A Healing Miracle
In 1983, the Rector of Haxby had no enthusiasm for the healing ministry. Nevertheless, he was approached with a request for prayer for healing. The lady concerned, Evelyn, had been diagnosed with a mesothelioma, the lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure. She had had a lung removed, but the outlook was bleak.
The Rector asked two members of the congregation, one a nurse and one a doctor, to join him in the laying on of hands for healing. I was the doctor and I took part willingly, thinking that the prayers might bring Evelyn some comfort as she approached death.
Much to everyone’s surprise, especially mine, Evelyn did not die but slowly began to recover. A few months later, she was looking really well and fully involved in church activities. We all realised that we should have had more faith in the healing power of our Lord. In response to that realisation, a regular healing ministry was started at St. Mary’s and Evelyn and I were both members of the team.
Five years later, the healing ministry had become firmly established as a part of our church life at St. Mary’s and St. Nicholas. We had seen many instances of healing, not just physical healing, but healing of emotional and spiritual distress.
At about that time, I attended a lecture at York Hospital by the local chest physician. He talked about mesothelioma and showed from his statistics that nearly everyone with this condition was dead within five years. He could not understand why one case, however, was still very well five years later!
In 1999, 16 years after the mesothelioma, Evelyn developed another, not related, cancer. She asked for the laying on of hands for healing. On this occasion, however, she said that she did not expect a miraculous cure, but prayed for strength and courage to face death. Evelyn was firmly convinced that the mesothelioma was cured not for her sole benefit, but to show us all the power of our Lord to heal us. Evelyn did receive healing again and she died peacefully a few months later.
Over the years of our healing ministry, we have witnessed many more miracles of healing. I will never forget, however, the impact that Evelyn’s healing had on us all. It taught us very forcibly to dismiss our doubt and disbelief and to have faith that our Lord will answer our prayers.
Dr. Neil Moran