Hi my name is Bridie, and I'd like to tell you about the last time I saw Malcolm Ross. I met Karyn around 25 years ago while we were traveling to the penetentiary on the Springboard bus. We became friends and in 1989 Karyn invited me to her and Malcolm's wedding in Warkworth. Of all the weddings I've attended, it stood out in my mind as one of the most beautiful, in spite of taking place in a prison.

Although many months often go by when Karyn and I are not in contact, for some reason the Lord always seems to bring her back into my life. And so it was, in August of 2004, I received a phonecall from Karyn with the sad news that Malcolm was hospitalized for cancer, with only a short time to live. My main concern at this point was for Malcolm's salvation, and I felt an urgency in my spirit to not hesitate but to visit him right away.

In my haste to accomplish this mission, I neglected to call ahead to find out the bus schedules. After all, how hard is it to catch a bus to Hamilton. So the next day when I showed up at the bus depot in downtown Toronto, not only did I miss my bus, but I hadn't brought enough money for a return ticket. I was ready to pack it in and return home, when I felt the Holy Spirit inside me say, don't give up, this is God's work. Then an unusual thing happened. The Greyhound ticket agent directed me to Union Station, where I could catch the Go bus to Hamilton, which was faster and cheaper.

When I arrived at St. Peter's Hospital I found Malcolm in his room, laying in bed, all hooked up with wires and tubes. His head was propped up so that he could see who walked into the room. To my astonishment he recognized me right away, and uttered my name in such a way that I knew he was both pleased and very surprised to see me.

After some brief chit-chat I got straight to the point. "Malcolm," I said, "have you ever given your heart to the Lord?" When he nodded yes, I figured he must have accepted Christ as his saviour at one time while in prison. So I asked if he would like to rededicate his life to Christ. I then took Malcolm's hand and led him in the sinner's prayer. When we had finished we both opened our eyes. I had never noticed Malcolm's eyes before, but now I saw how lovely his eyes looked, so crystal clear and transparent. It was as if God had given me a glimpse into Malcolm's soul, which was now cleansed from all sin, through the power of the Blood of Jesus.

After that, Malcolm closed his eyes. He looked so peaceful laying there, that for a minute I wasn't sure if he was still alive. I knew that my work here was done, and I quietly slipped out of the room, with the assurance that the next time I would see Malcolm Ross we would both be in Heaven. A day and a half later the Lord took him home.

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