Through the Fire

It was a hot Sabbath day. Church had just ended, and we decided to visit members who no longer attended. When we first saw him, he was sitting on a mat under a tree, finding respite from the searing sun. What we first smelled was putrid. The entire top of his head had no flesh; a terrible burn had left his skull exposed. He also had burned his left foot, which appeared to have rabbit hair and dung placed on it as a treatment, likely from visiting the local traditional healer.

As his story spilled out, we learned that he had had a seizure and had fallen into an open cooking fire. He had joined the Adventist Church in 2018, hoping that God would heal him from epilepsy. When no healing came, he stopped attending church and began drinking. The two didn’t mix well, and here he was, sick and hopeless.

We offered for him to come to the hospital as soon as possible; we would cover his expenses because he needed care. After a prayer and encouragement, we left, wondering if he really would come to our hospital. Many of the locals here are wary and distrusting of our hospital; they often come as a last resort, when it’s too late to do anything to save them.

Two days later he was in the operating room having his skull debrided in preparation for an upcoming skin graft. His charred toes were amputated, he was started on anti-seizure medication, and his journey to healing began.

Often the patients do not stay in their beds inside the hospital buildings; they prefer to sit outside where it is cooler. His particular spot was along a pathway I frequently walked, and each time I saw him, he had a sparkle in his eye and a smile on his face. We were happy to see him coming to church again after he was discharged.

I hope that one day he can make the connection that even though God didn’t heal him in the way he had hoped, God used His “hands and feet” here at the hospital to bring him healing. What a privilege it is to be used by God to restore health and hope.