Stories of God’s Power & Provision Through Prayer © 2015 World Mission Prayer League, 232 Clifton Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403-3466 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from World Mission Prayer League. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible (NRSV), copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (ASV) are from the American Standard Version. The American Standard Version is in the public domain. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version™, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (GNT) are from the Good News Translation in Today’s English Version - Second Edition, copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version. The King James Version is in the public domain. Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www. Lockman.org) Scripture quotations marked (TLB) are from The Living Bible, copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Not for sale. First Printing September 2015. Printed in the United States of America content Preface xi acknowledgements xiii deliverance A Foothold on the Mardi Khola – Joyce Ruohoniemi 2 A Greater Power in Okhaldhunga – Ruthie Overvold 3 A Mother’s Prayer – Pat Lelvis 3 Be Their God – Carol Gurung 4 Bibi’s Fears Turn to Freedom – Margaret Wall 5 But God Can – Anita Jackson 7 Captives Freed – Ruth* 9 Death Stalks the Mountains – Ruth Temple 9 Ernesto Finds God – Sheldon & Sharon Groff 10 Get Us Off This Mountain! – Chuck Lindquist 11 Give the Poor Soul Release – May Rendahl Swanson 12 Hands Paralyzed: God’s Deliverance in Azogues – John Johnson 13 He Allowed No One to Oppress Them – Alma Hagen 15 He Takes the Bad to Create the Good – Steve & Debby Holm 15 His Name Was Juan – Richard Gunderson 16 In the Name of Jesus We Have the Victory – Annetta Dale 17 Kichwa Becomes an Evangelist – Mike Koski 20 Lord, Would You Turn Water into Gas? – Audrey Johnson 20 My Father and How God Works – Gabriela Cristina Armijos Ruilova 21 Nermit Finds Jesus – Mildred Hasselquist Tengbom 22 Prison Ward, Mathari Mental Hospital – Alpha Jaques 22 Rocks, Rockets and Resistance: God’s Deliverance in Cañar – John Johnson 23 Rosa’s Savior – Chuck Lindquist 24 Ruth’s Testimony – Carol Gurung 26 content Teresa of Nabón – Josie Pillman 27 The Boy Mohammed – Alpha Jaques 28 The Truck That Didn’t Give Up – Clayton Mellsen 29 Washed Down River – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 32 Words of Testimony – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 33 Zao Believes – Betsy* 34 direction A House Full of God’s Children – Lori Kovich 38 A Librarian in God’s Service – Carol Van Brocklin 39 A Pastor’s Welcome – Mary Thoresen 40 An Open Door in Las Lomas – Brian Clark 40 By the Rear Guard – Alma Hagen 42 Dionicio Doesn’t Give Up – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 43 Feed My Lambs – Carol Gurung 44 God Forms a Team – Cynthia Fehrenbach 45 God’s Blessing on the Wheelchair – Marge Erickson 46 Good to Go! – Ruth Bolson 47 Guidance from His Word – Ruth* 48 Iron Floats, Money Is Found, Faith Is Restored – Julie Frank 48 Lost and Found: An Extraordinary Day – Carol Rosales 49 Managing Amidst Poverty – Sheldon & Sharon Groff 50 Meeting Richard – Milt & Linda Hanson 51 My Parents’ Prayers – Jan Kersgaard 52 Prayer and My Heart’s Nest – Carol Gurung 53 Prayers at the Border – Steve & Debby Holm 54 Serve Enthusiastically! – Marge Erickson 54 Sharing – Ruth* 56 content Somewhere for a Retired Nurse and a Plumber – John (& Ruth) Vibe 56 That Last Bus to Cuenca – Josie Pillman 58 The Lord Directs the Steps – Chuck Lindquist 59 The Power of a Name – Josie Pillman 60 The Real Estate Salesman – Karen Scott 61 The True Path in Samburuland – Anita Jackson 61 This Is the Greater Question – Char Sunde 63 Water in the Desert – Bill Dahl 64 We Prayed on the Lawn of the School – Richard Kryder 66 Wisdom and the Gas Pump – Dan & Léonie Gómez 66 Yang Xing, the Giver – Rob Lewis 67 financial suPPly A Special Gift to Get “Out” – Mary Thoresen 70 A Story of Wood – Judy Strenge 70 A Young Wife’s First Visit to Nepal – Becky Thorson 70 All in God’s Time – Nels & Marion Loberg 74 God Knew the Rental Tax – Steve Thorson 74 God Told Her We Had a Need – Karen Scott 75 God’s Supply – On Time! – Ruth Hanson 76 Guitars to Nepal – Mary Thoresen 76 In Nothing Be Anxious – Audrey Johnson 77 Long Distance Prayers Are Heard – Edner Holmen 77 Many Letters Just Didn’t Make It – Judy Forseth 78 Month In and Month Out – Mike & Gail Koski 78 Only Roy and I Knew How Much – Alma Hagen 78 Signed Up for Urbana… Finally – Elycia Veit 79 Snowmobiles – Ruth* 80 content Staying Out of the Red – Jonathan & Marina Aicken 80 The Coal Money – Margaret Lindell 81 The Limitless Treasures of His Grace – Paul Lindell 82 The New Roof – Marge Erickson 83 A Thousand-Dollar Answer to Prayer – Karen Merkel 84 Trusting God in Steps – Steve Thorson 86 Healing Adriana’s Sleep – Sheldon & Sharon Groff 88 As if She Were Jesus – Corinne Fenner 88 From Iowa to Tanzania – Barney Granstra 89 God Heard My Humble Prayer! – Marge Erickson 89 His Wonders to Perform – Bob Andrews 90 Light and Life in Nagarkot – Ruthie Overvold 92 My Cough Was Gone – Barney Granstra 93 Never to Be Forgotten – Mabel Lund 93 No Dialysis – Barney Granstra 94 Prayers for Ionuti and Maria – Milt Hanson 94 So Are My Ways Higher than Your Ways – Joyce Ruohoniemi 96 The Sore Spot – Julie Frank 97 Protection A Winter Morning in Dera Ismail Khan – Ruby Patzold 100 Angels in Disguise – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 100 Angels on the Highway – Jan Tollefson 101 Bandits Along the Road – Ruth* 101 Blinding the Angry Crowd – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 102 Dangerous Roads – Mike Koski 103 content Dead Man’s Float – Carol Lackey 103 Escape on the Rooftops – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 104 God Carried Us Through – Nels Loberg 105 God Will Protect Us! – Josie Pillman 107 He Cares Enough – Kirsti* 108 Needless to Say, That Trip Was Canceled! – Ruth* 109 Police and the Punkhabari Shortcut – Alma Hagen 109 Saul’s Boring for Water – Christian Vestergaard 110 The Collie – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 112 The Honest Taxi Driver – Alma Hagen 112 The Missing Tunnel – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 114 There Was a Reason – Jan Tollefson 115 What We Didn’t Know – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 116 Provision A Bundle on Uhuru Highway – Mike & Gail Koski 120 A Crock-pot Miracle – Kristin McWeeny 120 A Faith Builder for Our Friends – Brian & Barb 122 A Huge, Humble Gift of Fresh Green Peas – Florence Dickson 123 A Man, His Horse and the Mysterious Helper – Christopher McWeeny 123 A Plumber Needed – Wanda Manson 126 A School Is Birthed – Carol Rosales 126 A Time to Be Born – Josie Pillman 127 A Washing Machine Just for the Asking – Florence Dickson 128 All Could Have Gone Wrong – Judy Strenge 129 Apple Pie and Doughnuts – Mildred Hasselquist Tengbom 130 Before You Call, I Will Answer – Judy Forseth 131 Ben’s Watch – Chuck Lindquist 131 content Children Pray for Rascal – Ruth* 132 Chita’s Daily Bread – Dan & Léonie Gómez 133 Clothes for Winter – Marge Erickson 133 Color Coordinating – Judy Forseth 134 Comfort and Reassurance for a Prisoner – Pat Lelvis 134 Did God Not See This Need? – Leslie Urie 135 Emergency Medical Flight – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 135 God Provides for Heide’s Burn – Judy Forseth 136 God’s Blue Card – Theodore Manaen 137 He Really Wanted Me Back in Pakistan – Margaret Skyberg 138 Jesus in the Mosque – Julia Harrington Leiyoole 138 Just Ask God – Ruth* 139 Just Because I Love You – Elycia Veit 140 Knock and the Door Will Be Opened to You – Milt Hanson 140 Krishna Comes with Questions – Miriam Ramse 142 Margaret’s Cake – Lois Ottesen 143 Missing My Mom – Melissa Jore 144 Rain for Kenya – Drew Bayless 146 The Ford – Theodore Manaen 146 The Lost Ticket and Passport – Karen Scott 147 The Radio Tech – Jacqueline Mikaelsen 147 The Transmission and God’s Provision – Léonie Gómez 148 The Trip to Bucharest – Milt Hanson 149 The Well of Living Water – Bill Dahl 151 Together We Shall Make It – Mildred Hasselquist Tengbom 152 ePilogue 154 * Full names withheld for privacy. Preface Several years ago, while listening to one of our World Mission Prayer League missionaries share her testimony of God’s supply in a very specific way, I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit to collect these stories and write them up for people to read and be inspired by the greatness of our God. We were at the annual Hunky Dory Camp at that time, and as I spoke with several people about it, they were supportive of the idea. But, for one reason or another, the project did not take hold until about two years later – again at Hunky Dory – when Wanda Manson and I were listening to a missionary sharing another of these experiences. Wanda and I then seriously discussed this project and began to collect stories of the Lord’s answers to specific prayers, of his provision or intervention in some situation, or of outright miracles. In the Scriptures, we read of many times when God commanded his people to tell of his deeds to their children and to succeeding generations, so that they do not forget and lose faith. These stories need to be shared, and here they are! Stories in this book are the result of this admonition to God’s people. They are accounts of God’s working in the lives of WMPL missionaries over the years, and it is our heartfelt desire that they bless your life and help us all to see what a great God we have. The title of the book refers to the story of God’s miraculous supply of food for the prophet Elijah found in 1 Kings 17. The stories in Food from Ravens again tell of God’s power and his care for his own. To God be the glory! Jan Tollefson Mexico/WMPL USA xii Food from Ravens Preface There have been many times throughout my life when I have been deeply moved while hearing a story of what God is doing in this world, of how he has protected, supported and provided for his children. I find stories like this to be a huge encouragement to my faith. Our God is certainly a God of wonder and might. These stories are a testimony to the character of God and his abiding love for each of us. Throughout my years working at World Mission Prayer League, I have often thought that these stories of God’s faithfulness should be written down so that they could continue to encourage others. Once Jan and I began this project, I was excited to read the stories as they came in. They are powerful stories that point to an all-powerful, loving God. The stories found in Food from Ravens tell of the God who is alive and well and who is at work today. And that means that we all have a story to tell. Psalm 9:11 says, “Sing praises to the Lord, who sits enthroned in Zion! Tell among the peoples his deeds!” (ESV) [emphasis mine]. My prayer is that this book will inspire each of us to continue to tell our own story of how God is working in our lives. I also hope that you will be as encouraged by these “God moments” as I am. As the old hymn says, “We’ve a story to tell to the nations That shall turn their hearts to the right, A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace and light, 1 A story of peace and light.” Thanks be to God! Wanda Manson WMPL Canada 1 From We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations. Henry Ernest Nichol. Public Domain. xii Food from Ravens