With her last breath

Violet is a member of our cell group in Perth. She is concerned for the salvation of her family members. God answered her prayer for her mother-in-law when she received Jesus

By Violet Njo-Dickson

My mother-in-law (MIL), a Hindu was never schooled so she did not speak English.

She spoke Cantonese and I speak Hokkien.

By nature my MIL was a woman of few words and because of our language barrier, she was even more so. I had learnt a few Cantonese words to get by. Our typical conversation went something like this. “Hello mother, ho mah, sek pau mei (how are you, have you eaten?) She would respond in Hokkien ”Ho” – just one word. So we got along very well without having to say very much to each other. I suppose that kept me out of trouble with my in-laws.

When I first heard the news of her stroke at the age of 90 in Singapore I was living in Perth.

As a new Christian, I was not sure what to do. So very conveniently, I prayed to the Lord to send a Cantonese speaking Christian to minister to her. Little did I know that the Lord had other plans?

As the days went by, her condition deteriorated and she went into a coma.

I flew back to Singapore to be with the family. Upon arrival, I immediately contacted my friend, Sally who speaks Cantonese. She was a 2 year old Christian.

Violet’s family with mother-in-law (seated)

Here I need to tell about my amazing friend Sally. Two years prior to this incident, Sally was a very staunch Buddhist. She had many idols in her home at strategic places – at the entrance, in the hallway, in the kitchen.

That year, I invited her to Perth for a holiday. During her stay, I shared my new found faith in Jesus and I took her to see Ps. Peggy Yow who led her to Christ.

Immediately, Sally’s life was dramatically changed. She got rid of all the idols in her home. She joined a church and served in the ministry that reached out to Chinese immigrants, serving them breakfast for 4 years. Not only that, Sally has read the bible from cover to cover and she could speak in tongues. I must confess that I felt rather embarrassed and ashamed. I saw how she grew in her faith from strength to strength whilst my own faith was pretty dormant and not life changing at all.

So Sally and I went to my mother-in-law’s bedside in the hospital ICU.

I whispered to my mother-in-law, “I am here with my friend Sally”. Sally started praying in tongues while I just held her hand and prayed silently.

What happened next shocked me profoundly. My MIL suddenly opened her eyes and stared unblinkingly into space. Immediately Sally stroked her face and said, “Auntie, Jesus loves you.” I reminded Sally to speak Cantonese…but she did not and went on to say, “Auntie, you love Jesus?” My MIL nodded her head.

“Auntie, you want to receive Jesus?” And she said “Ai (want)”

Then she shut her eyes.

Was she saved? She had opened her eyes, nodded and said “Ai”. Sally rejoiced; she was jubilant and elated but I was disappointed and downcast. I felt that Sally did not speak Cantonese but in English, so did she understand what was said?

Soon afterwards, MIL passed away without gaining consciousness.

I went back to Perth with a heavy heart. The following week, I attended my cell group meeting. They happened to be studying Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. The incident was about the apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit started speaking in tongues. The people from different nations who gathered there, each heard the apostles speak in his own language!

Suddenly, I felt a great sense of peace and comfort in my heart. I felt God was telling me that my MIL is safe in heaven and that she heard the message in her own language….Cantonese.

I am grateful to Sally for having the boldness and courage to pray and minister to my MIL on her deathbed.

Like the dying thief on the cross who cried out to Jesus with his last breath, Jesus assured him and similarly to my MIL, Today you will be with me in paradise.”