One of the strongest testimonies I’ve heard this year comes from Irina, a camp director from the Far East. Shortly after last year’s conference, she was diagnosed with a brain tumor. Even though she wasn’t fully healthy, she continued serving at camp, carrying both responsibility and uncertainty, not knowing what the future would hold.
She shared about one day after the diagnosis when she went for a walk in the forest. Tears were running down her face, and one thought kept repeating: “What if this is my last snow?” In that moment, she sensed God speaking to her heart that we all live today, and tomorrow is promised to no one.
A couple of weeks ago she shared an update from her follow-up MRI: there is no change, and the tumor is not growing. Her neurosurgeon even told her that her brain looks healthy, and the tumor is behaving unusually calmly. And Irina’s response was simple and full of worship: “What can I say? Praise the Lord!” She wrote that she feels deeply loved by God, and she wants to use the time He gives her wisely.
Irina wasn’t sure she would be able to come to the conference this year, but now she is coming and even volunteered to lead a small group for conference participants. What a privilege to serve leaders like her.
