The last patient
Tara* was the last patient before lunch break. That morning, in this coastal fishing village, more than 200 patients had received health care, counseling, and prayer in our medical clinic. Dr. Sam*, a physician and close friend who has been leading these clinics for more than a decade, patiently listened as Tara complained of severe back pain and a few other ailments. Dr. Sam attended to her needs and then asked if he could pray for any other concerns.
Tara stayed silent, but a few elderly women sitting nearby told me more of her story.
For 17 years, Tara had been oppressed by an evil spirit. Each event left her fearful and ashamed. She tried to fight the possession through incantations and Qur’anic mantras, which seemed to work only temporarily.
These women were deeply concerned for Tara. I took the opportunity to share a new story. Sitting a few yards from the beach, I began to tell the women and Tara about Jesus falling asleep in a boat. When the boat entered a storm, Jesus looked into the gale and with one word brought immediate calm. This same Jesus later got out of the boat and looked into the eyes of a man horribly possessed by a large number of spirits. Again, with a word from Jesus, these spirits were evicted from the man and thrown into a herd of pigs. (At this, the women laughed with appreciation.)
I told them that, while their incantations may temporarily appease, only Jesus has true, lasting power over spirits. I then turned to Tara and told her that we would be in their village all day and if she wanted us to share more about Jesus and to pray with her, she should bring her husband with her.
Lunch ended and the doctors and clinic staff were inundated by the largest crowd we have ever served in one day. By the power and mercy of God, we cared for over 700 beautiful people, many having suffered for years with severe and painful conditions.
As the tropical sun was setting, taking with it the heat of the afternoon, the final patients began to trickle out. As the crowds diminished, Tara brought her husband Tom* to Dr. Sam to have his back pain checked.
I shared with Tom the story I had told Tara earlier. I looked him in the eye and asked if we could pray for him and Tara in the name of Jesus. With intense relief, the couple leaned in close for prayer.
I turned to Betty*, our 70-year-old team member who loves Jesus more than retirement, and asked her to pray for them. Betty held their hands and tears filled everyone’s eyes as she brought the beauty and power of Jesus upon Tara through prayer.
After prayer, we shared that true healing comes through surrender and becoming a follower of Jesus and we would love to tell them more about it. But it was getting late and Tara had four children begging for attention, so the prayer time ended.
A few weeks passed and my wife returned to this village for follow-up and training with mothers on healthy family habits. And there were Tara and Tom! They had been standing for hours at the edge of the highway, waiting and hoping for us to pass by. They joyfully asked when we could both return and talk with them.
Their story beautifully illustrates why we employ a holistic approach to ministry in Southeast Asia, meeting people’s physical needs as a step toward building the deep, trusting relationships that allow us to share the gospel.
*Not their real names
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?
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