(A True Story)

His voice was weak and distorted with pain over the phone. "Come and read your Bible to me. Maybe your Jesus will help me".

The year was 1984. The telephone call I received was from the Mayor of the County of Kauai. He had been my friend for several years. I knew he was suffering from a bleeding ulcer and was under much stress with the responsibilites of elected office. I agreed to be in his office within an hour with my Bible.

His request of me to come and read the Bible to him was not the first time. This had happened before, especially when he needed comforting.  He was not a Baptised Christian, but the Word of the Lord seemed to fill a void within his spirit. I was happy to participate.

I began highlighting passages that I knew did him the most good, so my Bible's pages were fast becoming covered with yellow ink. He would nod off, completely relaxed as I read his favorite verses from Psalms.

Years came and went. We spoke often of religions and what Catholics believed. I never pressured him about being Baptised, but in my own little way, most times would get to passages in the New Testament about the importance of Baptism.

Almost four years ago, while my husband was in the Hospital for an operation for rectal cancer, I realized my friend was also in the same Hospital with a broken hip.

When I went to see how he was doing, I found a man completely depressed, alone, and in a great deal of pain. I prayed over him that day and told him I would be back the next day. He smiled and whispered, "Bring your Bible, ok?"

He was no longer Mayor of the County of Kauai. He no longer had "political power" and the friends(?) that go along with the political games people play.

I felt so very sad for him...Where were all the individuals who used to flock to him to shine in his presence? Where were all the people he had helped with positions of importance? Oh......how fast people forget...Or did they 'ever' even really care?

I was there the next day and the next and the next. I read from my Bible. I put up a picture of Jesus, crowned with thorns, explaining to my friend why Jesus had gone though all His Sufferings and Crucifiction for us. I explained things would certainly be easier for him if he would give back his own suffering to our Lord as a 'sort of thank-you'. This was very hard for my friend to do, but he left that picture of Jesus up where he could see it at all times.

I gave him a silver crucifix on a silver chain, which he refused to take off even when he had to have xrays done. Hahahahaha

I played Chants for him from a CD Player. And I kept reading the Bible and marking more passages with highlighter.

Four months later, my friend was not getting any better. He suffered a slight stroke and heart attack. Then suddenly he was in a coma.

His wife called me after I had gotten home one day after a visit with my friend to tell me the Doctors said he was about to die and could I come back.

I rushed back to the Hospital. I sat my his side with one hand on his arm and in my other hand the Rosary. I prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet and the Rosary for my dieing friend.

I was amazed to see so many people in his room and in the halls waiting for him to die! Here were all the politicans and political 'groupies' from my friend's past whom I hardly ever saw anymore....All either wringing their hands or sobbing softly at his passing.

And HE WOKE UP from his coma and said he was hungry! Most everyone shouted how happy they were and left!

Those who stayed, which weren't many began to say I was a 'healer'.  Even the Doctors were shaking their heads. I kept telling everyone I was not responsible for his coming out of the coma, that the Lord still wanted him here for some reason.

The following Saturday, I was helping to clean our Church. While vacumning rugs, I asked the Priest there if a non Catholic could be given the Last Rites. The Priest asked who needed Prayers for the Sick. When I told him, he smiled from ear to ear, explaining to me he knew my friend from 'way back'. That my friend has given thousands of dollars to our Church over the years...I had not known this!

Then the Priest told me to ask our friend if he would like to be Baptised. The Priest told me to call our friend as soon as I got home and do this, which I did. Our friend didn't say a word for what seemed an eternity to me, however finally told me to tell the Priest to come and see him right away, which I did.

The next day I called the Priest to see what had happened and was told, "He's Baptised and he's a Catholic and he received the Prayers for the sick". I was thrilled!!!!!!!!!!! I was dancing around my home, literally singing at the top of my lungs the Praises of God....I was soooooo happy for my friend and thankful to God and our Holy Mother!!!

About three months later my friend passed away in the very early hours of the morning. I was sad knowing I would miss him, but also happy to know his immortal soul was safe in eternity.

His wife, a non-Catholic had him buried out of her Church, but never removed his silver chain and crucifix. He was buried with it.

Since I had been reading the Bible to him so much, I had left it with him at the Hospital. His wife never returned it and I didn't feel comfortable asking her for it, so I just let it go.

Tonight......almost four years later, I received a telephone call from a Nurse at the Hospital here. She asked me if I had lost a Bible. I told her no, that I had not lost the Bible, but had given it to my friend while he was there.

She told me my Bible had been read by hundreds of people in the Hospital over the years and the personel always wondered who owned the Bible and that tonight they had (while reading it themselves) found my name in it!

Wow, I was 'almost' speechless (that would be a gaint leap for me, Hehehehehehe)....The Nurse wanted to know if I wanted it back. I told her to keep the Bible there for the use of the patients and themselves as a gift from me and God. She thanked me and said, God Bless you!

So, you see, the missing Bible was NEVER lost! The Word of our Lord is NEVER lost when He wants It shared. And this wretched sinner is very happy and humbled to have been allowed by our Lord to participate in the 'sharing'.

God bless you all and all those you touch with your lives and love, always and abundantly!!!

Aloha nui loa,

Pat Na`ea

April 1, 1999

Kauai, Hawaii

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