please pray for cesar

cesar is not doing well. his wife andrea called all of us to please pray. later that day, gina texted all of us to come over because cesar was calling out for us. throughout the evening he would scream out "papito, ya no mas" (father, that's it, no more) and "papito, ya no puedo" (father, i cant do anymore). 

amazingly, as i watched him scream out from the pain he was feeling - he would also say "i love you father", "God is so good", "help me daddy".  he would wake from a complete sleep, quoting scripture by chapter and verse in a barely conscious mumble. 

finally, the doctor arrived from san lucas to give some pain medication and IV fluids.  when we stepped outside to talk with him, he shared bluntly that the "end has arrived."  i immediately looked at andrea and her head fell.  she has seen her husband - a true medical miracle - fight for 8 years after being told by medical professionals that he had no more than 1 year to live.

while we were there, cesar kept waking up and asking for jake. "he's on the way from practice with mynor" i would say, "he'll be here soon."  over and over again, he would be alerted from sleep and say in the form of a question "jake?"

finally jake arrived. cesar held him and cried. he gave him so much advice, thanked him for his smile and his friendship. he gave him scripture to "always remember". finally, as he squeezed jake's arm he said "jake listen to me...  you are going to be a warrior for christ...  he will give you your own ministry...  and you will be a warrior..."

i saw jake get tears in his eyes.  we talked about it later and jake said that he knows when cesar says something - it is true.  without knowing the way to articulate it (actually, he articulated it perfectly), jake knows that some people have the ability, based on who they are in christ, to speak prophetically. in my lifetime, i have never met anyone more qualified to do so than cesar.

i have never known anyone like him. right down to the end, he is ministering to others. speaking words of strength into people's lives. claiming God's goodness, quoting God's word, and literally taking joy in the toughest form of suffering - unbearable physical pain.

we prayed, sang songs, and sat in the quiet. today cesar is not doing much better. andrea told us that he is coughing blood and vomiting constantly.  please join us in prayer.