This week we heard this incredible story of God’s kindness and healing from Debbie at Wokingham Vineyard. We’d love to share it with you!

“Derek, aged 88, had been in the hospital for months. In February he was in an adjacent ward to his daughter who was dying. His daughter died at the end of February and he was unable to attend her funeral in March as he was still too unwell. Derek then contracted COVID-19 and he was no longer allowed visitors to the hospital. We were all devastated for his wife Elizabeth, living on her own and still grieving the loss of her daughter, when she got the call to say Derek’s health had deteriorated rapidly and it was time for the family to say their goodbyes. Elizabeth called her children and grandchildren, and they wrote Derek letters which they sent pictures of to her. Elizabeth didn’t know how to get the letters to the hospital; so a nurse at the hospital wrote out the letters as Elizabeth dictated over the phone, and then the nurse sat with Derek as she read out the family letters.

On 31st March, one member of Derek and Elizabeth’s Connect Group sent a message of prayer to their group which read… “Lord would you protect Derek. We know that everything is against him in human terms but You are above all of this and You are mighty to save, so Father we ask for a miracle. Would you clear the Coronavirus from Derek’s body this night, and let there be a visible change in his state of health. Let the doctors be confused and encouraged – let them know that you are a wonderful and unpredictable God.”

On Monday night, 6th April, Elizabeth stayed up all night waiting for the call from the hospital to say Derek had died. The next day Elizabeth did get a call but what she heard was not what she expected – she was told that her husband was ready to be discharged! Elizabeth was so convinced that the hospital had made a mistake that she told them that they must have got the wrong patient as her husband was gravely ill and that she expected him to die at any moment. When the hospital rang back they confirmed that they had the right patient – Derek was well enough to be discharged and he no longer had the Coronavirus. 

We are all blown away by God’s hand here. To say we are stunned is an understatement. This is a miracle and we have been moved to tears of joy for this family to see God’s love at such a time. We hope this story encourages you today as much as it has encouraged us and our church family.”

How amazing is our God? If you’ve got a story of how God is moving within your community in this time we’d love to hear it. Just email [email protected].