Friend Healed of Cancer

I am a Christian Science nurse living in England. When telephoning a friend in France, her husband answered the phone and we chatted.

We have known each other’s families and situations a long time. He began telling me of his recent adventure at sea. His boat sank and he was rescued by a Russian cargo boat, but he wasn’t in the least daunted by the apparent seriousness of the situation as he was a retired Captain in the Royal Marines. We laughed about his adventure and we shared ideas about the power of thought in general. He knows that I am a Christian Science nurse and he knows that I help people through prayer, so he understood the idea of the power of prayer very well.

He then told me he would be visiting a friend in hospital at 3pm that afternoon who was in dire straits with a tumor of the brain. The doctors had given him only a few days to live, and he was not responding to the treatment they were giving him. The man and his wife were desperate. My friend asked me if I would pray for him. I said I would be happy to do so if his friend agreed, so he phoned him and got his permission. I said that at that same time I would be visiting someone in a hospice here in England with other members of her family. We had planned to read the Lesson and pray together and we would include this man in our prayer.

A few days later I received news of this man from my friend in France. Apparently he had started to feel better at the very moment we were praying. His immune system suddenly started to function again, and he left the hospital with his wife that afternoon. He was at home, feeling better but still very frightened. I later received an email from the man thanking me for the prayer, but saying the doctors were insisting he come back into hospital to undergo chemotherapy. He asked if I would continue to pray for him, and I assured him I would. Several months later he sent more details and asked for continued prayer, which I was happy to give.

Later that year I returned to France and stayed with my friends. They invited the man and his wife to come for afternoon tea. They were both in a distressed state because he was now undergoing chemotherapy and there was great fear of the medication. We spoke about prayer and the wonderful power of the Christ. Even if he felt he should follow the doctor’s advice at the moment, there was no need to be fearful as there was nothing greater than the power of the Christ.

I was on this trip with a fellow Christian Scientist who was there as well and actively participating in this prayer. I also phoned a friend who is a practitioner to ask for her support.

Later in the afternoon, when alone with the couple, I was able to assure them that we were in the presence of God, divine Love, therefore there could be no cancer here. The wife broke down in tears and I saw the fear dissolve in front of my eyes. In that moment her husband was relieved of the fear too, and they both cried. We talked of the great love that our Father has for us, and they began to smile and laugh. Their thankfulness was great. When we returned to the living room the others were taken aback by the change, and saw the couple happy and smiling and full of talk about God and prayer.

Every now and again I would receive an email from them telling me how well he was and that he was off all the drugs. The doctors would test him periodically, but all the symptoms were diminishing. A few days ago I received the news that he had been given the all clear, and that he was living his life again without fear. He expressed the greatest gratitude.

This man and his wife are not Christian Scientists but they are Christians and I felt their love of God to be true. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to pray with them, and to know that as a Christian Scientist I was able to answer “Present!” when called.