Yesterday my team and I had the opportunity to go to a remote village in the middle of the mountains. It took us several hours to traverse the relatively short distance of about 45 miles from where we are staying. The drive was rough even in the 4×4 we hired to take us there. Once we got there, we stepped out of the car and looked out from the top of this mountain to see an incredible view that for a brief moment took your breath away. The mountains were terraced for farming as far as you could see, a feat that must have taken generations considering they are still using the same tools their ancestors were using. Immediately you get the feeling this isn’t a place where you can find an easy way of life, everything is difficult.
As we sat down in this small cinderblock church, preparing ministry for a group of local children, my eyes fell upon this young boy. He was hunched over and struggling to find the proper footing with every delicate step he took. He had a smile that seemed to make nothing else matter, (and a perfectly straight set of teeth that I would have died for at his age considering the excessive amount of time I spent picking food out of my braces as a kid haha.) I couldn’t take my eyes off him; the Holy Spirit kept drawing my eyes back to him every time they seemed to stray away.
Finally the service was over and I’d have the opportunity to sit down and talk to him. I wanted to know every thing he had to say, his words were like fuel to the fire the Spirit had put inside of me. I learned that his name was Shofall and for a 12 year old boy he has experienced more pain than most people can imagine, having lost both of his parents at a young age. Day in and day out he is burdened by having to watch the other kids run and play. He told me how much he likes soccer but as soon as I asked if he liked playing he got quiet and looked away, I felt terrible for asking the question that I honestly knew the answer to but didn’t think about as I asked. My heart began to cry out for this boy, I wanted so badly for him to be able run and play soccer with his friends but it wasn’t possible with his legs.
Before we left I asked my new friend if my team and I could pray for him, we asked if he believed that God could heal his legs. He responded with a big smile and an eager “yes, I believe He can heal me.” As we began to pray for him my eyes filled with tears and the Holy Spirit began to spread like wild fire inside of my body as my tears ran uncontrollably down my face. It was the first time in my life I have been so driven by compassion and emotion for another person that I don’t even know. The prayers of my team ceased but there was no difference in his legs. So I put my faith in the Lord as I felt Him ask me to pray for this boy again so again my team and I came to the throne of God on our knee’s asking for this boy to be healed. My emotions ran higher as the Spirit made His presence more known within my heart. And again the prayers ended and Shofall again was not healed. At this point our contact is telling us its time to go and we need to leave for our next stop that afternoon. As I walked down to the road to head back to our car my heart was heavy as I wanted so badly for Shofall to be healed, but again I felt the Lord telling me we need to pray for this boy again. I was nervous, I didn’t want to seem weird or be judged for my actions so I told God that if He really wanted me to pray for Shofall again then I needed a clear sign.
I had already walked around the corner when I turned around to see Shofall chasing after my team and I he wanted to walk with us till the very last moment he could. I couldn’t have held a straight face even if I tried! I was smiling ear to ear confident that God had answered my prayer and that He was going to heal my new friend after we prayed for him again. Every step of that walk was difficult for him but brought me so much joy that he was willing to push himself to spend more time with us. Once we got to the car I knelt beside him and began to pray with every fiber of my being, asking the Spirit to perform the miracle only He could do. And for the third time I had to come to terms that God hadn’t healed the boy I felt so strongly for and was so sure that he would be healed.
I will not try to hide it, I was upset, mad, aggravated, etc. because I can’t see or understand things as God does. As much as I tried I couldn’t understand why God hadn’t healed Shofall, especially when I felt so lead by the Holy Spirit. I may never know the answer to that question at least until I have the opportunity to ask Jesus in Heaven. But I do know that the Lord gave me peace as I prayed from the car window watching my friend disappear into the distance. I felt the Lord telling me, “You don’t have to witness my healings to have faith that I will perform these good things for my children. I want you to trust me that even when you can’t see these manifestations of my love that my plans for all my children are plans of good and I never intend or want any of my children to suffer but I can only work throughout my own timing.”
I am still $950 short of being fully funded, if you would please prayerfully consider helping support me to reach this goal I would be extremely blessed and honored to represent you while serving the Kingdom of Heaven for the next few months as part of this incredible missions trip.
