Today was a little less rainy but the site still had lots of sticky, stinky mud. Saul took size orders and went to town to purchase rubber boots for the team last night, so we were all stylin’ in our black rubber (not so comfortable) knee boots. One of the ladies of the community invited us to use the front porch and yard of her home for church today. They had cleaned up the yard for us and the small covering of the porch made for dry ground for church.
After the preaching, we brought the kids out into the yard and distributed the various items we brought, read the gospel tracts and then made a circle with them, holding hands. Jennifer or I would pray for the children while Saul translated. Pretty powerful stuff! Children’s church alone was enough to bless my day, but then God decided to allow me to be a part of something that would deepen my faith beyond anything I could ever imagine. Again answering one of my prayers in a way I least expected it.
A woman (Marietta) was waiting for church and the Hondurans started gathering around her saying that she needed a doctor now. They thought she was going to pass out. I ran down to the clinic and got Dr. Jim. He arrived at the church just as Marietta fell over and had what appeared to be a seizure. They asked for an interpreter and we found Pastor Saul and Pastor Marco had separated themselves from the crowd and were praying, hands raised to Heaven, with all that they had on Marietta’s behalf. When they finished, they came back to speak to Marietta who had regained consciousness. Marietta has had seizures for 8 years. She can always feel them coming on by a flash (pain) in her head. We didn’t have any seizure medicine with us and even if we did, she would have no way to continue medication long term. We asked if Saul could explain to her what to do when she feels a seizure coming, such as lay down to prevent injury, etc. Saul explained as we asked, but then proceeded to ‘command’ that she be healed. He told her to speak it and believe it and God would heal her.
If you’ve ever had one of those moments when so much is happening, but time seems to stop moving, you can understand. This was one of those moments. All eyes of the crowd were on this scene as Marietta struggled with her faith and belief in God’s healing. Men in the crowd began to step closer, reaching one hand up to heaven and one hand towards Marietta asking, with full faith and belief, that she could be healed. I didn’t understand all their words, but I fully understood their plea. Pete explained to me later that Pastor Saul, Pastor Marco and another man near him were all praying the exact same prayer, almost word for word, commanding that Marietta be healed.
I began to pray with them, timidly at first. Then, as if I gained strength and power from them, I prayed with insistence that she would be healed. Medicine may not be an option but God IS the master healer. Marietta prayed and believed she would be healed and I know in my heart that she will.
After Marietta regained her strength, I escorted her and her children through the clinic and then sat and visited with her and the children until someone came to take her home. We may never know the rest of the story, but I not only gained a new friend today, I received a new understanding and longing for the kind of faith and belief that I witnessed in that moment …..when time stood still.
