Miracles in the Tuberculosis Hospital
About a month ago, we received a call from a friend who knew someone who was sick with tuberculosis and she wanted to know if we would like to go to the hospital and pray for him. A thirteen-year-old boy from a minority group deep in the country, orphaned and far from extended family, totally poor and stricken with tuberculosis throughout his entire body, was rescued and brought into the city hospital by some local believers who couldn’t stand the idea of doing nothing to help him. For us, there was no question: we were going and as soon as possible.
Eager with anticipation, we walked through the dirty flickering-florescent lit tuberculosis ward, guided by our friends who had spent the past 48 hours caring for someone they barely knew: sleeping in his room with him, bringing him food, etc. We entered the room, masked to keep the air in our lungs free from airborne diseases. The boy was shocked and shy, unable to look anything other than totally frightened and embarrassed by our presence. He may have never seen a foreigner face-to-face before in his life: especially not one with a red beard and freckled skin! We hung out for awhile and talked with him before praying for him. When we laid hands on him, we commanded the disease to leave and the pain to go. The pain in his back immediately left! We agreed to come back that week to visit him again.
We returned a couple days later and were not surprised at all to find out that he was completely pain free! There were still no doctor’s reports available to follow-up on the actual tuberculosis, but we were confident that whatever disease was left was on its way out! The boy seemed much more at ease with us and we were able to hang out much longer than the first night. He shared a room with three other people who likewise had airborne diseases. Two of the men were from the grasslands and we resolved to bring back someone who could speak their language when we came to visit next.
The next day, we came again. The boy was sitting up and joking with us; a total improvement from the first day we had met him. We brought a guitar and took turns playing music. The atmosphere of the whole room shifted and people from other rooms were crowding into our tiny space to be in the sweetness of the presence of love. God was throwing a party for the orphaned and ostracized in one of the most unlikely places. Isn’t that just how he is?
One of the men from the grasslands was a monk and we felt Jesus highlighting areas of his body that needed healing, as well as details of his heart. We spent some time prophesying over him and his entire countenance changed. God touched his body and the pain that had made it difficult for him to move without wincing for three months completely left! The man could not hide his joy!
With confidence, we left the ward, knowing that Holy Spirit had deposited many seeds that would spring into bloom over the next few months in the hearts of all who had experienced his love, most of them for the first time. God is everywhere, and the kingdom is near to everyone. With him is fullness of joy and pleasure forevermore!