By Eric Barry, VP of Strategy and Training
On the last day of the training (read about the training trip to Nigeria) something extraordinary happened. Jim (a member of our training team) had said to Sani (our Nigerian contact) that we should go and pray for his sick family members. So, after dinner, even though I was tired and ready to just go to the Hotel, we load up the van and start working our way through the slum area of the city.
We stop the van and emerge amidst terrible poverty. It was worse than the poverty I experienced during my time living in Venezuela. We go into Phoebe’s home (she’s Sani’s sister) and she welcomed us – she was so hospitable and kind. Then she begins to testify about the greatness and goodness of God. She starts by saying, “all is well with me.” And goes from there. “God is great. God is wonderful. He shows me love every day.” We’re all surprised, stunned really, and powerfully moved at the incredible faith of this daughter of God. I repent. “Lord, I’m sorry I didn’t want to come here. Please forgive me.”
Her condition
We ask about her condition. She’s been sick for over 30 years. She cannot walk. She was burning with fever. She has diabetes, asthma, hyperthyroid, high blood pressure and cirrhosis of the liver. It was terrible and discouraging.
So, we pray for her. It was the normal prayers asking God to encourage her and give her strength. Then comes Fumi, one of the ladies we trained. Oh my! She prayed like she means business! She declared her healed! She spoke healing to every part and organ in her body. It was awesome! Fumi finishes and we lift our heads. Phoebe says she feels better. She declares herself healed. My teammates move to help her stand. She says, “No, I can stand – I’m healed!” She stands up. Wow!
Five Days
Our team has begun to file out and head to the van. I stay behind. Phoebe is saying she’s healed. She is so grateful. I’m starting to think she really is healed. She says, “I’ll walk with you to the car.”
“Well, you don’t have to.” she grabs my arm and we start walking (I notice there’s no fever) and she continues thanking us and telling me how grateful she is for our visit.
She’s saying, “I can walk now!” She’s pumped! We’re walking out to the car. She’s rejoicing that she can walk.
So I ask, “did you walk yesterday?”
“No, no, I’m walking today.”
“Could you walk the day before yesterday?”
“No, no. God just now healed me!”
I’m trying to get a handle on this. “How many days since you walked?”
“5 days! I haven’t left my house in 5 days!”
Oh my goodness! Praise God! We get out to the van. “Hey everybody – look here’s Phoebe and she can walk.”
Cecilia
Then we go to another sister, Cecelia’s house. Cecelia is also sick like Phoebe was but for 17 years with the same illnesses as Phoebe. We lay hands on her and again we begin to pray. We all pray over her and then, once again, Fumi steps up and prays her awesome faith prayers. Cecilia is also healed! Wow! Praise God.
Chad
The next day we’re out and around and we stop by to visit an incredible church that has planted 10 churches in the Muslim north. While we’re touring this fabulous church, Jim comes and tells me that Chad (from our training team) is sick. So, we ask the pastor to pray for Chad. He does. But Chad is still sick when we get back in the car, so I say, “let’s pray again.” We do. We open our eyes.
“How you feeling, Chad?”
“I’m healed.”
Wow – God just kept amazing us throughout our entire trip!
