This month I’m in Churachandpur, India working with an organization called Bibles for the World. As a part of our ministry here, my team and I sometimes go to pop up medical clinics in surrounding villages to pray with and encourage patients.
On one such day, our friends at the medical clinic carried in a man who was lying on a bench for us to pray for. We were informed that his name is Seiboy. He is 25-years-old and has been paralyzed from the waist down for about a year since falling from a fourth floor balcony.
We immediately began to pray. As World Racers, we fully believe that God still heals people and expect to see His miracles in the coming months on the race. To guide us in these practices and beliefs we look to scriptures like John 5:8-9 and James 5:15
Jesus said to him, “Get up, take up your bed, and walk.” And at once the man was healed, and at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked.
And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
During our time of prayer, however, God did not choose to physically heal Seiboi.
Of course, at first I struggled with disappointment. I would have liked nothing more than to have seen Seiboi rise up and walk with new hope to father a family and have an illustrious career.
Quickly, though, my mind transitioned. I began to evaluate what my team and I could do to best help Seiboi in his current state.
I reasoned that even though he is paralyzed, he is still a young man of about my same age. Therefore, I determined to simply make him my friend.
I sat for the rest of the afternoon simply chatting with Seiboi. We discussed movies, American football, and our favorite foods. We talked about our favorite places to travel and the kind of music that we like. Right before it was time for my team to leave for the day, Seiboi pronounced that I’m “really cool.”
I hope that I gave Seiboi a great day and provided a break in the monotony of being bed-ridden in his house.
Meanwhile, Seiboi taught me a great lesson. He reminded me that as Christians, we are not only called to provide spiritual care but also tangible care. After all, Jesus fed the 5,000, and the Christians in Acts sold their possessions to meet the physical needs of the community.
Mother Teresa once said, “I used to pray that God would feed the hungry, or do this or that, but now I pray that he will guide me to do whatever I’m supposed to do, what I can do. I used to pray for answers, but now I’m praying for strength. I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us and we change things. “
Hers are words that I strive to live by for the next 11 months on the race and for the rest of my life.
A few days ago 2 of my squadmates and I took a tuk tuk to Seiboi’s house with a pizza and hopes of continuing to encourage him and his family. We had a great afternoon of conversation and laughs.
When we returned, I talked to another squadmate who is a physical therapist. We plan to return to his home in the next few days so she can assess and hopefully improve his situation.
I ask that you pray for Seiboi’s physical healing but also for his emotional health as time goes on.
With love,
Brooke
