The Miracle
Last summer I shared the story of my new friend Austin. I met him in the hospital in Bo. At that time he had been in a wheelchair for 8 years. He had been a business man in Freetown but nearly died in a car accident that left him paralyzed.
Last summer I shared the story of my new friend Austin. I met him in the hospital in Bo. At that time he had been in a wheelchair for 8 years. He had been a business man in Freetown but nearly died in a car accident that left him paralyzed.
I treasured my time with him. He allowed me the great honor to pray with him to receive Christ. I was able to pray for his healing and to spend time with him in the word. By the end of our time together he asked for a Bible and stated that he now knew why his life had been spared, it was so that he could someday become a pastor.
Seeing Austin again was a huge part of why I wanted to go back to Sierra Leone. I was so excited to see how he was and to hear about the impact he was making on those around him. However, what I discovered when I arrived in Bo was, in one word, shocking.
Soon after we arrived in Bo, we met with the YFC staff workers. At the first opportunity I asked them how Austin was doing. They told me that over the last year that Austin was healed. Although he still had a little difficulty he was walking around and living back in Freetown. Unfortunately they lost contact with him because of a wrong phone number, but when he left he was still following Jesus.
I was both thrilled and disappointed. I was thrilled to know that God had answered my prayers for this man. Sometimes we think if we pray for healing for someone and that healing doesn't come immediately, that it never will. But I learned a little more that afternoon of the faithfulness of God. I was only disappointed that they could no longer reach him because I really wanted to see him again.
But I know that we will meet again someday in Heaven. And I will rejoice to know all that was changed in this world because of his commitment to Christ.
