The 13-year-old boy looked like he did not have long to live — pale, thin, very weak and with labored breath. Never have I seen an X-ray that looked so bad. I trained as a nurse, not a radiologist. But I know that the lungs should look blackish in a chest X-ray. Instead, his entire right lung looked white. Imbri was his name. After the hospital admitted Imbri to the isolation ward, I asked if I could pray with him. To my great surprise, though he appeared to be at death’s door, he did not want me to offer prayer. So in my concern for him, I called another missionary, who also came to visit. She speaks Palawano better than me and she urged him to turn to God in this matter of life and death. Thankfully, he agreed to pray with her, and I joined them.
He received a blood transfusion. The doctors diagnosed him with tuberculosis and he began the rigorous six-month treatment. To my great joy, he never turned down another offer for prayer. For weeks, I would visit him daily to help with his medications and poultices and to pray for him. Praise the Lord, little by little, he began to improve! First, I saw him up and out of bed. Then, I saw him walking around some at the farm where he was staying. After a month or so, he was able to return to his house. After that, I only saw him about every two weeks to help him with his treatment regime and pray with him. I was happy to see his color and strength improving. Finally, after four or five months of treatment, he was strong enough to return to the farm. Then he helped us prepare for the camp meeting to be held at the farm.
I am so thankful for the turning point Imbri had that day in the hospital and I am thankful for God’s great healing in his life! I am still praying that Imbri will fully turn to Jesus as his Healer, Friend, and Saviour. I pray that I can reconnect and study the Bible with him when we return to the Philippines. Please pray that the COVID-19 restrictions will soon be lifted or that we can obtain special permission to re-enter the Philippines.
