One day in Uganda we went to the local hospital to visit some of the wards and pray with the patients. After my group had prayed over the women and babies in the maternity ward we were getting ready to leave. On our way out we saw a girl bent over and walking slowly and with much effort down the path. We went to her and talked a bit. Then we helped her to a curb where we sat down and heard more of her story. She’s from Kenya, speaks Swahili, grew up Muslim and is 16 years old. She has cancer in feet and knees. Her toes were blackened and had streaks of red on them. Her parents and siblings had all died. She was all alone. We asked if she knew Jesus and she said yes. We asked when she became a Christian and she said “Today”. We were shocked. “Who came to you?” we asked. She said no one. She just knew in her heart that she needed to make Jesus the Lord of her life. So she prayed and let him in.
Then she continued to astound us by telling us that before today she could only move her hands. But then after she gave her life to Jesus she felt like she needed to and could get up. So she did and she began walking! Thats when we saw her on the path! We asked her the last time she walked and she said it was over a year ago! She hasn’t been able to walk in over a year! Yet here she was, walking! Yes it was difficult and cause her alot of pain, but she was walking! It really was a miracle.
When people become Christians here in Uganda they usually get a new name. She had previously had a Muslim name, but since that wasn’t part of her life anymore she wanted a new name and she wanted us to help her pick one! Alot of the children we’ve met out here have names like Agnes, Esther, Irene and Phyllis. But I didn’t think that any of those really fit for her. Then an idea came to mind, but I wasn’t sure. I asked her if she liked to sing.
“Oh yes! I love to sing! So much!” was her response and that sealed the deal for me. You see, when we sat down with her, I just really felt that she liked music and liked to sing. I don’t know how or why, but I just kind of knew. So I was blown away that I’d already had an inkling of this and I immediately knew what her name should be – Deborah.
In the Bible, Deborah was a judge over Israel as well as a prophetess and a singer/worship leader. She was a fighter too and after the big battle in Judges chapters 4 and 5 she sang a beautiful song out over all of Israel. If I could pick any woman figure in the Bible to be, it would be her. So I mentioned the name to the girl and explained why I picked it. She said she loved it and wanted to take it! So her new name is Deborah! It really fits her perfectly. Then we told her that she can tell other patients in the hospital her story because it is powerful. We told her she can tell people about Jesus and what he has done for her and that he can do it for them too. I also knew that I needed to get her a Bible.
To be continued…
