My Grandpa wrote the following a few years before he passed away. He did get to take the trip to China that He describes. I pray that his life will be an inspiration to you as it was to me. His life is testimony to the healing hand of God, both miraculously and through the hands of doctors. His life is also testimony to faith in God, God’s provision, guidance, comfort, and relationship with us. God still heals, provides, and comforts. I pray you will be blessed as you read my grandpa’s testimony. I am truly blessed to have such a role model in my life to follow after.
MY MISSION TO CHINA
BY DAN DUNN
The story really begins in 1950 in Arizona when I keeled over one day at work and woke up six weeks later in a hospital. Trouble was they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. Finally they discovered it was Acute Bacterial Endcarditis which up to that time was 100% fatal. No one had ever recovered from it. The Doctor came in one night to tell the news to my wife and my mother. He also told them that he had a new antibiotic being flown in from Chicago. He told them that I only had 2 hours longer to live and that we should try anything that showed any promise at all. After a short period of thought they agreed. After all, there was nothing to loose. so they tried the new antibiotic and also tried something else – mega dosages of penicillin. they gave me 2 million units. At that time the maximum dose of penicillin that had ever been given before was 50,000 units. My day nurse came in the next morning and asked “what time did Mr. Dunn die?” They answered, “He didn’t die.”
Just prior to waking up for the first time in weeks I remember seein a hazy area with shapes of people you couldn’t quite see and I heard a voice, “Go back you aren’t supposed to be here yet.” I woke up but didn’t yet realize I was alive. I thought I was still in Heaven. Around the bed were all those white coated shapes. After being with the Lord I thought these white coated shapes were angelic beings. After a while I realized they were my doctors and nurses and I was very much alive.
After recovering from the shock of being alive, I realized I couldn’t move or talk other than a mumble. I was told no to try to talk. By their conversation I found out I had lost weight from 145 lbs. down to 65 lbs. which was the reason I couldn’t move or talk. The nurses were great. They would turn me several times a day to prevent bed sores. I could only answer by a slight smile.
It was very difficult with an active mind to pass time. I was really alone like never before. I’ve heard of people dieing from this malady of being penned up helpless in their own body. I found however that I had a Friend who had not only spared my life but would keep me company. i would spend long hours which now were much much shorter talking to my Lord Jesus. I could stay in this meeting with my Lord for long periods of time and be happy. This was generally broken only by the nurse coming to perform her duties – another needle, another IV, etc. These meetings were so wonderful that the doctors were amazed at my progress. They didn’t know the cause of my recovery but I did – I found a Friend. Oh such a Friend. Amen
A few years later I moved to California to work at the Naval Weapons Center. a few years after arriving there I started having trouble with my equilibrium. If I was going to walk anywhere I would try to find a way to hold onto something along the way. When I needed to cross the aircraft hanger floor at work I would go around the side so I could hold onto the wall. Finally I went to the local hospital, the Drummond Medical Clinic, and saw Dr. Drummond. He said I had a brain tumor and sent me down to LA to see a neurologist.
Dr. Drummond was a well-known surgeon widely recognized by the medical field. a lady for instance came in to see him one day. he told her she needed an operation and that it would cost her $300. She agreed but she let it be known that she wasn’t going to be worked on by only a small town doctor in a small village hospital. Dr. Drummond said alright, I’ll get you into the hospital in San Francisco. There she had a large single room- nurses and everything else. After the operation she was told they brought in a first rate specialist and everything was fine. She wanted to know his name. They told her his name was Dr. Drummond who was flown in from Ridgecrest. Her total bill now was $3500.
The neurologist I saw agreed with Dr. Drummond and sent me over to see a neurological surgeon who again tested me. He agreed with the other two. He said that something should definitely be done right away but there were difficulties. The prognosis was 90% fatal and at best a 5% to 7% chance of recovery. If I did recover, I would be mainly a vegetable – only a 2% or 3% chance of anything better at all. These two doctors were the best in their field west of the Mississippi. In other words, they were good! after hearing this, all the personnel on the base started to collect money for the widow to be with three little children, and all the churches in the area started to pray. There was nothing I could do but go along with the doctors and say okay.
That night I stayed in prayer communing with the Lord a long time and prayed, “I am yours Lord – heart, soul, and spirit. I am in your hands Lord. Whatsoever you will let it be done.” I felt a great peace inside me and I was happy and contented – no problems. I was in good hands.
The surgeon performed a Ventricular Gram. In this they drill two holes in the scull and pass oxygen in, so a fluoroscope picture can be taken. This picture shows the brain pattern. The area where the tumor is will be blank in the picture which tells the doctor where the trouble is, how big it is, etc. The next morning after the operation (which was really an advanced test to give the doctor additional needed information) the surgeon came to my room and it was obvious he was greatly disturbed. Coming over to the bed he asked me how I felt. I said, “Fine”. “Can you sit up?” he said, and I sat up. Next he asked, “Can you dangle your feet over the edge of the bed?” and I did – no problem. Then, “Can you stand up?” I did with no difficulty. “I don’t suppose you could walk over to the wall and back!” I thought twice about that because it was about eight feet away and there was nothing for me to hold onto. However, after a moments hesitation I walked over to the wall and back with no difficulty and sat on the edge of the bed again. I was amazed because only the day before I couldn’t have done that. The doctor looked at me and these were his words, “I can’t be wrong! Three of us, all of us tops in our fields, agreed on the diagnosis. We can’t all be that wrong!” He stopped, was puzzled and then said, “You know, somebody up there likes you.” and walked away.
Years later I was in Florida attending the First Baptist Church when I began having difficulties with black out spells. One day I came to church, parked but never got out of the car. I had a bad heart attack and all but passed out. I could see and hear but was impaired. I don’t know how long it was before a brother and sister in the Lord stopped at the car. Thank God there’s many brothers and sisters in the Lord in this church all willing to help and work in whatever capacity the Lord sets before them. The two stayed with me at the car and sent another brother over to the church and told one of the ushers. He went up to the podium and the minister stopped his sermon and asked if there was a doctor int he house. A doctor and a nurse from the service came and put me in a wheel chair and took me to the church.
The ambulance came and took me to Wousthof Hospital where my doctor was called. He said that I needed to go to Orlando to the Heart Center. I said okay that my sister, who was visiting, would take me. The doctor said, “No!” He said it will have to be an air evacuation and that the helicopter would be there as soon as possible. I was flown to Orlando, landed on the hospital grounds where a team with a gurney was waiting. A short time later I was in surgery for a ventricular gram. This is a tiny TV camera which is shoved up through a blood vessel from the groin to the heart. I had to be conscience for this so they asked me if I wanted to watch the monitor and I said, “Yes”. They were pleased because the blood stream was so clear. They found no incrustations stuck to the walls which they said was very good. Shortly after, well the next day, I was in surgery again for open heart surgery for a mitrol valve replacement – a seven hour operation.
The doctor told me that when I began to feel better I would be surprised – I wasn’t just surprised, it was unbelievable! So many of my life long troubles disappeared. For the first time in my life I felt healthy and strong. My own doctor told me I was unbelievably lucky because he said when I went to the heart center, I only had a couple of days left to live at the most.
This left me mystified and in awe. I didn’t, couldn’t understand how or why the Lord would perform one life saving miracle on me – let alone three. I just couldn’t understand. I wasn’t worthy. I did not deserve it. Why would the Lord spare my life? I fell so far short in so many ways. It just wasn’t plausible in my mind. I talked with several pastors about this but to no satisfaction. I was for a good many years mystified.
Then one day I was in church listening to our Pastor Dr. McKinley preach a sermon. He used a familiar quotation from the Bible which I had used in talking to people many times. The quote, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” I finally realized, of course I am not worthy – none of us are! Only He is worthy! all of us have sinned, and it is only He who makes us worthy! Who am I to question the Lord? Mine is to be thankful, to praise the Lord for His goodness and kindness, to pray, and do my best to do His will.
Then the evangelistic group, Truth, came to our church. They are a great group and I was enthralled by their presence. I heard about their trip to Russia where throusands upon thousands heard them. There were something like 17,000 people saved. I got to talking to the group and heard about their upcoming trip to China. I just had to know more. I called them at their home office and was sent the information about China. It was like I was being pushed to go. I sent the deposit in and was accepted. I was going to China as a temporary missionary. Now I knew I had to go.
Now a new question arose – money. However, I wasn’t worried because I knew I had to go. When I said yes I knew the Lord would provide somehow. I called my son, Tom, and told him about it. He answered and said that they had a $1,000 set aside for purposes like this, that they would donate to the cause.
Money for the trip then started to flow in from various sources. For years I was the national representative for the Dunn clan. I had just recently took a trip to Ireland for the Dunn family reunion. I had a great time there and received a $350 reduction in the expense for being a representative. I thought that was it. Then at just the right time I unexpectantly got a letter with $913.57 in commission. I never knew anything about that until I got it. Everything was happening just as I knew it would when I first knew I had to go to China. The trip was now assured. Everything was falling into place just as the Lord directed.
To feel the almighty power of the Lord’s hand, to be empowered by His hand, and to take part for His glory with such a Godly and marvelous group as Truth, I am so blessed. I’ll be walking on air on cloud nine for a long time to come.
I am thankful for lessons about life which the Lord has and still continues to teach me. It is easy to respond to the Lord when circumstances seem to go just right and there doesn’t seem to be a problem in the world. But what about the times when things are not going just right? When you are in pain, when you are suffering, or moreover when the process of death has kicked in and seems to be certain. I choose to trust in the Lord whatever the circumstances and believe in Him for the answer. David the psalmist wrote, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me.” How blessed it is to know Him. He gives me joy even when circumstances around me fail. He is there for you too and will never leave you nor forsake you. Jesus said, “I will be with you even to the end of the world.” I am looking forward to going to China to share the good news of the Lord Jesus Christ. To walk with Him, to trust in Him is truly a joy unspeakable.
