11-08-14 Our First Day Evangelizing in Livingstone
I was paired up with two people from my squad and two local women. It was our first and only stop. We were welcomed into the home of Miss Dorothy and Mr. Bosie. As we talked with them, we learned that both were school teachers. Mr. Bosie taught Agriculture Sciences and Miss Dorothy taught younger children. It was obvious to us that Mr. Bosie was not feeling well. His exact condition is unknown, but believed to be related to Dungee Fever. His feet were swollen and due to this he had not been walking much over the past three months, resulting in very stiff joints and joint pain. After we talked for a little while, we were asked to pray for him. He had been to a doctor three months ago, but the medication brought no decrease in symptoms—he only got worse. So, we prayed and asked God for healing.
Some of you reading might be like me, raised believing, “God does not move like that any more.” Either way, welcome to my journey in facing reality and faith. Let me paint the picture for you: you’re living in Zambia, it’s 113 degrees outside, you have not worked in three months, you have little to not enough money for more doctor visits, and there is a good chance you do not have any sort of health insurance. Now this may not be the exact case for every Zambian, but for many this is the case (or even worse). Who would you call on if you were the one stuck laying around for three months? What if it were me? God sounds like a great starting point. God is our creator and is all sufficient. He knew us before we were formed in our mother’s womb. “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.” (?Psalm? ?139?:?13? ESV) We called on God. Did we see him miraculously healed? No. So you might asked how we excused God not healing him instantly? We did not. God needs no excuse. He is perfect in all He does. We then took time to read Mr. Bosie some scripture from Psalms 143 and 146.
It was after we prayed and read with Mr. Bosie and his wife that Miss Dorothy began to share how God has been healing Mr. Bosie. He was worse she said, and she was really concerned for him before. Then a few sisters from a church came to visit and pray with him. It was by God working through those women that they encouraged her to pray not only for her husband, but with him. Over time, as she began to pray with her husband, God began to heal Mr. Bosie. He began to eat and regain an appetite, he began to regain strength, and through it all, God was drawing Miss Dorothy into a deeper and stronger relationship with her Savior Jesus Christ.
I admit I still had my doubts at moments and questions, but the question I asked myself is: Why did we go? Why did we pray? In reflecting on this moment, this is what I realized:
She was encouraged by us visiting, praying, and reading scripture. She was encouraged to continue and not give up, her spirits were lifted. It was not about us; it was not about witnessing a miracle. God was in fact healing Mr Bosie. We were there to encourage them. The medication proved useless without God in it to heal him. We finished in prayer and we had Mr. Bosie stand with us for a second and last time to pray for him and their family. It was obviously draining for him to do that, but a sign of improvement from his previous state.
As we went to leave Miss Dorothy joyfully hugged all of us with her spirits lifted, and asked when we were returning next week to see his health improved even more? She believed, she said “I believe he will be better next time you come.”
Follow posts tagged ‘Mr. Bosie’ to follow him and what God is doing through him.
