Megan's Heart Transplant Story
"Heart transplant survivor dies just a few hours after giving birth." This and similar headlines have been on CNN, Fox News, and have even reached international outlets. God gave Megan Moss Johnson seven joyful years after her transplant and brought a precious little girl into this world by preserving Megan's life the first time. In the book Megan's Heart, her aunt, Sharon Bushey, tells the story of the faith-filled prayers that surrounded those days of waiting for a new heart. The following is adapted from the book and tells of one of the many prayer events that preceded Megan's surgery.
Josh Dampf, cousin of Megan and MidAmerica Nazarene University Student Body President, had just learned Megan had pneumonia and was so weak, that even if a donor heart became available, she was too sick to receive it. Josh's stomach sank. God reminded him of the more than 1,000 high school students who had gathered for MAX (MidAmerica Xtreme). Josh gained permission to speak to the group.
"Just like you, I grew up coming to this competition each year," Josh began. "My 23-year-old cousin, Megan, also grew up participating in MAX, but today she is very sick and needs a donor heart."
Josh then felt impressed to tell the miracle story of his Aunt Shar, his mom's younger sister. "All my life, I've heard my mom tell the story of how my Aunt Shar was brought back to life by prayer when she was a toddler."
He described that his mom was almost five years old when her family attended a denominational assembly in Portland, Oregon. While running down a ramp, his Aunt Shar had fallen over the edge--30 feet to the concrete floor. Her body went limp and her eyes rolled back in her head; the convention nurse told the family, "I'm sorry, but she is dead."
Josh continued, "My grandma and grandpa didn't accept the bleak report. Instead, they sped to the nearest hospital. Someone who believed in miracles interrupted an important convention and asked ten thousand people to intercede for the toddler who had fallen to her death. While the people were praying, my grandparents heard noises coming from Shar's throat. She began to breathe!
"The little girl who left the convention center with no pulse walked out of that emergency room with no injuries--not even a broken bone!--because a group of people were willing to intercede and believe for a miracle for a little girl they didn't even know.
"Without a miracle, Megan will die today! I believe in a God who can do the impossible when His people intercede! What is intercession? It's when you have proactive faith and choose to stand in the gap; you take the burden of prayer for someone who cannot pray for herself."
In closing Josh explained, "I don't believe God simply gives us whatever we ask for. Yet I do believe God wants to reveal Himself to His people. If God does not heal Megan, I know my family will continue to proclaim His faithfulness.
"Right now we need to specifically pray about the pneumonia in Megan's body. The doctors say that if this pneumonia doesn't leave, she has no hope for a transplant. Let's pray."
Josh began pacing and praying. Teens, parents, and college students who didn't even know Megan began praying so fervently that some even wept.
As Josh ended his prayer it seemed that he heard God say, I've heard you, child. I will answer.
Back in the hospital, Megan stunned the nurse by asking for food. Her new strength was not medically possible. It had to be supernatural. Later that evening, they learned a heart was available and Megan had surgery the next day.
