Prayers Needed

Meet Maria Mendez.

Her 6 month old son, Adrian, is hospitalized with a brain injury just blocks away from our church in Encanto.

Needing spiritual sustenance, she walked into the sanctuary Sunday morning. I happened to be present when she came in, and introduced myself to her. We were both visitors. I listened to her talk about her son, about her family, about his injury.

It seemed eerily familiar: my own daughter is the survivor of a traumatic brain injury. I asked my wife, Mimi, to come meet Maria. The two would sit with each other throughout the service.

Seeing Maria reminded me of the time we spent in the hospital with our daughter; of the many who lifted us up in prayer while with her; of the churches we would visit on the Sunday mornings we spent with our daughter while she lay in a coma. Mimi and I knew what she was going through. The Deacons would stand with Maria at the close of the service, lay hands on her, and pray for her and her son.

I asked her permission to take her picture, and to ask for prayers from all of you on her behalf. Would you please lift her and her son up in your prayers?

May it please God to abide with Maria and Adrian; to heal them both and remove their fear, their pain, and their anxiety.