While in Swaziland this summer, Passporter Shannon Stewart asked God to use her to heal someone. Then he did, but not the way she expected.

This summer, I asked God to show me how big he is by using me to heal someone.

It was a Thursday afternoon in Swaziland, and we were on what seemed like a typical home visit.

The midwinter’s sun warmed my back as I sat on the faded straw mat, looking at the family around me.

The one room mud hut this family lived in was falling apart. In a country where wealth is symbolized with cows, they only had two.

But most heartbreaking of all, the father and mother of this family were severely injured, unable to work or even leave their property. The wife, Sarafina*, had a knee injury; and her husband Lelo couldn’t walk due to a shattered shin bone.

To make matters worse, their crops from the year before – their main source of food – were ruined. “God, please don’t let us starve,” was something they prayed daily.

There was so much I wanted to do for them. But the only thing – and the best thing – I could do was pray.

My teammates and I laid hands on both Lelo and Sarafina, praying for healing for their injuries. Our prayers weren’t answered right away, at least, not in the way we hoped.

Afterwards, we prayed as a large group and I held Sarafina’s hand. She squeezed my hand so hard it hurt. I sensed so much hope in her hand squeeze, and saw the faith in Lelo’s smile.

After giving them food and supplies and saying our final goodbyes, we began our journey back home. I remember thinking, Man, I really want to heal someone in Jesus’ name.

I began to pray that over and over.

A few weeks later, we saw Sarafina on our final Sunday in Africa. Sarafina had great news: her knee healed, she was no longer in any pain – and her husband was walking again!

Although God did not heal Sarafina immediately after we prayed over her, he did eventually heal her and her husband. But he used mine and my teammates’ prayer to do it.

When I prayed for Sarfina and Lelo, I was walking in the authority God had given me and God responded by healing two people.

Asking God to use me to heal someone was a crazy prayer. But I’ve decided I want to be a woman who prays impossible prayers.

*Names changed; First photo by @christinareid; second photo by @allisonhultquist

Have you ever prayed an impossible prayer? Has God ever asked you to trust him when it doesn’t seem logical, like how Shannon trusted God to heal this couple?

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