One of our hospital chaplains, Peter Ellem, was asked a few months ago to visit an elderly woman who was dying of cancer and had asked for baptism. That is not a common request! When he got to the ward Peter saw the patient, with what turned out to be her son, sitting at the end of the bed. After stuttering introductions the son became the interpreter. The son explained that while he himself was an atheist his mother had been searching for many years.

The mother had only recently immigrated to Australia to be reunited with her family here. She had lived through the gruelling years of the Cultural Revolution, seen her parents killed for the crime of being wealthy and endured exile herself far from her home village. She showed not a trace of bitterness.

She explained through her son that all through her life Christian friends had urged her to commit her life to Christ. She had resisted for several decades. Now enduring terminal illness she was reminded of the questions her friends had asked over the years about her relationship with God. After Peter had talked with this lady and her son for a long time he went through the Baptism service and asked if she understood the key points. She beamed as she said she did. Peter was reminded of the Ethiopian Eunuch 'what is to prevent me from being baptised.'

So they went down to the chapel and there she was baptised. Tears streamed down her face and her atheist son’s too, and she said ‘now God is in my heart.’

Some months later Peter was asked to take her funeral. Four people were there, all family. As Peter took the service he imagined the scores of friends and family who would have been there had she been back home in her rural village. His mind also went to the unknown Christians who, despite government prohibition, spoke of their faith. How much joy they would have if they had heard of their friend coming home to Christ.

How good is that? How good is God. This is why I keep using the word “privilege” when it comes to chaplaincy ministry. God has been working in the lives of people over many years, inspiring faithful Christians to share their faith, and the chaplain comes in to reap what others have sown.

The unknown friends who had shared the gospel with this lady had been faithful over many years in their testimony despite what at the times must have seemed like sowing on stony ground. And now through Peter’s ministry to this dying woman her atheist son was having the chance to hear the gospel. Peter was not only reaping but also sowing as he ministered to this family. Another seed has been planted as the atheist son saw his Mum die in faith and hope. How good is that?