldn’t find any trace of the tumor on the scans that were taken later and he was one hundred percent healed. We heard the miraculous story and then Moises ends with, ‘That boy, that was me, who is talking to you right now Dyane.’’
Peace in the heart
‘Dyane was bowled over by this story, this powerful testimony of God’s healing power. She totally opened her heart and the Gospel of God’s love in Jesus streamed inside. This happened for her father, Jorge, as well. Jesus became Savior and Lord of their lives during Moises’ prayer with them. Dyane shined from ear to ear. She has peace with God and with her situation. She sits paralyzed with a bullet in her back, but with Jesus in her heart.’
Surrounded by love
‘We all had lunch together. Afterward, I gave her my Spanish Bible and a devotional from Trans World Radio. Moises promised to search for a church and pastor for her. Mary is always available to listen to her and pray for her via WhatsApp. I promised to send her the link to the course when I got back home in the Netherlands. Carolina would send her encouraging songs via YouTube. We have all taken up a task in love, to help lead Dyane from a distance and bring her into God’s family. And so, the link from online – offline – and again online, has come full circle.’
Indeed, Dyane is following the online Bible Course and Arjan is her mentor. We’ll tell about that another time.
