Friends From Afar – Part 2

Alec Fisher

The first time that I met Alec was in 1994. He called on at the Cancer Center to tell me that his wife of 37 years was terminally ill with Cancer. He asked if I could take care of her. He pulled my call card out of his pocket, and said, “I see that you are a Christian organization, but I just want you to know that Angie is a very private person, and I do not want any Bible punching!” I smiled at him from the bottom of my heart, because I knew that Jesus was gentle, and that if Angie was to come to the center for terminal care, she would accept Jesus as her Savior.

After about 8 months, Angie died, and I do believe that she accepted Christ as her Savior before she died. Gentle Jesus came along and with words penned in ink on a sympathy card that I made for Alec – “Alec I love you, but Jesus loves you much more”  - the last five words landed Alec on his knees in the quietness of his home, and he became a Christian.

Bibles that he thought “punched”, became Alec’s greatest companions. He began to devour the Word of God. He grew spiritually. His face shone. He was a brand new man!

Three months after Angie’s death, Alec called me and asked me to come to his house, which was a few blocks away from the Center. I was dumbfounded when he showed me a collection of diamond rings - 56 diamond rings, and four others. Angie had placed them in a safe deposit box in a Bank, with a letter to prove that she had purchased some, and the rest were given to her by her employer in lieu of her salary at the pawn shop where she worked. They were stored for 26 years.

Three months later, he donated all the rings to my Cancer Ministry, to build a chapel on the premises.  I sold them and used the money to do as he requested. At one stage we ran out of money for the building project. Alec was not aware of this, and one day he came to my Cancer Center in tears. He had just discovered another 6 diamond rings, while searching for some legal documents. This made a total of 66 rings. Once again I sold them and I was able to complete the project up to a certain point, as shown in the photograph at the end of this post.

The most amazing thing about this rather mind-blowing experience, is that 40 years prior to this, at the age of 15 years, while having prayer time with the Lord,  He gave me this Scripture – I am quoting from the Living Bible: “I will rebuild you on a foundation of sapphires and make the walls of your houses from precious jewels. I will make your towers of sparkling agate, and your gates and walls of shining gems.”

When Alec showed me the “shining gems”, I at first did not remember that Scripture, but instead another one came to mind for him, to which I believe God directed me. “I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness, secret riches, and you will know that I am doing this – I, the Lord God . . . . the One who calls you by name”. (Isaiah 45:3). At that moment, when Alec heard that Scripture, he said, “If that is how that Book speaks to me then I want one”. That is what prompted me to buy him his first Bible ever!

 

 

 

Alec did not stop there. He continued to support the Cancer Ministry. Many times he would drop off some tea and sugar, little knowing that at times, we had none.

 

The chapel, though incomplete, was used for many funeral services . . .

 

 

 

 

 

 

and we celebrated our first communion service in the chapel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then came the sad day when I had to say goodbye to Alec, when I sold the Cancer Center to emigrate to Canada – (so I thought). God prompted me to repay him for the rings – his investment for his retirement. That was Angie’s wish – to support Alec when she was there no more on this earth.

 

Our close brother/sister relationship was hard to break, and even harder now, when that precious man is no longer on this earth. God came and collected His Gem on 29 July, 2010. Alec became Jesus’ friend and he, in turn, became a true friend to me. He will see what a city with gold streets, foundations and walls of precious gems, is really all about, when Jesus presents to His children, the New Jerusalem.

What a sacrifice! Would we willingly and readily donate 66 diamond rings for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God? Regardless of the size of our sacrifice, God looks on the heart.

Friends From Afar – Part 3