Some of you know that my only brother, Mel, 91 years old, was dying earlier this week. I wrote my sons and wives this note on Wednesday:
Last night’s contact with Mel was a real miracle. I am in
Los Cocos, high in the mountains of Cordoba, in a National Assemblies of God of Argentina Leadership Retreat
along with about 150 pastors in leadership positions with their wives, many who also are in leadership positions.
Last night it occurred to
me that even though the WIFI connection here is "off and on", very weak and
extremely slow… I could at least try to reach Mel via Skype hoping to just maybe be able
to talk to him one last time. Miracle number 1: I immediately got through
to Alice (his wife) who answered the phone. Then I talked to Dan (one of
his 5 sons) and asked if there was any chance that Mel might hear me if he put
the phone to Mel’s ear. He said that Mel was in a "deep medically induced sleep" and that whole day he had not been able to communicate hardly at
all, but he would give it a try. I heard Dan say, "Dad, your brother, Ralph, is on the phone from Argentina." and he placed the phone by Mel's ear. Immediately Mel answered me and
recognized it was me in Argentina. He responded to me several times during our conversation!
I
was so thrilled to get to pray with him a little, thank him for being such a
godly example to his little brother and in effect to say, “See you
later”. I really don’t remember what I said, but when I hung up I
realized that I had just witnessed a double miracle.
And I was flying so
high that I interrupted the evening meeting to share my joy with the whole gang
here. Everybody there rejoiced with me.
Mel passed away about 15 hours later. His last verbal response was by phone to me, here in Argentina 10,000 miles from his home in Seattle. What a comfort to have the Lord of double miracles on our side!
Ralph
