We have prayed for several healings. I have heard numerous testimonies of people that were healed. I read the Bible and I see Jesus and the disciples healing people. I believe in the power of prayer. So why was I not seeing people healed? These were the frustrations I voiced to God as we began our ministry in rural Swaziland.
I spent the past week in Nsoko, Swaziland. It was a very rural area. The first Sunday we went to a local church. Sean spoke at church and our team quickly connected with the pastors and the people in the community. Sean was invited back to speak several nights during the week. Since the other two teams were busy finishing up their ministry, we made plans to make house visits with the pastors in the morning. We had to wait until Wednesday because we were committed to helping out at teacher training. Home visits were new to me, as I imagine everything will be this year. I had never visited people in their home to pray for them or share Christ with them.
We visited two houses the first morning. First, we went to a house to see a Helma who had suffered from a stroke in 1995. The entire left side of her body was paralyzed forcing her to spend years lying in bed. Her sister-in-law and daughter took care of her. They were very tired and worn out from attending to her all the time. I did not go in the room because I stayed outside to intercede while Jenny, Allison, Morgan and the pastors went in to pray for her. They said she looked very weak. She could barely talk, her words were slurred, and she could not sit up without the help of many people and much struggle. The girls talked with her and prayed over her and the sister-in-law.
When we went back the next morning, she looked a little better, but she was still struggling to breathe and it was hard for her to talk. We prayed again for healing. My heart was to continue going back to the same houses and build relationships with these people. I really wanted to pour into Helma. I know that she rarely has visitors. She had a strong faith in Christ, but her husband is not a believer and she said that she didn’t get to read the Bible often.
Saturday morning, Sean and I decided to visit with her for a couple hours to talk, sing some songs and read the Bible. We were blown away when we walked in the room. She looked so much better. She was talking much clearer and she was not struggling to breathe. We were so thankful, as was she. It was such a good time to just talk with her and laugh. She gave Sean and I Swazi names. Mine is Khetsiwe, meaning the chosen one.
Monday was our last day in Swaziland. We went again for our last house visit. First stop, Helma. When we went in the house, the pastors talked with the sister-in-law for a moment. They said that Helma was doing really well and that she had greatly improved. We walked in the room and we were amazed at how great she looked. She looked like a completely different person. She was talking perfectly clear English. She was sitting up. She said that her pain had gone away. She even stood up (with help) to show us how much better she felt and how she had been strengthened. It was incredible. I am not sure why I was so surprised since I had prayed to God for healing. I was thrilled. Each of our faiths was strengthened that day. After a wonderful visit, we prayed over her again.
I know that God is healing her and that He will continue to do so. He is so powerful and so intimately involved in each of our lives. He completely crushed any questions and frustrations I had brought with me to Swaziland. There is so much power in prayer and He is just waiting for us to cover this world in prayer and for us to cry out to Him. It was such a blessing for me to know this woman, spend time with her and see how God was working in her life.
Stay tuned for more stories from Swaziland (pending internet availability!)…
