Dr. Grant Bogyo , a member of Penticton Alliance Church, has been part of a ministry serving migrant workers in the south Okanagan area for the past four years. He tells this story of an encounter with one of the workers (whose name has been changed for the purpose of this article).

JUAN CARLOS was insistent. He did not want me to leave the dinner he and the six other Latin American workers had prepared.  

The ‘fiesta’ had been put on by the workers to celebrate one of our church volunteer’s birthdays. Besides, they said, “it is good to get together.”

But, I argued, I badly wanted to go out for a few minutes to take some photos of the breathtaking views of Lake Okanagan that the vineyard offered.

Juan Carlos started the large quad used to service the vineyard. We travelled to the remote corner of the property, in general conversation. He would stop the quad from time to time to allow me to take photos. I could tell that Juan Carlos had something he wanted to say.

As we rumbled back toward the workers’ residence, Juan Carlos said, “You know that before I came to Canada three years ago, I was not a Christian?”

He stopped the quad and shut off the engine, explaining:  “Three years ago, my daughter was diagnosed with cancer. The doctors said that the tumour was two kilograms in size and she would likely not survive the aggressive cancer. She was not yet a teenager. We were all frightened.

“When I came to the hospital the next day, the day my daughter was due for surgery, she told me that an old man with a big white beard had come to her room the night before and prayed for her. She told me that she believed that it was Jesus. She said, ‘Don’t worry, papa. I will be okay.’

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“We waited through the surgery until the doctor came and said, ‘It appears the tumour had shrunk between the original X-ray and the surgery, and it is benign. Your daughter will be fine.’

“After the operation, my daughter started attending an evangelical church. She was reading her Bible and said that she was now a Christian.”

Juan Carlos continued, “I didn’t know what to think. All I knew was my daughter was healed. I was broke, and so I prayed, ‘God, if you are there, help me.’

“I had applied months before to come to Canada for the migrant worker program. All of my friends had received word about five weeks earlier that they had been accepted. The day after I prayed, I received word that I would be coming to Canada to work. I still didn’t know what to think.

“When my friends and I met your group at the Alliance Church, I was glad. Some of the Spanish speaking brothers and sisters explained that I needed to receive Jesus.  I finally understood. I invited Christ to be part of my life. My family has been attending church, and we have the peace of God, even when I am so far from home.

“Doctor Bogyo, thank you!  And then when we heard in January, that you were sick and needed a heart operation, I and my family prayed for you.

“God is good, and he has answered prayer. I wanted to tell you this. Glory to God!”

We returned to the fiesta, brothers in Christ.

December 2010