OZARK – For many people, a cancer diagnosis would bring life to a screeching halt, but for Jim Wells, it was just an opportunity to fine-tune his ministry.
Wells, the director of missions for the Tri County Baptist Association, which serves Christian, Stone and Taney counties, was diagnosed with malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH sarcoma) of the left hip muscle in late 2010. He had surgery on Dec. 14 to remove the cancer and then went to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston for 30 radiation treatments over a 6-week period.
While in Houston, Wells, who is a member of the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC) Executive Board, discovered he had plenty of time on his hands before and after his daily 10-minute treatments, so he decided to share the Gospel with others at the radiation center.
“I don’t believe God allows something to happen in our lives without a purpose for it and I believe part of my purpose was to share my faith,” Wells said.
“MD Anderson has 16 radiation machines, so people come in droves; I saw part of my ministry as ministering there.
“I think in that kind of a situation, people are very vulnerable and they are fearful because cancer is what it is – it’s cancer and you have to deal with it. There were a lot of situations and circumstances that were graver than mine.”
Wells ordered several copies of a book entitled Through the Valleys, by his friend, Earnest L. Easley, pastor of Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga. He passed the book out to patients and used it as a natural conversation starter.
“(The book) helped people understand they could trust the Lord when going through the valley,” Wells said. “It is the story of his (Easley’s) life and it gave me a platform to share in a natural way how the Lord made a difference in my life.
“Basically when you are going through cancer treatment, everyone is in the same boat. It is kind of one of those things if you see people every day for six weeks they become your friend and family almost because you share with each other. It was amazing when people would get the book, go home and read it, we would talk about it and they would ask questions.”
Wells said many of the people at MD Anderson were in the same situation he was in, visiting a strange place for treatment and having to deal with the necessities of life – such as finding housing during their treatments – while dealing with cancer. Wells was able to use his experiences and resources to help people meet those needs and share Christ at the same time.
It doesn’t surprise Wells’ friends that he is serving God despite going through a valley.
Randy Johnson, pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Republic and friend of Wells, said he knows that he is the kind of man who is going to serve the Lord no matter what.
“He is a dedicated man of God – it’s his life. Whether in hot water or on the mountaintop, he is going to serve the Lord,” Johnson said.
Wells, who also serves as registration secretary for the Southern Baptist Convention, is now back home in Missouri. In the next couple of weeks he will be starting chemotherapy in Springfield. He said he is thankful to be home and he is thankful for the prayers of others that have made a huge difference in his life.
“I have seen God work in so many ways through the prayers offered,” he said. “I have learned that God has taught, and is teaching me a lot through this experience, and my life will never be the same again. We are absolutely and totally dependent on Him. We take so much in life for granted and I will never see another sunset or sunrise in the same way, look at my family the same way or look at ministry the same ever again.
“I sense in my own life that there is a new sense of urgency to do more for the Lord. My prognosis is good from doctors, but I also know cancer is cancer and none of us know how much time we have left. Going through this has shown me the value of each day, but it has also put a new sense of urgency in my life to share Him regularly and serve others.”
DEREK GEAN/contributing writer