Sara’s parents were worried. Their teen-age daughter’s health was declining. She seemed weak. Some days, she wouldn’t even recognize her parents and siblings.
The family tried everything: The doctor couldn’t find anything wrong; the local religious leader tried sacrificing a goat and other traditional methods, but they didn’t help.
In desperation, they invited a Christian woman to come pray for Sara.
That worked.
As the woman prayed and her family looked on, Sara slumped to the floor. Something that looked like smoke emerged from her mouth. The woman asked Jesus to cast out the dark forces in the room.
Sara awoke utterly changed.
Because of what they saw that day, Sara and her parents committed to believe in the God who set Sara free. A SEND couple has grown very close to this family, walking with them, discipling them, and watching them grow. Sara overflows with love for Jesus and lights up when she reads the Word or sings about Jesus.
The day Sara was set free, many other family members saw what happened. But worldwide, only a tiny fraction of their people group believes in Jesus. To this day — despite Sara’s changed life — all her other family members remain skeptical. Yet her mom, in the midst of being ridiculed, opposed, and even shunned, has walked with grace toward others and faith in God.
This summer, Sara’s mom publicly declared her faith through baptism — a step of confirmation and obedience to show her love for Jesus and to proclaim that he has all power and authority over sin and death. Two days after the baptism, her face was still glowing with joy!
Joining Sara’s mom in baptism was another woman who also experienced a miracle. Beth was so sick, she thought she might die. Like in Sara’s case, doctors couldn’t help.
Beth’s daughter, a believer, had mentioned Jesus many times. In desperation, Beth cried out to this Jesus, begging for mercy. She said that she was ready to believe in him and to give her life to him.
Jesus replied by removing her physical sickness — no doubt as a sign of what he had healed Beth of in her heart!
Beth felt like a new person, lived like a new person, and was full of joy because she knew Jesus and Jesus knew her. But her culture is male-dominated; her own sons are against Christianity. Because of this, Beth kept her faith to herself.
For the past year, SEND workers have been sharing the Word with Beth and praying with her — and Beth developed a strong desire to take a stand for Jesus.
With her baptism this summer, she took that stand, not fearing what anyone would say or do to her, and in baptism showed that she was buried with Christ and raised with him to serve the living God!
Editor’s note: Due to the highly sensitive nature of this community, all names have been changed.
