It was one of the great privileges of my life to speak the word of God at the memorial service for 14-year-old Victor Manuel Watters on September 11, 2011. Sober, painful, and joyful — that’s how I would describe this unexpected way to mark 9/11.
Victor died of cancer — Ewing’s Sarcoma. At the age of nine he was in the hospital alone. His birth family was unable to care for him. Mike and Deb Watters were often on the same unit because of a similar cancer in their daughter. To make a spectacular story of grace short, they adopted Victor, cared for him, led him to Jesus, and surrounded him with overflowing love as he died on September 7, 2011.
For all who knew his real situation, Victor’s baptismal testimony was simple and amazing.
You can read or listen to Piper's sermon here.
You can read Victor's testimony here.
Victor's (adopted) family writes about him and their daughter here.
TwinCities has an article about Victor here.
Crushing.
ReplyDeleteExhilerating.
Awful.
Glorious.
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Rom. 11:36
In Christ,
CD
Thank you for sharing this. What a testimony to the sovereign grace of God and the power he has over death.
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