When preparing for and arriving in Swaziland, I was ready to share my gifts as a nurse to care for the Swazi people. I was ready with my medical tools and suitcases full of medication.
On our first day of ministry, I was excited as we entered the homestead of a woman who was 41 and had a stroke disabling the whole right side of her body–as well as TB. I felt that with all my medical knowledge, I could help ease her pain. However, God had other plans, for when she told us that she had great sorry in her heart–and that she lost her joy–I had nothing modern medicine could heal.
For the next two days we tried to treat her with what we had: God’s Word, song, and prayer. But for two days she continued to look sad, and the sorry remained. One the third and last day, this woman, whose name in English means “Fortunate”, opened up during the sharing of Scripture and told us that she never accepted God into her heart and that she wanted to do so.
So, on a bright Thursday morning, on a mat laid upon God’s red earth, we prayed and Fortunate accepted and asked Jesus into her heart. As our tears fell we saw that there was still sorrow in her eyes and she began to speak of the wrong things she had done in the past–and how that saddened her heart. We told her of Jesus’ sacrifice and grace, and visibly saw the hope in her eyes as she prayed for forgiveness and and peace. Fortunate’s joy was restored!
As we left that day, we saw a different person in Fortunate that we saw our first day. In her joy we saw God and His Holy Spirit. As we drove away I rejoiced in God’s forgiveness and grace–the best and most powerful medicine of all.
May God be given all the glory!
