Friday: God’s Saving Hand – Part 2
Treating the wounds was nearly as painful as the burns themselves. Every day nurses removed the bandages and soaked the burns in salt water. Then they gently scraped the burns to remove the dead skin. This would help prevent infection. The nurses taught Mrs. Banda how to wash the wounds and apply the medicine. She stayed in the hospital with her husband and son to prepare their meals and help care for them.
After two long months Pastor Banda insisted that he could stay no longer in the hospital. His muscles were weak, and he could barely walk, but he was concerned about his church members.
After Pastor Banda returned home, Joshua and his mother remained in the hospital for four more months. Every day his mother talked gently to him as she cleaned and dressed his wounds. Her presence strengthened the boy and gave him hope.
It was difficult for the family to be separated for so many months. They couldn’t visit one another, but they could pray.
After six months Joshua was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital for another three months of physical therapy. He couldn’t walk, but he learned to shuffle along behind a walker. His mother began a new routine of daily therapy. She soaked his legs in warm water, then stretched the muscles in his legs. It was painful, but she urged Joshua to sing instead of cry.
At last Joshua was able to go home, but his mother continued treating him and encouraged him to walk. When he saw his friends playing outside, he wanted to play too. After a year of recovery and therapy Joshua was able to walk without help.
Pastor Banda’s recovery took a long time too. His damaged leg muscles would not stretch enough to allow him to ride a bicycle. And this made it very difficult for him to get from one church to another in the countryside. But his churches continued to grow in size and in faith.
Pastor Banda knows that throughout their ordeal God was beside each member of the family, encouraging, blessing, and healing.God was blessing us even during our most difficult hour,
he says. When I returned to work from the hospital, the church prospered even more, and more people came into the church than had been coming before the fire.
Mrs. Banda was also grateful for God’s blessings during the terrible ordeal. I thank God for saving my husband and son,
she says.This experience taught me the importance of spending more time with my family. I had failed to notice some special qualities in little Joshua that I saw when he was in the hospital. For example, he has a wonderful talent for singing that I did not fully realize until I heard him singing while he was confined to his bed in the hospital. During our long hospital stay we had time to become good friends with each other and with God.
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After studying at Solusi University in Zimbabwe, Wesley Banda is now an ordained minister working in Malawi. While at Solusi, Oliva Banda also took some classes, as time permitted.
Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at www.adventistmission.org
I thank God for healing pastor Banda and Joshua. This missions has taught me that no matter how much you are suffering and you pray, trust in God He will heal you. May God bless the praying wife Mrs. Banda and her family.
Not everyone who prays and trusts in God is healed. In fact many are not healed. However those who trust God, know that he is with them in their suffering. I remember a little boy with Leukemia who suffered for far too long and who died barely into his teens. His trust in God led him to see beyond his pain to the needs of others. His funeral was attended by many who testified to the influence of that short young life on their own experience. Trust in God may mean that you bear your suffering gladly and to the benefit of others.
Amazing stories of Faith and God's Promise,Goodness,Grace,Love above all how Mighty and Good he is all the time through the Good and bad times.As I trust and see other's call to trust the Lord Even though thee outcome may not be quite as expected,his Comfort,joy and live even though we may feel alone is enough to go through each new day knowing we are so Blessed.
Thank you so much also for Blessing me with your Shared Testimonials.God Bless
I enjoy the story immensely, I learned a valuable lesson, singing instead of crying when the pain becomes unbearable mentally and physically.
If you don't get answers when praying, be rest assured that God heard you.
Thank You Jesus for the miracles...
This is a touching story. God is always there even in our difficult times. May Jehovah God keep blessing Mr. Banda and the Family