Twice recently I have had unexpected opportunities to talk with people about Jesus Christ.

The first (a patient who seemed only to have head knowledge of Jesus) was struggling greatly with physical problems and had great difficulty in acceptance of these circumstances. “I need a miracle” I was told, “Please pray for me”. And, after outlining the gospel, of course I did.

The second occurred when I met a patient being visited by their spouse. “You come and sit here while I go” I was told thinking that the spouse was going for a break, only to find they returned a couple of minutes later with a chair and sat by the opposite side of the bed to me.

And immediately the spouse started asking questions… “I think about God every day, is He real? What about suffering? Is there a creator? What happens after I die, is that the end?” They all came tumbling out!

I answered the questions as best I could, at the same time praying for help, and occasionally asking the patient “What do you believe?” The answer: “I believe the same as you”

I went to the Chaplaincy after each of these visits to collect a ‘Gideon New Testament & Psalms’ to give to the person concerned. The first I left avidly reading and the second said they’d be reading it when returning home.

Of course, I hoped to see them again to follow up but that hasn’t happened and so it remains in the Lord’s hands.

And Oh! By the way this years ‘Carol Singing around the Wards’ is on December 16th at both Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital, Stafford. If you’d like to join either of these wonderful events please ask me.

Dave Rowlands