CMA HeartBeat February 2022 | Page 6

TESTIMONIES
By DEB Dunton
06⎪FEBRUARY 2022⎪shop . cmausa . org

MY

husband , Mike , had COVID last spring . He was so critically ill that he was not expected to survive . Thankfully , God did a miraculous healing for him , but that ' s another story for another time .
Before Mike was released from the hospital , they told me he would need specialized home care . Mike is a big guy , and I am petite . I could easily see that caring for him would be a challenge for me . They told me to get a hospital bed and oxygen set up at home , as he would require long-term care . ( Mike did have some recovering to do , but God took care of that too .)
In the meantime , while I was checking into the different programs he would fall under ( Medicare , etc .), someone suggested that I consider becoming a Personal Support Worker ( PSW ). The idea appealed to me , so I completed the course , and now I am certified as an Oregon home care provider and work for the Department of Human Services ( DHS ).
They placed me on a register for clients needing my skills in my area , and God appointed me to one very special client . For the sake of privacy , we will call him John .
It started with an interview with John and his current care provider . This was my very first client . He is bed-bound and requires special needs . I knew I was where I was supposed
to be the minute we started talking . John is a club member and lost his leg in a motorcycle accident . He lost his other leg due to diabetes and infection that would not heal .
This gave John and me common ground with motorcycles and motorcycle culture , but his current caregiver was also a believer , which gave us a lot in common . I got the job !
His current caregiver had lots of experience to share with me , which helped me learn to do my job well . I know she was happy to have another Christian lady to work alongside her . God not only blessed us with our shared faith ; He had a plan for John .
As the weeks became months , we saw a difference in John ' s language , and after a while , he was even saying grace over his meals . John has difficult days with depression , and he has shared regrets with me . Of course , we talked about grace and God ' s willingness to forgive him . We pray over his needs , ending with a new thought that he has a trusted friend in Jesus . When he calls home now , he talks to his Mom about God and that he is in a Bible study now . She is so happy to know her son has a blessing on him and a prayer answered .
John wanted to share some of his burdens and find Jesus . I asked the local CMA chapter chaplain if he
could come to the house for a Bible study at John ' s request due to him being bed bound . The Chaplain has visited and talked with John on numerous occasions , sharing devotionals , getting him a book of Hebrews , and just talking together , biker to biker . Sometimes the chaplain , John , and the other care provider will do a Bible study together .
The devil does not like it when he is losing a person . At home , my husband and I have experienced some challenging circumstances . We see it as the devil ’ s attempt to defeat us , and the work that is being done for God ' s glory in John ' s life .
When I am discouraged , my husband tells me , the Lord sent me there , don ' t let the devil discourage me , and that I must continue my work there .
He reminds me that I am doing something right for the Lord and His Kingdom and finishing the good work God prepared in advance for me to do with John .
I am so blessed and proud that John has now accepted the Lord as his Savior . John and I still work daily to improve his quality of life , but now there is joy and peace in all our hearts . There is excitement now as we look forward to his physical and spiritual recovery .
My husband ' s near-death experience with COVID led to my becom-
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