You will see pictured above Desma and Barry Abbott and family. They are currently serving in a the jungle in Southern Cameroon among the Baka people. We spent a few days with them while we were in Cameroon and really grew to enjoy respect them in very short time.
Which is why we were very sad to hear that Desma grown very ill. My understanding is that she has had difficulties with her health for a very long time, but she just continued to grow worse and worse until she was at only about 20% strength.
On Sunday, July 17th we received this email from Barry. He wrote:
“This week a visiting seminary student who is spending some time with the Baka during his break from school stopped by to visit. During our talk he asked how Desma was doing health-wise. Honestly, it was a discouraging day for me for the same reason. We have not seen the improvement that we have hoped for to date. In fact, some things got worse this last week. I shared my concerns with him and he asked if we could have a prayer retreat this Monday where we set aside the day to pray on this one topic. We agreed that it would be good to do this. So tomorrow he will come and pray with us corporately at different times of the day. The rest of the day we will spend praying individually. Actually I’m looking forward to how God will meet us.”
Then on Thursday July 21st, Barry wrote:
“Good news! In my last email to you, we asked you to pray with us as we held a prayer retreat on Monday. We wanted everyone to know that we realized something must change or we really need to consider our next move. Desma was having severe head pressure, fatigue, and muscle/joint pain. These are more intense symptoms of what she has had since February of this year. While we were seeing some improvement, the recent relapse concerned us very much.
A few days ago a Cameroonian Christian asked if we could have a prayer retreat on Monday. We agreed. We fasted together and spent the day in corporate and individual prayer focusing on the reasons for this illness (for which we haven’t been able to get a diagnosis) and to entreat the Lord for her healing. At the end of the day we felt a confirmation that the Lord has heard and answered our prayers.
Today will be the 4th day of no pain medication for Desma. She has been tired, but not feeling the head pressure, body pains, or extreme fatigue as before. Today we took a walk out in the orchard and thanked God again for His healing. We believe that this battle is over.
I am also experiencing freedom from the worry that has plagued me for a long time.I know I’m not giving a lot of details here. There is much more. Scripture came alive to us that day (especially Psalm 66) and we are marveling at all the Lord has revealed to us. My wife is back!! We are taking it slow, but in faith are going to take longer walks every day . . . a sharp contrast to the other day when I had to carry her outside to get some fresh air. I’m in awe.”
Then Barry’s FB status read,
“I think I understand what happened this week. My wife was healed…COMPLETELY! Thank you Lord!”
I write this blog post so that many will praise the Lord for listening to the prayers of his children and answering them by healing Desma. Praise the Lord! He is not distant from the cries of his children, but near – like a compassionate Father.
“Shout for joy to God, all the earth;
sing the glory of his name; give to him glorious praise!
Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!’
Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul. I cried to him with my mouth, and high praise was on my tongue.
Psalm 66:1-3a,16-20
If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer.
Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!”
