i was doing door-to-door evangelism with lindsay for the day. along with our translator we were going from house to house in butende, uganda to share the love of christ with people. we had already led a few people to the lord that day and were on our way back to the church for lunch. there was a group of women and children sitting under a tent of sorts in front of a simple home. we walked up just to say hello.
that was the first time i saw jamal.
jamal is a six year old little boy who has been crippled since birth. he is so undergrown that he appears to be only three or four. he cannot walk or talk. his hands and feet are deformed. his teeth are rotting and his eyes were competely glazed over. from a distance there appeared to be very little life in this young boy.
we began talking to his mother who told us that jamal has been demon possessed since he was born. the family believed a curse was put on him because his father is a muslim man. his mother, a believer, asked us to pray for him. the second we began to approach him jamal started screaming bloody murder. it was a shrill, horrified kind of scream. we prayed for about ten minutes before deciding we should go. the screaming was drawing quite the crowd and didn’t feel comfortable making such a commotion.
leaving, we both felt strongly that jamal needed more prayer. he needed to be delievered of whatever it was that had such a hold on him. we prayed about it and decided to go back the next afternoon.
when we approached the house on the second day it was the same story. deafening screams and a flailing little boy. a mother who seemed desperate and exhausted. we explained to her that we would like to pray for jamal again. we told her that jesus is the only one who could set him free but that it might take a little bit of time. we told her that we would pray as long as it took if she would like us to. she agreed, saying she believed god would heal her son.
so i picked up a little boy, determined to see freedom manifest itself.
and the jesus in me stared down the evil spirits who were oppressing an innocent little boy.
lindsay and i prayed with every ounce of ferocity we could muster up. we didn’t yell or become impatient or angry. we just spoke with the authority jesus died to give us. we broke off the bondanges of witchcraft and crippledness. we spoke life, freedom, healing, and joy into a little boy who was created for love. we prayed over jamal for almost two hours. i watched his eyes change in front of me. i witnessed his body relax and his mouth take a new shape. i felt evil leave and love enter. and when it was all over i was simply holding a little boy. a little boy who just needs more of jesus. a little boy who i believe will someday run and play with the rest of the kids. a little boy who will preach and prophesy in the name of jesus christ.
we went back to visit jamal yesterday. his countenance was entirely differet than the days before. he was still crippled but seemed much more peaceful. please keep jamal and his family in your prayers as they continue to walk in their newfound freedom.
kingdom come.
