There is a story I love to hear my mother tell that happened when I was seven years old. Our church was having a series of meetings. The speaker and his wife, James and Sarah,1 were parked next to the church in their travel camper. One day, Sarah became sick and was confined to her bed. Her health talk, music, and beautiful chalk drawings were missed each night.

Sarah was treated by doctors and improved, but her white blood cell count would not return to a safe and healthy level, leaving her feeling weak and susceptible to minor illnesses. Sarah had struggled with her health for years, and she and her husband feared this sickness might result in death.

Church members were supportive during this time, providing food and care, but Sarah needed additional help soon to save her life. So a plan began to form in my mother's mind. She knew the benefits of hydrotherapy,2 so she asked two nurses to administer it if Sarah was willing. The nurses agreed, and Sarah was tenderly brought to our house, where the bathtub was larger than her camper's bathtub.

After James and the pastor brought Sarah into the house, they prayed earnestly and asked God to intervene. James looked worried, and Sarah's eyes revealed a dull, lifeless look. Then the men left, and the treatment began. I remember seeing my mother and one of the nurses scurry back and forth to the kitchen for more hot water from the stove while the other nurse hovered over Sarah.

Once, while the nurse was replacing the cold cloth, Sarah looked over with a puzzled look and weakly asked, "How many people does it take to care for me?" The three ladies just chuckled and thought nothing more of it. The bathroom in our home was very small and would seem crowded with three to four people in it.

Later, Sarah was carefully tucked into bed, her eyes already much brighter. Again, the nurses and my mother prayed with Sarah for her healing.

After the prayer, Sarah asked, "Who was the other young woman helping you?"

"Why, it was just the three of us," my mother stammered, looking puzzled.

"I saw the two nurses and you standing in the bathroom, but I saw a woman in a white uniform with short, dark hair behind you. Who was she?" Sarah implored.

Of course, there was no such woman in our house that day. It could only have been an angel.

God did save Sarah's life from this sickness. And my mother and the two nurses were blessed because they partnered with God in ministering to their sick friend.

Kara Kerbs is the new assistant women's dean at Indiana Academy and author of a new book, A Way of Escape, which includes other angel stories.

1. Not their actual names

2. Hydrotherapy is the therapeutic use of water in medical treatment of certain diseases. It may include alternating hot and cold compresses to relieve suffering.