I have a FRIEND who comes from a far off Land. In fact, He called me His friend. Listen to what He said, “I have called you My friends. . . .you are My friends if you do whatsoever I command you . . . Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down His life for His friends” (John 15:15;14;13). And that is exactly what Jesus did! He stretched out His arms on the cross and died for the sins of the world, so that we could become His friends.
As friends, we would not do that for each other, because that was Jesus’ task to do for us, but many of my friends in South Africa and in other countries made great sacrifices for the sake of dying Cancer patients and their loved ones at the “Rest-a-While” Cancer Ministries. Today I want to honor some of my treasured friends. It is my great pleasure to introduce them to you.
Charles
Charles called me in September 1992 and he asked me to visit his mother who was terminally ill with Cancer. When I arrived, he took me to his patio, and he gave me a history of his mother’s condition. We got chatting, and to my delight I discovered that he was actually my brother – my brother-in-Christ. His mother sadly passed away about two weeks later.
I will never forget the day that Charles went to his mother’s bedside and spoke to her about Jesus, and prayed the sinner’s prayer on her behalf. He would not let the opportunity pass. He desperately wanted to know that his best friend, his beloved mother, would be in Heaven with him one day. That moment has been etched into my mind. I will never forget it.
Each year we watch to see if the first red rose of the season, in your garden, has bloomed on the anniversary of your mother’s death, Charles. We have one thing in common. Both of our mothers passed away on 6 October.
What an exquisite garden you have, a garden of “remembrance” where you spend many moments reflecting on Mom.
Charles, I honor you once again today, and would like to thank you for your generous support of my Cancer Ministry. You will never know what it meant to me. Your contributions kept the telephone line open, for people who were seeking help for a dying loved one. You may not realize it, but you were a vital link in the chain in my work in caring for the suffering and dying people and their loved ones, and most important, you were part of their accepting Jesus as their Savior before they departed for life in their heavenly home.
You have remained in contact all these years, and our friendship has not altered a bit. You write faithfully every week and although far away, you will always be my friend and brother- in -Christ.
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