One day, Uncle Zhang found a foreign body in his left eye, and the doctor later diagnosed a hidden cyst under the eyelid that needed surgery, so he was admitted on the spot.
The next day was a full day of multiple checks and continuous disinfection of the affected area. Finally, on the third day, it was time for the operation. Although Uncle Zhang's wife and children were all there, he was still afraid in his heart. After all, this was the first time in his life that he was going to have surgery, and it was going to be on his eyes. Uncle Zhang's heart was pounding, and his legs were trembling slightly with weakness.
Just when Uncle Zhang felt that his legs were getting weak and he was about to fall, he suddenly felt a warm, soft hand clasping his right hand. Uncle Zhang opened his eyes. It was a young nurse who was holding him. The angelic nurse said nothing, only humming a melodious song in his ear as she led him forward. “Lord, you have saved me from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling. What shall I render to the Lord for all His goodness to me? I will lift the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord forever...”
Gradually, Uncle Zhang was no longer afraid. The song also seemed to give him endless strength. His legs were no longer weak and wobbly, and his heart stopped racing.
In the operating room, the nurse stood by his side while the attending doctor performed the surgery. Throughout the process, Uncle Zhang felt surprisingly peaceful in his heart. In the end, the surgeon said that the surgery was successful and that a total of three cysts had been removed.
As they were about to leave, Uncle Zhang asked the nurse what that beautiful song was. The nurse smiled, held up a small cross from her silver necklace, and said, "I am a Christian, and this song is a hymn.” And she told Uncle Zhang that he could hear this song in places where there was a cross on his head.
Ten miles from where he lived, Uncle Zhang finally found a house with a cross on the roof. It was a new Gothic-style building built during urban renewal, and it was in this building that Uncle Zhang heard this beautiful hymn of praise again. Eventually, he too became a Christian.
Today, Uncle Zhang is a member of the senior choir in his church, and every Sunday he joins his brothers and sisters in the choir to sing this song on the platform. Every time Uncle Zhang sings this song, he feels as if that angelic nurse is standing right beside him, and they are singing this beautiful hymn together!
- Translated by Joyce Leung
