But the real story of the group actually occurred three nights ago in my home. The Mexicans all came over to pray with me while my wife taught their children piano upstairs. It was a spirited meeting, as Mexican meetings tend to be, and all of us were enjoying the Lord and each other. I felt led to share a problem I was having with my health, some fairly high blood pressure readings that actually resulted in achiness in my chest.

Within a few minutes of prayer the leader of the clan and his wife both had a message for me. From deep within him "Papa Fidel" tried to encourage me by telling me not to be afraid. I needed to hear that. Fear is something I have dealt with from childhood and these high numbers have had me disturbed.

More astounding was the message from Guadalupe. She said she believed that I should take a drink of water every time I felt the pain coming from now on. Now Guadalupe is a simple woman from the back country in Mexico. She is not up on modern medical theory, and her son tells me that this water method has nothing to do with Mexican tradition either.

The next day I was amazed at what I found when I put the words "water" and "blood pressure" together on a Google search. There truly is a connection. I have had no prolonged pain since that day, and when it has threatened, I have simply drunk it away.

I have not been a water-drinker most of my life. The research points to this as a possible reason for my high blood pressure. My doctors have told me to get on medicine or risk death. But the ones who study this point out that medicine can create even more dangers. I was in a very desperate situation, knowing not only the research but the experience of side effects from the limited amount of b.p. medicine I have taken.

Desperate men turn to God. I cried out recently, Lord, if you do not want to heal me miraculously, show me some substance I can get over the counter, at the drug store...