January 2017

“LORD, He whom you love is sick…” John 11:3

This is Meridel, bringing you an update on Jay’s health situation. For those of you who do not get email updates, or any social media I want you to pray for my husband. It is a challenging time for our family and prayer has become a waking-sleeping; a LIVING experience. This is simply another step on the pathway to a richer life in the mercy and love of Almighty God. He must increase and we must decrease… Jn 3:30.

Today, Jay says: “I am resting in Him and trusting my life into the hands of the Royal Physician.” I, Meridel want to take this opportunity to share an over view of Jay’s life, followed by some quotes from friends. Thank you for praying and caring as you do. All of us are grateful.

I will begin by saying: “Divine Mercy has overshadowed Jay’s life from it’s very inception.” I believe as a result Jay grew up in to the abundant grace he was given. Today, he is known for his grace and loving kindness. Perhaps, the result of this character quality causes him to try and be and do too much for others?

Over the past almost three weeks, I have thought of our marriage vows… especially the words…
“in sickness and in health”. Well, ‘that time’ is here!’ Jay and I have been married 48 years and have known each other 50. Like many of you we have been so blessed with the opportunities granted to live life fully.

His history is unusual. Jay was a still birth. BUT his auntie Netta, the operating room nurse attending the Dr. in Jay’s mother’s Caesarean section; refused to give this child up! She fought for him to live by dipping his little blue body in alternate tubs of water… one warm, the other cold. After 20 minutes her prayers were answered and he took his first breath. He was born in prayer.

Jay’s father Victor Alloway Rawlings, was killed in action in Holland just days before W W 11 ended. He was just 14 months old at the time. But… he does have one love letter from this father whom he never met.

We left Canada in 1969 with our first son David 9 months old and came to Israel. We have never looked back. It was in 1975, while we were visiting Jewish communities in France that the next incident took place. We were house guests of a known doctor in Marseille. It was January and Jay and I with our sons ages 5, 3 and six months were to leave in the morning for Spain. The plan was to visit the Jewish Community in Catalonia and Madrid. That very night Jay died! Yes, it is true, and very well documented in fact. It was a horrible experience; but the L_RD G_d Almighty heard my cries and brought Jay back to life after 24
LONG minutes without a pulse. The doctor was shaken to his core… this was after he tried to stimulate Jay’s heart with shots of adrenalin and mouth to mouth resuscitation. We have a Father in heaven! The good Doctor insisted that the ambulance take Jay to the Military hospital in the city… immediately He was alive when he left the house. I wondered what I would find an hour later, there in Emergency. Eight doctors stood around his stretcher amazed at what they saw and heard. They gave us permission to take him home. We rested three days before going on to Spain. You will read about this in detail in the next volume of our life’s story, I have a photo of him. You will see that again, he received a merciful, creative miracle.

Over the years we have travelled to 120 nations; always seeking out the Jewish communities first and speaking to their leaders about the “call” to come home to Israel. This was before Christians understood the need to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel. Some churches threw us out as heretics!

All was quiet heart-wise until May of 2011 when Jay was taken to the cardiac unit in the Jubilee Hospital in Victoria Canada for an angiogram. His heart was working overtime then, as it is now.

Then in July 2016 Jay was tested for a 24 hour period, again with a rapid heart beat. No conclusions were drawn until December 2016 when we took him to the Sharay Tezdek hospital in Jerusalem. He was tested over a week long stay; put to sleep twice. He heart was stopped and restarted. He was released to strict rest, and a regiment of medications and tests with the general diagnosis of “heart failure”.

A Professor of cardiology, demanded a month of complete rest. Jay is home with us, but without strength. Today, our family physician said, “His heart is unstable and needs to be monitored.” He is in a serious condition and after more tests and will be reassessed again.

We thank you for your prayers, love notes and gifts, which help to see us through this trying time. I am also enclosing a few responses from dear friends. We will keep you posted and we know that you will keep praying for John Victor Rawling’s complete recovery. For our Jewish friends, his father is Victory Alloway Rawlings and his mother Sheena Rawlings.

Friends: if you have internet access and want to receive our newsletters please help us by choosing our automatic updates… this saves us postage and handing as my private time is limited now.
Go to my website: www.stillsmallvoice.tv and choose newsletters and they will come to you as I write them. You may do the same with www.israelvision.com. Please help us in this way.

We thank you for your support at this challenging time in our lives. Israel Discount Bank: Branch 638: Account # 1038763 Swift: LUMIILITJLM IBAN: IBAN: IL08010638000001038763 Tel:972 2 577 0314

Following are some of the comforting responses from friends:

Israel: “Just before Shabbat comes in: we appreciate your decades of work on behalf of Israel. We are praying for all of you, especially for Jay’s complete recovery. I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence comes my help. My help comes from the L_ORD who made heaven and earth. This emphasis shows us the extent of G_od’s ability to help.” – Hillel Goldberg

Nepal: Sending lots of prayer and love from Nepal for Papa’s quick recovery. I WISH I COULD COME TO SEE HIM. Anyway Mama, God is protecting and healing him; he is God’s servant and is especially gifted! All the girls in our home are praying – Indira (She heads up the trafficking work in Nepal.)

Finland: “Jay will survive! We joined hands and prayed for him and you and the Rawlings family at Armon Virta (River of Life) church at the Christmas feast. The Spirit of the L_RD is Holy and faithful and He has reminded us about You, Beloved Meridel. Rest now.” – Asko and Kirsi

Russia: “We are praying fervently here in Russia for the breakthrough and for the healing of Jay’s heart. I know that thousands of people all over the world will be joining with us all and we shall proclaim the victory in the Name of our Lord! We are praying for healing and financial miracles to bring everything under control and for the strongest anointing you have every experienced. Proverbs 4:23 With much love and understanding.” – Howard and family

Canada: I was saddened to read about Jay. I hope it is of comfort to you that this happened in Israel where excellent medical treatment is available and not Nepal! I pray for a strong heart to be restored back to Jay. – Audrey

Norway: “Nothing will be able to separate us from the love of G_d!” He can and will still make miracles.” – Thor Arthur and Inger Johanne

Canada: “We pray for God’s continuing protection and healing for Jay: in his weakness, he is still mighty in God; a true General of the Faith.” – Peter and Lily

Switzerland: “We often think and pray for you; joy and suffering come close together. Blessed 2017. – Meni

Canada / Sudan: “This is your son Michael and your Sudanese family in Canada. Abba, we are doing a great work of praying for you. May the Almighty God bless you and the LORD of Israel stand with you. We are asking God to bless you again and again”

Bill Prankard known to so many in Canada wrote:” We love value and need Jay. Gwen and I and our team are praying that he will be healed in such a way that it will shock the doctors!”

With love to each one of you who care.