Prayers and Fasting

Samuel had major colon surgery on Saturday. Sunday, Monday and Tuesday were rough: pain in spite of all the painkillers, nausea, not wanting to put anything in his mouth, throwing up several times a day, hardly sleeping at night, etc. Each day doctors asking if his intestine started functioning, but we had no signs of that.

I kept telling Samuel, "It's going to get better." But he would just say, "I'm tired of all this. I want out of here."

Everybody we know has been praying for Samuel, and we have seen God working in wonderful ways.

Edda and I have been taking turns fasting this week, but the church in João Pessoa decided to fast together on Tuesday for his recovery. Tuesday started the same: throwing up three time in the morning and constant nausea, but in the afternoon it started to disappear. Though not hungry, he downed some soup and kept it down. The night was restful. Some would say coincidence, but trusting in the all powerful, all loving God we serve, I wonder how much He leaves to coincidence.

I called the brethren in Joao Pessoa to tell them of the great day we had, and Renato said, "Tomorrow there will be more!" The young people decided to continue the fast for one more day. And he was right. Wednesday was our best day yet: very little nausea, very little pain, really starting eating (still liquid diet), and the big one, da,da, da, dum, his first bowel movement.

The nurses gathered to celebrate it, and it was fun watching Samuel blush with everybody making a fuss over something like that. And now it is going international...

Last night, he slept all night long, and today they will take out the IV, the diet has graduated to light solids, and he is feeling great.

Thank you all so very much for your prayers. We are all in God's Hands.

Joseph and Edda McKinney