Nobody's seen our neighbor R in days. On Thursday I asked our neighbor G if he knew where R was, and he didn't know, but suggested I ask R's sister M, who lives outside of our cul-de-sac. G also said he had heard M might have been diagnosed with a tumor.
So on Friday after work, I went out for my neighborhood prayer-walk, which I have made a new daily practice. Walked over to M's house. Opened the gate and entered a beautiful courtyard I have never set foot in. Rang the doorbell, which still takes courage because it is crossing a suburban boundary. I hear a little voice inside saying, "It's a white man."
The door opens and M invites me inside. I have never been in her house before. We visit for a bit, then I ask where R is. Turns out he's vacationing in Hawaii — nice! Visit a bit more. M shares that she has in fact developed some kind of tumor between her stomach and a kidney, and will be going in for surgery next week to have it removed. I know that M is a Christian so I have no hesitation in offering to pray for her. I pray for healing, that the tumor would not affect neighboring organs, that it would be completely removed, and that M would be free of fear.
On my way out, I wave at M's husband D eating in the kitchen, but notice that there are other people there as well. "Would you like to meet my parents?" Yes! I doubt they can speak a word of English, but they greet me warmly nonetheless. M offers to feed me, but I need to get back to my own family for dinner and the the opening ceremonies of the Olympics.
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