THE OPEN HEART

All Things Are Possible Through Prayer

By Dina Tevas-Ingram

At one time or another, each of us has cried out in prayer when our or a loved one's well-being seemed in jeopardy. It is instinctual, part and parcel of our very essence, to look to a higher power when circumstances appear beyond our control. It is the eternal paradox of humanity to seek and discover God in the midst of our darkest hours. Two who have experienced this are Annie and Chris Waters. Over the years they have supported many people through crises and the depletion of hope. They speak of personal transformation, the birth of faith, and inner peace. They speak of miracles, and how they can happen at any time. They communicate with the passion and certainty that comes from first hand experience. Annie and Chris's miracle is named Betsy.

"The day Betsy was born we felt like the luckiest people in the world. We had tried for almost seven years to have a baby and had pretty much give up, when we finally got pregnant," recalls Annie. "The moment we looked into her tiny face we were overwhelmed with a love and joy neither of us had ever felt. Our whole lives changed in that instance. Everything that seemed so important to us before, all our personal and professional ambitions, just disappeared. Betsy was such a gift. All we wanted was for her to be happy and healthy, and for us to be the best parents we could be."

When Betsy was about four months old, Annie and Chris noticed that her right eyelid was drooping and right pupil had become fixed. Medical test revealed that Betsy had a massive brain tumor. Doctors recommended immediate exploratory surgery. "We were never particularly religious but as we sat there waiting for our baby to get out of surgery and a final diagnosis, I reached for Annie's hand, and we began to pray with a passion uncommon to both of us," recalls Chris.

The biopsy reports could not have been worse. Betsy had an extremely rare, aggressive, malignant cancer. Her prognosis was paralysis and certain death. Annie and Chris were devastated. Betsy's grandfather, who had practiced medicine for 39 years, was angry and frustrated. "Initially when Betsy was diagnosed, I prayed that we would be guided to the right surgeons, and for compassionate care, and that our family would be strengthened to deal with the inevitable suffering. I didn't have the faith to pray for the healing of a known malignancy. I didn't believe that a real miracle could be possible in the face of all the medical evidence."

Within days of the diagnosis, fluid began accumulating in Betsy's brain. Doctors had to keep going in with a large needle to relieve the pressure. Medical specialists agreed that although the procedure might cause permanent brain damage, to temporarily save the child they would have to insert shunts in her brain to drain the fluid.

With nowhere else to turn and the shunting operation only two days away, Annie and Chris held one last hope. They asked their Episcopal priest to anoint the child and lead a prayer vigil. As the priest blessed the child's head, hands and feet with consecrated oil, Annie, Chris and their parents joined hands around Betsy's crib and prayed for a miracle. After the service and throughout the following night and day, Annie and Chris continued their vigil.

Twenty-four hours before the scheduled shunt surgery, things seemed to go from bad to worse. A doctor arrived in Betsy's hospital room and removed so much thick, infected fluid from her brain that they had to postpone the surgery. And still they prayed. "We didn't know what else to do. our baby girl was dying," recalls Chris. "After the doctor walked out of her hospital room and announced that Betsy would not make it to morning, I started praying for God to give us strength to make it through the night. I knew if it was God's will, she would be healed, and I surrendered...I surrendered my little girl's life to God. Annie picked Betsy up, and we cradled her in our arms, just like we did when she was born. We remembered how privileged we felt to have her at all and the depth of our joy when we first looked into her face. Every moment with her had been an unexpected and precious gift. We resolved to hold her in the end as we had held her in the beginning...counting it all joy." And they continued to pray.

Seventeen hours later, when the neurologist turned up to do another tap, there was barely any fluid to remove, and what little they did find was totally clear. There was no longer any reason to do the dangerous shunting operation. The child's doctors were baffled. "We didn't question or wonder what was happening," recalls Annie. "All we knew was that our baby was still with us and we were profoundly grateful." To her doctor's astonishment, Betsy's condition rapidly improved over the next 48 hours, and all of her symptoms vanished. She was released from the hospital and taken home.

One month later, Annie and Chris brought Betsy back to the hospital for the operation to attempt to remove the tumor. When the surgeons went into the child's brain, the massive growth they had seen just weeks before was completely gone. Subsequent tests and x-rays showed no evidence of any cancer or anomalous cell growth. The tumor had simply disappeared. The doctors call what happened a rare "spontaneous remission". Annie and Chris call it a miracle, even a resurrection. "Betsy gave us a life we never dreamed possible, one where every minute holds a miracle." This coming June, Betsy turns 15.

From the author's collection of documented experiences of miracle healings.

Dina Tevas-Ingram is an Emmy award-winning televisions and film writer- producer. She is currently writing Answered Prayers, a collection of inspirational, true stories about celebrated personalities and everyday people whose lives have been transformed by the miraculous healing power of prayer.

We invite you to share with us your own miraculous experiences with prayer and meditation.. Write: Prayer, c/o Body Mind Spirit, Box 701, Providence, RI 02901. Please include a telephone number.

Copyright © 1996. The Light Party.