We were ministering in a hospital for physically disabled patients in the northern part of Haiti. The plan was that we would do a skit, share some testimonies, sing a song and then show the one hour Children’s Jesus Video in the Creole language. Then, if time permitted, we would go from person to person and pray for them. Originally we were going to show the video on a large flat screen TV that was mounted on the end of the large open area, but there would only be a limited number of people who could see that TV screen so we determined to project the video onto a closer and larger wall. However as we were about to play the video we realized that we had a problem. The computer that we used to play the video did not have a loud enough sound system for the size of the room. We quickly switched to plan B – pray for the people first, while someone drives back to the mission base to obtain a bigger sound system. Plan B would take at least 30 minutes as we waited for the equipment to come.
Now having more time than we anticipated, we proceeded to go from hospital bed to hospital bed praying for the patients, friends or family, whomever was present. We had a lot more time so we prayed for everyone that was willing. Some accepted Jesus as their Savior, but God did some other unique things also. At one bed we talked with a young man who had injured his back and had lost feeling and usage of his left leg. Though his spinal cord was not broken, he was, in effect, paralyzed in that leg. When asked what he wanted prayer for he said that he might walk again. Through translators we prayed for his leg to be healed. Nothing happened. Then we asked if he had ever accepted Jesus Christ into his life, to which he said he had, but was willing to recommit his life to Christ Jesus. We prayed again for his leg. Having time to spare we ask if he could feel anything as we touched his left leg. There were no sensations or feelings that he perceived. We prayed again for his nervous system to reconnect to all parts of his leg. Then when we touched his lower shin, he said that he felt us touching, as if it were, above his knee!!!
Somethings seemed to be happening. We prayed again, and again touched his lower shin, this time he felt the touching as if it was just at his knee. We continued to pray many times until finally he could actually feel us touching his shin at the place where we were touching him. We then prayed that Jesus would restore the neurological connections between the muscles and the nerves and the brain so that he could control his muscles. After that prayer he said that he could feel his muscles in the calf of that paralyzed leg start to cramp. His face was beaming as some significant physical and neurological restoration was taking place within his left leg. Sensing that we should move to the next person we encouraged the man that this Jesus who was within him would continue to minister physically within him.
At the same time another group of our team was praying for a lady who also had a paralyzed leg. After repeated prayer the lady was able to move her big toe on her paralyzed foot. Though we did not see either of these patients get up out the bed and walk, we rejoiced at the start of something within their physical bodies.
We are exhorted in Colossians 4 to make the best use of our time, especially concerning how it might affect those that are outside the kingdom of God (Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Col 4:5 ) Looking back we saw how the need to get different equipment actually enables us to have more time for prayer and for ministry to those that were around us.
At times we may wonder why delays and setbacks take place in our lives. Perhaps these are not postponements, but rather opportunities for our Lord to work through us. We need to expectantly look to see how God is arranging situations which provide occasions for ministry.
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