Life and ministry in Zambia has been a little different than the usual months on the Race. We spent the first two weeks in Kitwe with one organization, then transferred to Livingstone for the final two weeks to work with a different organization.
While in Kitwe, we would travel into the village, garbed in our African chitenges (wrap skirt) and sing songs with the children in their language, Bemba. One particular song being Takwaba Uwaba Nga Yesu, meaning, there’s no one like Jesus. It was most definitely a crowd favorite, but probably because they loved the white people singing in their language ;).
After being in Kitwe for two weeks, we were told by AIM that we would be transferring to Livingstone to another organization. It was stressful since we were told at night that we would be leaving the next morning. After a long and exhausting bus ride, we made it to Livingstone, and I instantly knew that God would have some amazing stuff in store for us.
I was right.
My first day of evangelism, my team had split up, and as my group was walking through the village, we passed a house with a man sitting outside. Thinking we should maybe talk to him, my leader voiced my thoughts and said, “let’s go and talk to him”. The first noticeable attribute of this man was joy. He had the biggest smile on his face, and joy exuded from his voice as he spoke. His name was Ronnie, a man in his sixties who had joy in his voice, but a man also marked by pain and suffering. Walking with a stick and his left arm and hand unable to move, we quickly learned that this man had suffered from a stroke a little over a year ago. But there was so much more to this man than the visible harm done by a stroke. As we all sat down to talk with Ronnie, we heard the testimony of a man pained by so much.
We briefly learned about Ronnie’s early life, his education and career. While he was at work one day back in 2002, he had an accident that left him seriously injured. He had been taken to a witch doctor, and when he awoke there, he told his wife to either take him to a doctor, or accept that he was going to die. He was taken to the doctor, but it was too late for the doctors to inject him with anything to numb him and put him to sleep. With no other options, they strapped Ronnie down and performed surgery on him while he was awake. Sometime after his surgery, something happened.
Ronnie was declared dead.
Three hours after Ronnie died, he woke up. That’s not the only amazing thing to happen with Ronnie. While Ronnie was declared dead, he said he saw the most beautiful place he had ever seen. He was told that his foundation was not ready, and he needed to go back. So three hours later, Ronnie woke up. Ronnie lived through a tragic experience, only to have another a few years later when his stroke happened. After listening to this, one thing became very clear to me. God loves Ronnie. God loves Ronnie so much, enough to protect him in these tragic experiences.
Yes, Ronnie had physically struggled in life, but there was an underlying pain that still seemed to sit on his heart. Ronnie soon told us that he had been hurt by his family, not physically, but emotionally. While he had been sick, his brothers that he used to be close to were no longer wanting to be in his life. Why? I’m not entirely sure, but I could see that the underlying pain on his heart was unforgiveness.
Ronnie had told us he doesn’t understand God’s purpose for him. So, we continually encouraged him that his story is so powerful, and one that could be used to encourage so many people on God’s love and power. We also tried to encourage him to forgive, something he didn’t seem to keen on doing. Understandable, when people hurt it’s hard to forgive. Very hard. But, we encouraged him to do so nonetheless, then started to pray for him before leaving. We prayed for Ronnie, not only for physical healing, but the healing of his heart. We asked for forgiveness to enter into his heart. As we prayed, our host was holding Ronnie’s left hand, the hand he couldn’t move. And as we prayed, Ronnie started to grip her hand with his damaged one. We finished praying, and he had tears in his eyes.
There was Ronnie. A man who had a great life, a great job, but became injured. A man who died but became alive again. A man who suffered from a stroke but lived. A man pained by his family. A man with unforgiveness burdening him. A man who couldn’t move his left arm or hand. A man now moving the fingers in his left hand. A man absolutely and completely loved by Jesus. He sat there with tears in his eyes, saying he felt something go through his left arm. He said he could feel the strength in his hand, something he had not felt since his stroke. There was Ronnie, moving the fingers his hand, something he had been unable to do in over a year. Ronnie has started to be healed.
There is no one like Jesus.
It’s amazing the things that Jesus does for his children. Often times, we forget the power of Jesus. Miracles do not happen every time we ask for them. Everything happens in Jesus’ perfect timing which often times does not coincide with man’s perfect timing. But, every once in awhile, we see a glimpse of the power of Jesus Christ. And it’s beautiful.
We visited Ronnie twice since that day. And each time, we were greeted with his big joyous smile. It’s contagious, I promise. The second time, Ronnie was happy to show us the strength that was still in his left hand. He could still move his fingers. The third time we visited him, we did a bible study with Ronnie, and wrote program out for him to be able to do one on his own after we leave. And to our surprise that third visit, Ronnie could walk without his cane for the first time since his stroke.
I think it’s safe to say I will always remember Ronnie. Out of all my encounters on the Race, this one will always stay with me. I ask you all to think of Ronnie. Even though you have never met him, think and pray for him. For continual physical healing, and healing in his heart. Ronnie has a powerful story, one that is a true testament:
there is no one like Jesus.
