"The patient was Nigeria"

I have looked forward to writing this email, assured that this day of testimony shall certainly come. 

I requested specific Christian Science treatment from our Association members regarding the outbreak of the Ebola virus in my country in July this year; and, true to form, our Association rose to the height of the Christ standard, and the result is healing.  I shall fill in a little with some details, if I may.

As soon as the news carried reports that a visitor had traveled to my country and had been diagnosed with, and shortly after, passed on from, the virus, fear gripped the nation.  It was almost palpable in the media reporting, and interpersonal reactions amongst citizens in every sphere of the society, from government, to churches, to sports arenas.  The international news broadcast in the country also had many headlines, most of them filled with dire predictions.

I had been praying for the continent as a whole before this, so when the case in my country was reported, I was shocked to find that I needed to deal with a frisson of fear in my own thought.  But it was a wake-up call for me.  I first worked for myself specifically, and was calmed by the healing thought that the healing Christ is present in the human consciousness (not just in the consciousness of Christian Scientists).  I must also say I was grateful for the clear, calm and uplifted thought of my Christian Scientist son.

In Miscellany (219:26-11), Mrs. Eddy specifically instructs Christian Scientists to responsibly abide by the demands of the law of the land, when there is a sense of contagion, and as one of the Committees on Publication for my country, I had written an article addressing the issue, with this instruction at the forefront of thought.  But there had been an immediate clamp down by the government on all publications or activities that might encourage anything other than medical treatment, in public thought; so the article was not published.

The virus seemed to be spreading very quickly, and with devastating effect.  Two medical personnel succumbed in quick succession, and then a third member of the visitors entourage also passed on.  As I continued to pray, I felt led to do two things.  Request prayerful support through the Manager’s Office in Boston regarding the non-publication of my articles (I had written a second one by then); and seek specific metaphysical help from our Association members for treatment of the sense of contagion.  The patient was Nigeria. 

Here is what happened next.  Two of my articles were published immediately.  One of the pending articles, was published in the Health column, and another article, published earlier, was re-published the same day, by the same national newspaper, in their Religion column.  This other article stated that materiality has no place in spiritual healing.  I also got an email from you, which showed that our members had taken up the case immediately, and were working.

Then, those diagnosed with the virus started recovering.  I must add, that there was an experimental drug, which was being used in the US and Europe to treat some patients, though the medical opinion was that there was no cure.  This experimental drug was not available in my country; and very soon it was announced that even the supply of the drug in the other countries was exhausted.  Yet, the diagnosed patients in my country continued to recover.  The collective national sense of fear and dread ebbed.  I knew the mesmerism was broken.

My second pending article on the issue was subsequently published, and the newspaper editor expressed gratitude for the stand Christian Science was taking on the matter.  He said he was sure it was beneficial.  I encouraged our Church members around the country to work for themselves, their families, their branch churches, their communities and their country.  And they did.

Then when the last case was about to be discharged, there seemed to be a setback.  The national news reported that one of the individuals had broken quarantine, and infected some people in another part of the country.  Two people had succumbed almost immediately.  This time I was ready to see through the lie.  I saw this as error’s final stand - a desperate last ditch attempt to tempt God’s children.  And so it proved. The seeming spread halted in its tracks.  Everyone else who was thought to have contracted the virus recovered without the use of drugs.  The World Health Organisation that was closely monitoring the situation, gave my country a clean bill of health, by the third week in September, and the tone of the news began to change for the better.

It may interest members to know that in the first week of September, I was asked to talk at a metaphysical meeting my branch church had organised to address the issue of contagion.  I was grateful to share some of the thoughts that our Association members had shared, with my branch church.  Knowing that Christian Scientists around the world were praying specifically for our country, has given our branch church members a wider, deeper and stronger sense of the unity and purpose of Church as a whole.  My fellow country men and women are learning to forgive, to appreciate our government, to take better care of our environment, and to trust that there really is nothing that God cannot do.

I have written in such detail, so that the dear members of the Association who readily took up the case, as we stood shoulder to shoulder to work in Science, may have some sense of how effective Truth is, to bring about healing.

Would you kindly express my heartfelt gratitude to our Association members, and thank you for your effective work.  As you rightly mentioned, in your immediate response to my request, it has been “a diapason of heart-beats.” (My 189:8)

Dear Association members, I thank God for you all.  The greatest and best reward of Christian Science treatment, is healing.

"It was the direct result of the pure and uplifting thought of the Association"

I have to tell you about Association Day 2010.  I was deployed to Iraq, attached to an infantry unit, and stationed in one of the “last” Al-Qaeda in Iraq strongholds. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it to Association, but was very much aware of the special day.  I remember walking to my office on the base, just over a little bridge that spanned a dry creek bed.  The path was lined with sandbags and barbed wire in case of mortar attack or anyone who tried to breach the perimeter.

What happened next can only be described in Matthew’s words, “and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him…” (Matt 3:16)  Pardon me for the direct reference to Jesus, but I can’t think of a better way to say it.  It honestly felt like the heavens were opening and my sense was being uplifted and purified.  There was no conscious effort on my part, and later my wife told me the Association had prayed for me that day.  I have no doubt that it was the direct result of the pure and uplifting thought of the Association.

What I remember from that experience is the conviction of harmony—that it is real and it is possible.  I think it also illustrates the tangible power of prayer and right thinking.  I’ve been sitting on this story too long, and wanted to let you know about it.

"I love that Association is right with us"

Early one Friday morning I was feeling a great deal of fear regarding some work assignments I had later that day. The fears were really unfounded, as I had worked in similar capacities before, but that didn’t matter, as the fears seemed great.

I turned to the Science portion of the chapter “Science, Theology, Medicine” in Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy, and began reading. I have loved gaining more of Mrs. Eddy’s message to us about her discovery and revelation in this chapter. It wasn’t until the last page, however, that I found the answer I needed.

I had been considering calling into work to say I wouldn’t be able to come in. But I read these lines: “It is vain to speak dishonestly of divine Science, which destroys all discord, when you can demonstrate the actuality of Science” (S&H 130:7–9). During the last few weeks I had been demonstrating the actuality of Science in some significant ways, so it was really vain of me to think that I couldn’t trust Truth in this work situation, and I didn’t want to speak dishonestly of divine Science in doing so. In all honesty, there wasn’t a hugely logical or constructed consideration of these lines. Instead, it was more of a sense of God’s light washing over me, quelling any sense that I needed to call in to work or that I couldn’t have my freedom. Although I still felt some fear and worry, I was on more solid ground.

It felt right to call a practitioner, who stayed on the phone with me for a full 45 minutes. This seems like a really long time to be on the phone with a practitioner, but she calmed my fears in many ways with the truths that were shared. I certainly continued praying after the phone call, but also read the Bible Lesson, took a walk, and felt increasingly more my joyous self.

I did go to work that afternoon and worked late into the evening. I didn’t feel a sense of nervousness or intimidation in going to work. And my work reflected this, with more dominion, gratitude, and healing. The next day when I went to work, the fears were greatly diminished and the lessons and ideas that I had been cherishing were really at the forefront of thought. It was a joyous evening.

I love that Association is right with us throughout the year, and it was a place to turn again that early morning when I so very much needed it.

“Thankful to God, who has paved the way for me to be at Association”

I wanted to share a wonderful demonstration regarding last year’s Association Day.

An associate in the bank where I work had vacated her position. With another associate scheduled to start her vacation on May 11, I began to work about a solution that would allow me to obtain the day off to attend Association. I already knew that asking another bank location for help was not an option—past requests for help have been denied, and no one ever wants to give up a day off on a Saturday.

As I worked, I continued my homework with the assigned readings in anticipation that the answer would come. An idea had come to me to ask the associate who was going to be on vacation if she would be willing to work for me. In the past, she and I have shared spiritual ideas with each other. Part of me resisted the idea because I am the type of person who would prefer to make a sacrifice before asking someone else to. So I prayed about it for a week.

Today I felt that it was the right thing to ask my associate. When I called her into my office to ask if she had any plans for that Saturday, she first said, “Let me check.” But when I told her why I needed her to work for me, she immediately said, “Absolutely, it would be my pleasure.”

The wonderful part was how excited she was for me to have this special day to be spiritually focused and energized. When I explained to her what Association Day is all about, her response was, “You shouldn’t have even waited a week to ask me. When it comes to spiritual things we need to take care of each other, just like you do for me.” She was so happy to do this for me that she even had tears in her eyes.

I am so very thankful to God, who has paved the way for me to be at Association. I feel as though it represents the message that we are preparing to hear, but more importantly it represents the presence of divine Love and the omnipotence of God, showing us He is able to do all things.