“Saelenapa Ibasege (good morning). How is your wife doing?” Steve greeted Robert, our friend from church.

“Praise God! The medicine worked!” Robert replied.

Last week, Robert came requesting help for his wife, who had vomited hookworms. Oh, dear! I thought. I don’t have any worm medicine.

Steve called the area hospital. No medicine. I wonder if there are any natural treatments for intestinal worms? I checked the internet. I prefer to use natural remedies, often charcoal, but that will not work for worms.

Within minutes, I read an article offering five promising treatments and opted for one using turmeric powder given in warm water for five days. I took the turmeric from my kitchen cabinet—it was not the freshest—and measured enough for the treatment, then went outside to explain to Robert how to use the medicine on his wife. I admitted that I did not know if it would work, but it was worth a try.

Before Robert left, I prayed for his wife and the treatment. I continued praying that week that the turmeric would work as we needed.
“How is your wife doing?” I heard Steve ask Robert this morning.

“Awapasege,” Robert said. That meant she was somewhat okay, but not entirely. “But,” Robert added, “The worms are gone! Praise God!” I then went outside to ask more questions.

“How is your wife?”

“She is better. The worms have come out.”

“Were they dead?”

“Yes, they were dead. The only problem is that she still has pain in her side.” Robert explained that two weeks ago, she had had a fall and injured her side while trying to catch fish.

Oh! That’s why he said his wife was not one hundred percent well. It is unrelated to the worm problem, I thought.

Robert told how, when he took the turmeric treatment home, his wife looked at the medicine and told him she would not take it because it would not work. She is not yet a Christian believer. He coaxed her to try it since it was from the missionaries, and they were praying for her. She acquiesced and started taking the turmeric. Robert prayed for her daily, too, and, wonder of wonders, the treatment worked. He praised God, and his wife was thankful.

Robert has been on a spiritual journey. His family routinely uses magic to treat sick people or for snakebites. I am amazed at how much his faith in God and prayer has grown since he started coming to our Bible class many years ago. Robert has learned that there is power in prayer, more power than any local customary magic possesses. He has made a firm decision that he will not turn to the powers of the enemy. God is his only option.

I am thankful, too, that God helped me find a natural treatment that worked for Robert’s wife. In the absence of other medicines, God answered our prayers and provided the help we needed from our own cupboard.

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