Remember the Book of Job in the Old Testament? The lesson of Job is that whatever may go horribly wrong in our lives, God is always there with us. I recently wrote about a young man fittingly named Promise, a quadriplegic who developed a severe gluteal ulcer (bed sore) on his buttox due to his immobility. As part of our village health outreach, HEAL decided to sponsor the surgery to treat his ulcer.
On this my third mission journey to Nigeria, I was able to meet Promise in person. Deacon Leo and I visited him at Holy Rosary Hospital in Emekuku. Promise was lying on his stomach in bed when we entered his room. He greeted us cheerfully saying, “Reverend, I’ve been waiting for you and Mr. Nick to come.” The nurses then turned him over in bed and I beheld his totally limp body and extremities. The surreal experience began as I looked into Promise’s face and witnessed a radiant joy in his countenance. “How amazing!” I thought to myself.
He recounted how he and his father began a precautionary road trip from Abuja, in central Nigeria, to the southeast in April 2015, the time of the last Nigerian presidential election. Had the current president Buhari, a Muslim, lost to Goodluck Jonathan, the incumbent Christian, the violent repercussions against minority Christians in the north could have been very serious. Unfortunately, the violence struck in the form of a blown out tire, causing Promise’s car to roll several times before coming to a stop. His spine was severed in the accident.
But, as Promise finished telling his tragic yet inspiring story, he said, with an angelic smile, “But, the joy of the Lord is my strength”(cf. Neh 8:10). I usually prefer not to show much emotion, but this incredible witness reduced me to tears. Deacon Leo then said, “Promise, you are showing us God and sending us a message. May the world get the message!” Then, we laid hands on Promise in prayer and, in the name of Jesus, pleaded for a miracle on his behalf. Promise’s father and sister, who have accompanied him through all his trials, were there and prayed with us.
My encounter with Promise has been the defining moment of my mission journey. Medically, his best hope is to sit upright and be pushed in a wheelchair while being otherwise totally immobile. One thing I am sure of, however, is that Promise is a living prophet who has a message from God for you and me.