Our team has been living on a hospital base called Almeca Medicare here in Uganda working with an organization "Save the Aids Orphans Uganda". An amazing ministry.
Today something happened and I am in shock and I don't know whether to call it sad, terrible, happy, or to be grateful…..
Around 12 this afternoon I walked around the hospital as I noticed some older women sitting on the floor. I smiled and introduced myself as they greeted me and I felt very welcomed! We chit-chatted for a while and then I asked if they were sick? The one lady that actually understood me pointed to her friend and said she has malaria. I then asked if I could pray for her. She smiled and said yes. After praying for healing in her body then another lady grabbed my arm with no idea where we were going I followed her to a door down the hallway. As we entered the room I was introduced to her brother who was sitting next to his very sick father. He was lying in a bed hooked up to respiratory tubes and more. He was breathing heavily and didn't open his eyes. He looked horrible. My heart broke for this man. He has tuberculosis.
After talking with his son for a while I asked if it was ok if I prayed for Him. He asked his father and he finally opened his eyes. As I grabbed his hand, he held onto it as I began to pray. I prayed for healing in His body. I asked God to heal Him in the ways He needed to be healed. I asked for healing in His heart and for people to see Jesus through Him. I prayed for Him to reign in the situation and to give the man an abundant life.
When I said "A-men" and opened my eyes, the old, sick man looked at me with his tired eyes as he said "thank you" in his language. As I looked into his eyes I saw a glimpse of Jesus. I turned around and there were now 6 other people in the room that had come in to pray with us that I didn't notice before. I asked his son if he knew the Lord and He said yes =) with a big smile on his face. We then praised God together that God is a Healer of All things.
I then said "see you later" and told them I'd be back to visit later today.
It is now 6pm here and I went about a half hour ago to see him. When I walked in the door there was no one to be found. I thought it was strange, but figured they moved to another room. I then went to the receptionist to ask an unrelated question. Before leaving she stopped me and said, so I heard you went and prayed with a specific sick man today. Not knowing how she knew, I said, "yes i did." She then proceeded to tell me that He has passed away at 2pm.
OH MY GOSH! I gasped and almost fell on the ground. I didn't know what to say or what to ask. I just felt really sad and couldn't believe I was holding his hand just hours before. His family took his body home and will have the burial tomorrow.
I walked silently to my room not knowing what to think or even what to say or ask God….then I remembered…………
This month I have been studying the Names of God. Really learning and understanding WHO HE IS. I have learned that He is El Elyon- God Most High. He is Sovereign no matter what. He is in control and nothing happens in this world without His permission. He is Ruler in all situations. That is who He is. Even when we don't understand situations, because we are human, He is still good. There is a purpose and plan for all things.
Today I am learning who Jehovah-rapha is. "The Lord who Heals" When we think Healing we think that there must be a problem with someone's physical body. This definitely could be the case, but not the only case. I realize that God- Jehovah-rapha is HEALER of all things. He heals us of our physical bodies, He heals us of our sins, He heals the land around us that has been destroyed due to natural disasters or other things, and I know that we are healed because of His (Jesus') wounds when He died on the cross for us. If He was never wounded the way He was then we would never be Healed the way we are!
It amazes me that He heals all things!
This man, Ngobi William is his name, is a HEALED man. I rejoice that I was able to meet him, pray with him, speak life with him, and see hope in his eyes before he passed. I still can't believe it happened the way it did, but hey, I am human and will never understand exactly why. But I do trust with all my heart that God is SOVEREIGN, He is PROVIDER, and He is HEALER.
Thank you Jesus for this sweet sweet man that I got to meet today. I pray that his life was a life lived for you and that through him his family and others would know what true Healing looks like. Thank you Lord!! You are so good.
