My Friend Naté
Since arriving in the Philippines we’ve had the privilege of living life with our boys at the Children’s Garden, sharing the Gospel with street kids, working in prisons with men and women (you’ll hear more about that in another blog – they are awesome), and getting to know our new friend Naté.
Naté used to be one of the boys who lived here at the Children’s Garden, and now that he’s 20, he’s going to college to be a teacher! About two months ago he started experiencing terrible pain in the lower area of his spine. Long story short, Naté woke up the next morning unable to feel or move his legs.
He said that the moment he woke up and realized what happened he cried.
The next thing he did was praise God because he was still able to use his upper body.
What faith does this boy have to rejoice in the midst of paralysis? To believe not that the mobility in the lower half of his body had been taken away, but to thank God for the remaining mobility of his torso and arms?
Naté is a true example of what a follower of Christ looks like. He understands that on own he doesn’t have life, or breath, or being (Acts 17:28), but that life itself is a gift from God. He understands that whether the Lord gives or takes away, he is called to rejoice. And he did it. At just twenty years old.
For about five weeks Naté spent his time in the hospital attempting to discover what had caused his lower body to shut down (they still don’t know), and how and if he could recover. The doctors began physiotherapy with him and told him that if he would walk again it wouldn’t be before three months, and he surely wouldn’t walk without a struggle. And that was if he started walking again at all.
Last week I met Naté, just a couple days after he was released from the hospital. His legs had no muscle and he looked so small. He shared his story with us and we prayed for his legs. Immediately he said “okay let’s try!” He got up, grabbed his walker, and started walking up and down the little ally in front of his house. He would let go of his walker, take a couple of steps, and then have to grab on again in order not to fall. But this in itself was AMAZING. The doctors said he wouldn’t be able to walk, especially just 5 weeks after all of this happened.
Today I went to visit Naté and he walked. Without a walker.
His legs were bigger. Stronger. Walking.
The doctors can’t understand how he’s recovered so quickly. But Naté knows. He reminds us every time that this was the work of God. Nothing could have healed him except for God. There’s no logical explanation except for God.
Naté is without a doubt the strongest, most faithful, trusting, and positive guy I’ve met. The other day he told my teammate this:
“If I allow myself to think negative thoughts, Satan will control my mind.
If I focus my thoughts on Jesus he will give me strength, and that’s why I’m walking.”
Man knew where His strength came from and He knew to press into it! He knew to renew his mind (Romans 12:1-2), and he was faithful to do it.
Be encouraged, dear friends. Naté is a living, breathing, walking example of how great our God is and how loving and willing He is to step into our lives and do the impossible. Choose to trust Him with the impossibles in your life, He’s on the edge of His seat waiting to blow your mind (Ephesians 3:20)!
