Ethan Powell never learned to walk or probably to talk very much. He spent much of his 16 months of life in pain as his tiny body battled leukemia.Yet, he was one of the most powerful evangelists this area has seen. The night of his diagnosis, Ethan's father, Ben, set up a website asking for prayers. Within weeks, it became a phenomenon as tens of thousands of people across the country checked in to read the daily progress reports from St. Jude Hospital in Memphis. Ethan's picture appeared around town at bone marrow drives and benefits. Throughout, the Powells kept reminding us that "Prayer Works!"
For whatever reason, the miracle of a cure was not realized for Ethan. It's tempting to say that we didn't pray enough or didn't have enough faith. But I would still consider him a miracle worker. It's a miracle his parents had such faith that they would share their story so openly. It's a miracle that leukemia has received renewed attention and people were willing to give their own bone marrow if it would help. It's a miracle that so many people came together to pray.
We are all still praying, for the family and for a cure.
2 comments:
The faith of Ethan's parents helped some of us rediscover our own faith. Ethan received a treatment that had only been tried a few times before. Although he only survived for a few months he has probably saved more lives than most of us ever will. What the doctors learned from Ethan will be applied to countless other children in the future, and some of them will live because of that knowledge. Ethan has had and will continue to have a tremendous effect on countless others. Bless you, Ben and Becky, and know that "little E" will live on in many, many hearts!
Beautiful Anon. I'm sure the Powells will take comfort in your story of faith.
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