The Miracle Mobile

By Pastor Lloyd Perrin

“I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!” Isaiah 65:24.

 Prayer and miracles… I believe in both. Thursday, June 10 at 7am I made this specific request of God with a small group of church prayer warriors: “God, if you want me to move ahead right now and get a wheelchair assessable van without having all the funds in hand, I need a “sign”; I need to sell my Mouse Mobile. Lord, I don’t want to go into debt. Would you provide the rest of the funds needed and, also, the perfect van I need?”

Let me share how God answered this prayer. My Mouse Mobile, a 2004 Honda Ridgeline with every corner dented—the previous owner who was near blind and deaf drove by feeling vibrations or impacts—was mechanically in excellent condition, however the body work was anything but. Dubbed ‘The Mouse Mobile’ by Methodist Pastor Tilly MakePeace—because of the overpowering stench from the family of mice who had died in the pickup’s heater system before I bought it—was not a likely candidate for a quick sell. An impossible prayer? Perhaps. But I, and others, offered it up to God anyway because God majors in impossible prayers.

One much-loved religious writer makes this observation: “Our heavenly Father has a thousand ways to provide for us of which we know nothing.” Let me share how God choose to answer this prayer. Here’s “The Rest of the Story”:

On “Good Friday,” March 30, 2018, I experienced a total “medical surprise” when suddenly, without any warning or symptoms that something might be wrong, I slumped to the floor. An MRI and a CAT Scan at Walla Walla’s Providence Medical Center revealed I had multiple malignant Melanoma tumors in my brain, lungs, liver, and other organs. That same day I was Life Flighted to OHSU in Portland, Oregon. “Easter Sunday,” all my family with some friends gathered in my hospital room for an ‘Anointing Service’—praying for my healing and restoration and that God’s will would be perfectly fulfilled in my life. The next day I underwent brain surgery at OHSU to remove the tumor that had bleed out (about a teaspoon of blood). My right side was left paralyzed by the brain tumor bleed, and I lost the ability to speak for a period of time. When I arrived home, I spent two weeks in the Milton-Freewater Cascade Rehabilitation Center and was so deeply grateful for the incredible care and empathy their staff provided. Two more weeks of rehabilitation followed in Providence Medical Center where, again, I experienced phenomenal care.

Meanwhile, two dear friends, Sharlene Taylor and Candie Ramirez, produced a vegetarian cookbook (“Feeding the Flock”) of favorite recipes by area Christians. This fund-raiser provided several thousand dollars for medical bills. Then, two other friends, Tammy Tucker and Jessica Burt, organized a community[1]wide dessert fund raiser to further help pay some of the huge medical expenses incurred. A dear couple gave me $5,000 to buy a mobile power-chair, and another precious friend, Ruth Fenton, organized a ‘meal-train’ so that my wife didn't need to worry about food preparation. Thank you so much!

My church granted me a three-month “medical leave of absence” from pastoring for the months of April, May, and June. Eighteen months of immunotherapy, consisting of 29 half-day visits to Providence Cancer Center for Keytruda infusions, followed under the watchful care of Dr. Oliver Batson. And then there was Brain Radiation with Dr. Riegert to deal with the remaining brain tumors. What a claustrophobic and potentially danger-filled trip that was! Sandwiched in between the many medical visits were multiple physical and occupational appointments to learn new ways of doing old skills. And then, July 1, 2018, I began full-time pastoring again!!

December 24, 2019 (Christmas Eve Day) I was told by Dr. Batson that there was no longer any evidence of cancer in my body. And then on March 30, 2021, I received the really good news that I was “cancer free” in my body by Dr. Batson, followed by Dr. Riegert telling me on April 9 that I was “cancer free” in my brain. Praise God!

But now, let me share how God choose to answer my “impossible prayer. On May 11, 2021, I was totally surprised by a Milton Ministerial Agenda Item presented by Presbyterian Pastor Andie Pellicer: “Pastor Lloyd’s need for a wheelchair assessable van.” Pastor Andie Pellicer announced that she had already setup a GoFundMe account and had contributed startup money to get it going! I hate to say this, but for a whole month I was too embarrassed, or felt too unworthy, to do anything. An entire month passed by. Then on June 9, I was listed on the Milton Ministerial Agenda Update again: “Pastor Lloyd’s vehicle GoFundMe. Let’s pray and give.”

Hey, there’s a novel thought, let’s pray. So the very next day, Thursday, at 7am I met with Prayer Warriors in the Milton Adventist Church lobby, and we prayed for a “sign” that I should move ahead in getting a van… by the selling immediately of my pickup. THAT SAME DAY at 1pm, my wife and I stop at the Sinclair gas station in Milton-Freewater to fuel up “The Mouse Mobile” when there was a knock on my window. “Hey, are you interested in selling your pickup?” (Please know that nobody has ever approached me about wanting to buy any vehicle I have ever owned!!) “Yes!”, I said, without trying to sound too eager. One week later without any advertising The Mouse Mobile was sold for cash… for $500 more than I had hoped for!

On June 15 I set out for Madras with my brother Ralph to check out ‘the perfect’ van. It sold before we could get there. Then, on to Portland for the 8^th grade graduation of one of my granddaughters, and to check out other potential vans. I did not have the funds in hand to buy a van. The very next day we checked out additional vans and then a whole slew of miracles took place, and we were providentially routed to view a 2016 Town and Country Van with 7,500 miles. It was perfect! One week later Jana and I traveled to Portland to pick up “The Miracle Van” from Erin Hokland of UnitedAccess. We still didn't have the funds to pay for it… but God was busy working one of His “thousand ways” to meet our need.

Consider:

• June 25 a dear friend, whose husband had recently passed away from melanoma cancer, gave us $650. She wanted to celebrate how God was still working in all our lives despite seeming overwhelming difficulties.
• An area pastor and spouse gave $500 each for the van!
• A cousin sent me a check for $1,500; family members gave over $3,000; other dear relatives gave generously too.
• My local church family sacrificially shared blessings in so many ways.
• Then on July 4 a couple I had baptized and married 26 years ago left their home in eastern Montana to surprise us with a visit and a check for $6,000! We had not visited with them for several years, but they had read via Facebook about my need for a wheelchair accessible van… because of Pastor Andie Pellicer’s GoFundMe project.
• Ultimately, nearly $30,000 was given for this van. Wow! Praise God!

So many miraculous blessings came from unexpected sources—friends current and from years ago, and even people I had never met. Yes, indeed, God majors in answering impossible prayers. Bottom line? I no longer drive “The Mouse Mobile,” I drive “The Miracle Mobile!”

“Thank you, my wonderful prayer-answering God! And thank you, thank you, thank you friends, church members, local pastors (who also gave generously) and our dear Milton-Freewater community for your prayers, for your love and friendship, and for your giving! God used you to answer this ‘impossible prayer.’ And my God is your God and He is just as eager and ready to perfectly answer your prayers too.”