"God inhabits the praises of His people."  That is what came to mind today as Haidee, Lynda and I began to pray for Salvadora at the residence where women stay when they are in treatment for cancer at Berta Calderone Hospital.   We came to the residence to bring hope and pray for women with cancer.  Annette had just taught a lesson on the healing power of God.  Yet, when I heard Salvadora's diagnosis--metastasized cancer in her lungs and back--I felt overwhelmed and unsure about how to pray.  Then, the Holy Spirit reminded me that God inhabits the praises of His people.  So, we started with praise.
Our God is an awesome God
who reigns from heaven above
with wisdom, power and love
Our God is an awesome God

And on it went.  Throughout the room, singing could be heard in English and Spanish as other small groups also sang God's praises.  Soon, our small group was praying fervently for Salvadora; praying that God's healing power would be enacted in every cell of her body;  praying that every cancer cell would be starved; praying that her immune system would miraculously become strong and vibrant.  All the while, Salvadora received all that we had for her with such hope.

We prayed for many women but one more stood out from the group--Georgina, an older woman who loved Jesus and glowed with the glory of God.  She exhibited an indescribable joy during and after prayer.  Fresh out of surgery, her joy could not be contained.  Caught up in it with her, I felt the bond of sisterhood--women supporting other women.  I also felt a kinship to my sisters in Canada who sent me here with prayers and a suitcase full of post-surgerical supplies.  I was humbled to have the honour of representing one group of women to another;  to bear witness to the giving and the receiving.

It is a sacred trust to pray with and over people.  We all felt that trust today with this group of women filled with expectation and hope.   At the end of our time together, I knew two things for certain:  God inhabits the praises of His people, and the Presence of God heals.

In Christ,
Sandie