Fourteen days into the illness, during a Friday evening service, Darrel Hofer, had written a song that everyone kept singing:

“Cast the Mamba in the fire,

Tell the devil he is a liar,

Then turn up the heat

And burn his deceit.”

The African Mamba is one of the most feared venomous snakes in Africa.  Without swift intervention, a bitten person will see symptoms in minutes. The victim dies of respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse. 

As I listened to this song, my lungs were literally failing. My oxygen level had fallen to 83. I truly believe I was between life and death.

That night, around three o'clock in the morning, I awakened and found myself standing beside my bed looking at myself lying there. Although it was three in the morning, it appeared to be daylight outside. Suddenly a black sheet flew over my shoulder into the garbage can. Immediately the words came to me: “Cast the Mamba in the fire.”

Later that afternoon I asked Sister Katie to take the Mamba, tie it up, carry it to the fire pit, and burn it. There was no literal snake, but Katie took that to heart, and we agreed together that this thing that was attacking me would be burned. 

The following Friday I was so weak that two brothers carried me from my bed and helped me into the car. Katie drove me back to the hospital. As soon as oxygen was placed on me, I revived.

I spent twenty-one days in the hospital. During the night I was transferred by ambulance to another hospital and ended up on the fifth floor. To me that spoke of one thing: God's grace.

The next morning I ate breakfast for the first time in weeks and kept it down.

Beside my bed was a large window overlooking a flat-roofed building. As I looked outside, I saw little white turtle doves. They stopped directly in front of my window. I could not hear them, but I knew they were speaking to me. They remained there for about ten minutes. When they flew away, I realized there had been three of them.

Brother Branham said, “Three is life.”

Then I knew with certainty: “Satan, you cannot take this life.”

The presence of the Lord filled my hospital room. For two days I simply wept. Then the Lord gave me a song and impressed upon my heart that when I came out of the hospital I would sing it with my family.

Satan tried to take my life.

Through prayer, the answer was on the way.

Three turtle doves so pure and white,

A glorious victory was in sight.

This bloodline Satan came across;

He was stopped by Love Divine.

Doves came to lead this eagle home,

Pure and clean, made fully whole.

I began to recover and was released from the hospital, and recovered steadily for three weeks. Today I stand as a witness that the Lord gave me a brand-new set of lungs. I feel unstoppable—not because of my own strength, but because of what God has done for me.  My lungs are stronger now than they were before.  There has been no relapse, no ongoing health problems.  I can play the harmonica more than ever.  At over 75 years old, I am strong and busy.  I still work full time, in construction projects. 

After sharing this testimony at a church service I played “Amazing Grace” on my harmonica.  Later, when I traveled to Lithuania, I gave my testimony through an interpreter.  There was a woman listening who was suffering from the same condition that I had, and she asked me to pray for her.  That is how the Lord does.  He touches one person, and another gets faith from hearing the story, and then he can help that person too. 

My desire is simple. If this testimony can instill even a little faith in someone's heart, especially someone who is believing God for healing, then it has fulfilled its purpose. God truly does answer back, my story proves it. 

May the Lord bless you, strengthen your faith, and remind you that nothing is impossible with Him.