He sits on a dusty street corner, paralyzed in his legs, migraines in his head, and no food in his stomach. He is an orphan…no father, no mother. His rusty, blue wheelchair is parked along the street, and he sits on the sidewalk in the shade to escape the heat of the noon day sun.
He is forsaken by society and by the (Catholic) church. His brothers have spent the last two months drinking their lives away. People take advantage of him, steal his new wheelchair if he is given one, and even worse, make degrading comments of him in his situation.
His paralysis comes from being pushed off a bell tower, and breaking his back in a Catholic church around 25 years ago. Begging is his source of income. And more often than not, his stomach is empty from lack of food.
Is there any hope for this man? Will he live the rest of his life on this street corner? Will he ever walk again?
As we walked home from “Ministry”, the real ministry began. We rounded the street corner and there he sat, dejectedly working on fixing a part on his wheelchair. We continued to walk until someone said, “Hey, we have to pray for this man!” And so we gathered round him and began blessing him, and speaking life into him. Sara-a local who is working with is in ministry-explained the gospel to him and what Christ did for us, then asked him if he wants to accept Jesus into his life. He said, “Yes”!
He bows his head and repeats a prayer after Sara repenting of his sins, and surrendering his life to Jesus Christ! After the prayer he lifts his head, a smile replaces a look of dejection, and a sparkle chases out the hopelessness in his dark brown eyes. A miracle has just taken place! Greater than any blind eye seeing, deaf ear opening, and dead being raised to life, is the greatest miracle of God taking His life, and placing it inside of the human body!
We ask for healing in his body, for relief from his migraines, buy him lunch, take up a little offering him, and go on our way, thanking God for replacing hopelessness, with hope, and sadness with joy.
His name is Tonito. Please join me in praying for his complete healing. He said his headaches had cleared up, but we are also believing for complete healing in his legs as well! Tonito, may you feel the embrace of the Father even though the rest of the world passes you by!
