Bringing True Healing
“Tell me again how this patient got here?” I asked the hospital staff workers.
“He came by wheelbarrow,” they said.
Still in disbelief, I looked at the picture they had taken when the patient had arrived. The staff were also surprised by the patient’s mode of transportation. I eventually found out that they traveled “many miles” to get to the hospital. The patient and his family were too poor to afford a taxi or even a local bus, so the family and some friends took it upon themselves to bring him to the eye hospital by wheelbarrow!
Thankfully, he was able to receive the treatment he needed and return to his village after recovering from surgery. This reminded me of another story in the Bible where four men carried a paralytic to Jesus for healing. However, the place where he was staying was so crowded they couldn’t get in.
So, the friends went up on the roof, dug a hole through it, and lowered him down right in front of Jesus, so that he might see him face to face. These were true friends and through their efforts, we have an amazing account of Jesus not only healing him, but also forgiving his sins! It was an amazing testimony that sent shock waves through the community because they had never seen or heard anything like this before.
Will you go the extra mile?
As we think about the people the Lord has brought into our lives and community, what are we willing to do to help bring them the healing they need? What would we be willing to do to bring others to Jesus? Would you be willing to bring them by wheelbarrow or carry them on a bed? Thankfully, for us today, it is probably more about the sharing of a timely word rather than a physical exertion. But are we ready to help out when the need arises? Are you and I willing to go the extra mile so that others may hear the saving words of Jesus?
Ask the Lord to give you opportunity this week to share his grace and peace with one Muslim. Perhaps this could involve sharing the story of the paralytic, who was carried by four of his friends, or another story the Lord places on your heart. Whatever message it is, share it with love and compassion, just as these friends shared their love and compassion with their paralytic friend.
10/10 Prayer Initiative
We and many others are praying for 10% of the Muslim world to come to Christ in 10 years. It’s a simple and yet truly profound request that we are bringing before God, as only he can make it happen. God has declared through the prophets many times that he is calling people from the ends of the earth to believe and put their trust in him. We agree and ask that many be saved from the Muslim world. Would you join us? We specifically pray every first Friday of each month while some have selected other days of the month. But we are united with one voice—for many Muslims to come to know him as Lord and Savior.
Pray for an end to the unrest sweeping US college campuses. Pray for peace and for level-headed thinking to prevail. Hate has gained a foothold and we pray for the peace, power, and healing touch of Jesus to change these agitators’ hearts.
Pray for Christian workers in Muslim lands. Pray for strength for each day and for courage and wisdom in how to live out their faith.
Pray for the continued stream of refugees coming into our country, both legal and illegal, that they would hear the gospel of Jesus for the first time in their lives. Pray for wisdom for our government leaders to know how to resolve the complex immigration issues and for prudent steps to be implemented.
Pray for visions and dreams for your Muslim friends, neighbors and colleagues, so that their long-held beliefs and traditions would be shattered and replaced with the light of Christ.
Additional Posts
Choosing a Missions Organization: Why SEND International Stands Out “Why should I be a missionary through SEND International?” Jenna, a new missionary in Eastern Europe, shared with us what she appreciates about working with SEND. The highlights for her are: - Devotion to prayer - Diligence in communication - Commitment to development - Intentionality in accountability Prayer “Back in September of 2022, the Lord reconnected me with SEND after I had met them a year prior at the Moody Bible Institute. However, before he would sign me up for anything, my Missions Coach encouraged me to pray. He said something to the effect of, "I know that you've been praying on your own for a long time. But as the Church, we are not called to walk alone. So, you and I won't talk for about a month unless you have questions. I want you to go pray with 5 or 6 others from your church about where God is calling you." That October, more than 10 friends prayed with me and we saw God answer as He directed me to Romania. From February 2024 to November 2025, I had the pleasure of being a part of team meetings in Romania with my SEND colleagues. Our meetings were four hours long, two for prayer and two for business. This has been the minimum for our team. There are also prayer meetings with the local churches we partner with, among smaller groups within our team, of course prayer with many of you across the pond, including those at our US office. The organization was built, has been sustained, and continues to run on prayer. This is my favorite thing about SEND. Communication As I mentioned above, we have a two hour block for business / ministry details in each of our meetings. This provides consistency across our team which works alongside three different churches and in a variety of ministries. It also helps us to communicate about the need for change or growth, alongside what is working well. In addition, my team director also meets with each of us, allowing us to communicate needs, considerations, and prayer requests. I've also enjoyed getting to work with SEND workers outside of my immediate region . We receive emails with the minutes from the Europe leadership team, Friday communications from our international director, and information regarding projects that affect our work among the unreached. In December of 2024, our international director at the time wrote a note to my parents for the first Christmas that I was gone. If nothing else had convinced my mom yet, this did. He took the time to care for me, but also to care well for the parents that were sending me (What it meant to my dad and mom for him to do this well has been one of the greatest ways I've been supported.). I also have some pretty wonderful regional directors. These people have prayed alongside us (while also serving in their own countries of service), they have taken time to come visit and encourage our team, and they have also taken the time to encourage the people in our churches. Development SEND has provided much in the area of development and care (spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally). At our regional conference (every three years), there have been medical check ups available, counseling options, and time for connecting with others on the field with similar experience. At our conference last October, I connected with a missionary who served overseas for many years, and is now serving on the administrative side of SEND. She has met with me since then for mentorship and has also invested much of her time recently in preparing a retreat for the singles across Europe. Accountability Over the years I have read and heard amazing stories of how God has worked through missionaries. God has done great things and great things He is still doing! However, people who have committed their lives to the Lord in this way are not “super Christians”. We are still humans with the same struggle against flesh that others have . A major challenge is in being isolated -- living in areas with little to no presence of other believers to sharpen them can cause many difficulties. SEND has been a great resource in this area too. Through my team, I have an accountability partner that I meet with monthly. When my regional director came to visit, he and his wife spent a day with me and asked intentional questions about how I lead, handle conflict, and how I am growing in general as a Christian. In addition, my teammates share their wisdom with me on a regular basis. These things and more have assured me that SEND International is a highly valuable organization and I'm excited to partner with them in service to, for, and with our great God! Interested in being sent by SEND?
Learn about the spiritual harmony in Vietnam & how missionaries engage with college students. Join us in sharing the gospel!
Explore Georgia's spiritual heritage and the impact of SEND International's mission. Join us in fostering authentic relationships today!
