It started as a typical day in the life of our Honduran ministry. We got up early, had breakfast, prayed and were on our way to the hospital to carry out what God had in store for today. Typically, we are the ones pulling the awkward American stranger approaches, introducing ourselves, and asking if we can pray for people, but this time a man came up to us and asked if we would pray for his boy. As the doctors rolled the baby incubator up to us, I glance over and see two heads. I am confused instantly and therefore, continue to look.
I noticed that the boys were conjoined twins. I had always heard of this but to see new born precious, innocent babies joined together with one body sunk my heart to levels I didn’t realize were there. The man’s face was stone cold. His heart was numb and showed no emotion what so ever. He continued to tell us that one of the boys is sick and blind because he isn’t getting the nutrients he needs and that there were minor problems with the other.
The doctors were deciding which one they would allow to live and hoping for two wasn’t an option. Instantly, I began to weep. A righteous anger arose up inside me questioning, “Who are they to determine which one can live and which one can die? Who are they to determine the life of a baby?”
As we began to lay hands on the father of these two boys, I felt lead to stop praying for the boys and for the salvation of the man my hands were rested upon. Not only was this a little strange, but it made little to no sense that this man wouldn’t be saved when he came to us and asked us for prayer. As we prayed for the man, his face remained empty of hope. After we were done praying, our translator asked the man if He was a believer.
I was shocked as he responded to the question that he wasn’t. It was in that moment that we got to lead this father to the Lord and witness a miracle as Jesus came into His heart. What a great thing to be apart of. One of the girls on my team had a Spanish bible with her and she ended up giving it to him because he said he didn’t have a bible at all. What a precious gift.
I walked away from the situation ecstatic that He came to know Jesus, but still at a loss that the situation with his kids was still the same and nothing had changed. However, my heart remained hopeful of God’s plan within this situation. My mind wondered in so many places as I put myself in his shoes in this moment. Here we have a man. Who believed in the power of prayer to a God he didn’t even serve yet when he easily could just hate God for the situation he was in.
That night, I felt like I needed to write out my feeling to process what was truly going on and asking the Lord to reveal something to me in this. As I was writing this all out, I played a song called Hope is Erupting by Citipointe Live. In the middle of the song, the singer begins to speak a word,
“God is ready. The hope of Jesus will erupt and tonight you may say, “You know what I don’t have hope. There’s a situation that is out of control in my life…There’s something that has gone one or something that you have no control over, but you know what tonight? The hope of God is going to erupt in our hearts. Joy, the fullness of His joy is going to explode and take over – take control. Hope is erupting. Joy is exploding. It is done. It is done. It is done.”
As these words were spoken at such great timing. I started to cry out for this man. I started to allow the Lord to renew my hope, which is found in Him alone and not my circumstances. I started to embrace the peace of Jesus, which understanding will never obtain. I started to find Jesus in this.
It was then that I found God’s perspective for me in this moment. I found Him speaking to me,
“Natalie, I once was in a similar situation.” Before I could begin to ask why, he started pouring out revelation of the time that he had a choice. He had two things set before Him. He had His bride and He had His son and in order for His bride to live, His son had to die. Despite that truth, He chose His bride. The greatest decision that’s ever been made for any man. The very thing that tore the veil so we could experience relationship with the one true God. The very thing that allows for two to actually become one in Him. The very thing that brings freedom, healing, deliverance, hope, peace, love, redemption, salvation, restoration, and the list goes on. I can’t imagine if God would’ve chosen for His son to live at the expense of the bride. How things would look so differently today.
It was in this moment, I was granted peace. I was showered in a love for being chosen. I was overwhelmed with God’s goodness. I was able to see that sometimes things happen that don’t seem appealing, wanted, desired, or even fair, but in those times God can still be found and a bride can be waiting on the other side.
The next day, our team came across the newspaper and to our great surprise the front was covered with an image of the man, the father, who received Christ and his two baby boys, whom were conjoined. The newspaper was filled with articles on this situation. Turns out one of the boys made it and one didn't, but Glory to God forever for the life that was given. For He is faithful, always, even through the hard times.
