“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18)

While in the D. R. with the mission team this past summer I became very ill the second day. I've had my body overheat before so I was familiar with the symptoms. I waited for the nausea, headache, cramps, shakes, light-headedness, etc. to pass. (Praise God for whatever weather we have this December day in central PA.)

We were at Falcon's church continuing construction work begun the previous day. Lying on one of the pews, I had everyone pretty worried and I felt I was wasting precious mission team time. Team members and Dominicans alike were trying to minister to me, including TR offering to take me to a D.R. – E.R. (That worked better than smelling salts to keep me conscious because that was one place I did not want to go.)

I appreciated all the help enormously: the water bottle refilled, the cool, wet cloth placed on my neck, nurse Grini checking my b.p., a smile, a look of empathy, the bits of food I could handle. Several hours into this a concerned Dominican woman (who probably did not speak a word of English but understood perfectly what was going on) was moved to simply touch the back of my neck. I'm sure she prayed, but she did so silently. I ‘heard' only the touch, but the Gospel has never been preached more perfectly - across all barriers of language, race, culture, and politics. All of my symptoms began to abate rapidly. Soon I was able to rise and go on to read Bible stories in Spanish to the children. I described that touch of grace in the dark of our nightly rooftop team devotions.

Because of my vet work, I am acutely aware of the healing power of touch for all life. It is a wondrous thing that medicine doesn't begin to understand. I've been restored in times of profound despair by a genuinely caring embrace of a friend, and I know I've restored others. Parents who have tended a terrified child know those moments when despite all injuries being mended, it is only their hand or hug that finally soothes. God gives life and is ultimately the only Healer. Through His love and by following His example, we are all granted a tiny bit of Jesus' miraculous eternal power. I pray each day that I am mindful of this in all that I do.

Lise Lund