08 September 2009
I greet you in the precious, PRECIOUS name of Jesus – our Lord and saviour. Praise God!

I have a miracle to share with anyone who will listen and I trust that our God will use this testimony as a planting of a seed to many, as a watering of a seed already planted, as encouragement to many, as hope for many, but above all as love to everyone.

On Wednesday 02 September Trevor and I had to take Matthew through to our doctor in Eshowe for the removal of a spot on his back. On first examination of this spot, I was advised that there is no danger as it appears normal, but because of the high risk and history of cancer in my family, the spot should be removed for preventative measures because of the position it was in. I was advised that this was a simple procedure which would be done with local anesthetic in the doctor’s rooms. On agreement to all of this, Matthew was booked for an appointment on this date to have it removed.

While my doctor was busy with the procedure he was showing us what he was doing and talking to Matthew as well through all of it. The doc was happy and relieved to have removed this subject successfully and explained there was nothing to worry about – it all looked normal and clear but he would send the specimen for testing due to my history. We left his rooms and trusted that all was fine and that we would probably receive a phone call in a day or so with the “all clear” sound.

On 04 September we received a call from our doctor advising us that the specimen has tested positive to a malignant melanoma. He gave a detailed clinical explanation of what they had found. A class 4 malignant melanoma with a 2 mm radius infected area. The doctor was clearly shocked and upset at the findings and advised that he would make contact with the best surgeon in Durban and would arrange meetings with an oncologist after surgery so they could arrange for possible chemo treatment. Matthew would need to have a further 1 cm around this area cut out and would have to go into theatre to have this done.

Wow!

What do you say when you hear this about your 5 year old child who can hardly sleep at night because of the excitement of his next motor cross race! How do you comprehend the shock of hearing this? How do you council yourself and how do you tell yourself that all things, not some things, but all things work together for good! How do you understand what happens next. It felt like the earth was spinning so fast that I was being thrown from it.

Surely they have made a mistake. Surely they have mixed up their specimens at the path lab. Surely … surely … surely…..

Throughout this turmoil, sadness and shock of what was just explained to me, I also had an *** sense of comfort. A reminder that I am not in control of anything. The prayer chains started and in no time a friend of mine from Australia contacted me saying she had heard about Matthew and had started their prayer chains going. Many many people were praying for this situation.

I then went and fetched Matthew from school and kept him close to me for the rest of the day! I explained to him that he would need just one little operation to make sure the mark on his back was gone forever. He sobbed! He said “but mommy, we can just pray and pray and pray….God will hear our prayer….” This was the hardest moment for me ever! I had to show no fear, no tears and I had to explain that it was such a simple thing and before he wiped his eyes it would all be over. What an afternoon! An echo lingered in my ear all day.

I switched my phone off, jumped in the sand pit and had the most precious time with my son. Digging tunnels and playing with toys in sand as though it were a motor cross track!

That afternoon we received a call from our doctor – his first words to me were “God is so good.” The doctor had spoken with the pathologist and asked him if he was 100% sure this diagnosis was correct. He told the pathologist that this boy had a perfect skin with just this one mark and that he was only 5 years old! The pathologist re assessed everything, cut up the specimen into 5 different angles. He then took this sample to 5 top specialists in Durban for 5 independent reports on the sample.

God is good!
The results all came back negative – there was no malignancy detected and no further need for any surgery of any kind. Matthew was free to play and ride his bike again.

God came through for us! We are his children and he loves us so much! If anyone who has a child can express in words their love for their children…….. but …….. there are just no words to express a parent’s love for their child. The love for child goes so deep that I don’t even understand it myself.

But what I do know is that God loves us, his children, tons and tons more than we could ever love a child of our own.

Our God is an awesome God! He reigns forever and ever on high!

I take from this miracle of Gods hand, a lesson to stop! Take note of what we have, where it comes from, and appreciate each other. Take time to love. I have learnt that I don’t control anything. God is in control. And sometimes these things are sent to us to stop us in our tracks and to take stock of our lives and to think - who are we serving? Our work? Ourselves?

When I gave Matthew the good news of Gods hand in this miracle he was overjoyed! On our way to school Matthew told me the reason why he doesn’t have to go to Durban any more and this is what he said “ its because, mommy, I never took off the armour of God, that’s why mommy. And I never have to put it on, because I never take it off!!” As I write this testimony, I am sobbing in awe of how God works and I thank Jesus that He sacrificed Himself because He loves us.

I pray for the faith of a child!

God Bless each one!

Lorna

very welcoming website.

will look forward to keep in touch through the website.

I am looking to reconnect with Bruce & Jenni as as are longtime friends. I found the church\'s website and it is great. I listened to part of 2 sermons and Bruce you voice has not changed in the last 8 years or so. We do miss you and Jenni and would love to travel to your side of the world again.

Well done, great Web Site!!
Bruce "This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God"
2 Cor 9v12

I had not logged into this website before!! well done Justin, it is COOL, as the young folk would say!! Love the Word, worship and fellowship every Sunday. Keep it up pastor Bruce, with your associate pastor Wessley. May the Lord keep filling you with His Holy Spirit to keep the word sharp and clear. God bless.

We have enjoyed looking at your website and hearing some of your sermons. Trusting you, Jenny and the kids are all well.

With love.

Visiting The church Site

Nice site guys!
Loved your preach at VFC last Sunday Bruce. Nice to hear the Gospel preached so clearly.
Love Tony

Hi to all.
Love the new website!
Great to be able to check in every now and then.

Thanks for the mail Jenni! :-)

Take care and hope to see you soon!

Welcome to KZN Wesley. We hope you will be very happy here in Empangeni and that you will be an added asset to the Empangeni Baptist Church.

Hi Bruce What a great website! Enjoyed looking through and seeing what you\'ve been doing. Awesome! It\'s really good to catch up with you again. Please give my love to your folks and brothers.

Well done Bruce, it has been many years since school days, great to see you still serving the Lord in such a capacity, hope we can get together sometime. Greetings to your family and Church members.

what up EBC guess what i'll be back in Easter holidays. Justin you need to update us on what is happening in church man.especially on the worship team side. I can't wait to see the congregation... even though I won't sing but to fellowship with them all is a blessing.love u all

I miss miss miss Empangeni Baptist Church!! If only you could all come live here in the USA with me! (Ooo...I love the pictures on this website.) Good news, I\'m finally graduating in May 2008! Then who knows, I might move back to my favorite country in the world...
Love to all from the Hayward family!

Greetings to you our Baptist family!!
Thanks for the sermons Justin...we appreciate it up here in West Africa.
Keep on preaching the WORD Bruce....God bless!!

Hi to everyone at church - we miss you all. Lots of love from the Smit family

Oh my stars... I spoke to Aunty Rita - it has been such a long time but was so nice to speak to you again, sometimes we marvel at the first time we give our lives to the Lord - being so young the memory still stands out for me Big time. Thank you Aunty Rita.
One day i would love to visit EBC just to get in touch with my roots and foundations of my walk with God... GO EBC GO... All for Gods Glory:-)

I have no idea what im supposed to write here.
Hey justin this site is pretty cool, good job, it makes me proud to be part of our church with such God loving and people who are on the same intelligents level as me!!!!!!. I love my church

Nice Website guys! Very, very nostalgic!

hi again...(\",)...
you need to publisize this site a bit more...(\",)...
2 messages since i last visited?both from cheryl?hmmm...(\",)...
hope everyone is well...its great to see pic\'s of you all...shot(\",)
cheers

To Cecile Chilcott. You are a woman of great faith and an inspiration to us. I love listening to your stories.

Well done Justin, The new look website looks absolutely great.

hellooooo...(",)...
what can i say...brilliant job justin...its really cool to be able to keep an eye on how god is working in the church that taught me majority of what i know about my lord and saviour and how to live like him...(",)...miss the church family very much...(",)...
but i agree with kula...more pic's pls...(",)...

love to all
god bless
sarah

First things first well done Justin good but we need more picture gallery.
To pastor Bruce, I came to baptist with little knowlegde of God and of Worship but now i know more well thank you that you have not been just a pastor but also a father and aunty Jenni.

Uncle Bruce, just discovered this website!! Thank you for what you do for us teenagers at Impact! You are an inspiration to all of us!!