Malaria Prayers
n 2015, two of our sons came down with malaria. That possibility is a dreaded reality living in Sub-Saharan Africa. We all got malaria more than once during our years in Zambia, but this round was extra tough, because the boys were so small. And Liam’s platelet levels were sinking fast. We checked both boys into the same room at our local clinic and for a few days and nights, there was no improvement.
It was scary seeing our buddies sapped of strength.
Those were some sleepless nights and anxious days!
That’s when we heard about a family in Mexico, who were connected to our home church’s email prayer chain. Ber and Jess were praying for our boys by name, every day. And Jess, who taught at an elementary school, was praying every day, with her whole pre-school class of children who had, to that point,
never met any member of my family!
That was incredible to Heidi and I and it heavily impacted our hearts with God’s big love and His broad family. It meant so much to us.
Thankfully, after a bit of a fight to get the boys IV fluids, which was for some reason, initially resisted by the medical professionals, both Eli and Liam finally turned around. Their health improved, their strength returned, and they got back to being wild, barefoot boys running through the yard. When they were well enough, we took a picture of them holding a sign in our backyard, underneath a banana tree that said,
Thank you for praying.
Later that same year, on a visit to the States, we got to meet the Casillas family, who soon after, became members of our home and sending church staff. Over the years, they’ve become great friends to our family. Ber even visited us in Zambia once and was a joy to host! But even after all these years, every time I see them, I think of how we were linked in prayer before we were ever linked in relationship. What a wild thought — that God can stir hearts when miles separate them; that He can hear people calling out on behalf of others they haven’t ever even met.
It still means so much to me that they prayed for our sons.
Send up a prayer for someone in need today and send out a call for prayer to people in your network if you need it today. Pray for Orchard and the children and youth of the nation of Zambia. Many of them are facing challenges you cannot imagine. Prayer is more powerful than malaria and prayer is one of the most powerful weapons
in a lion’s repertoire.
My prayer for all of you today is that you will feel the nearness of a loving Father and the power of His unseen hand acting on your behalf in your life. And that you’ll see yourselves, like He sees you, — LIONS, ALL!
Who is praying for you today?
Who are you praying for today?