Three Days: Bedridden to Running

Ellie Hillhouse and her Africa Expedition Passport team are allowing Christ to shine through them in the dark country of Mozambique.

There is much despair in Mozambique. The stone and cement houses with tin roofs are colorless and contain sickness and darkness. My team walks by these houses every day on our way to church.

We spend our ministry days going door to door, praying over hurting people, and seeing God heal them.

Three days ago I stepped into a small, candle-lit house to find a woman lying on the couch covered in a blanket with beads of sweat rolling down her face. Malaria.

We didn’t know this woman’s name, her story, or if she knew the Lord. We didn’t know her favorite color or what made her laugh but God did. He formed her and created her very being. And that was enough.

We prayed that grace would fill this dark room. That the Holy Spirit would overwhelm this place with healing.

Nothing happened.

We finished our prayers and said goodbye. She didn’t even look up at us.

The next day we went back. This time she was sitting up on her couch. There was more awareness in her face, and she remembered who we were.

Once again the voices of our team rose up to heaven pleading on behalf of this woman still nameless to us. We needed God to show up in a big way. We wanted to see the Great Healer heal this woman.

Nothing happened.

Once again our team left her house still holding onto the hope that some sort of healing had taken place. As we continued on our day, this woman remained on my heart. I couldn’t get her out of my mind.

The fact that we prayed and nothing seemed to happen hurt. We left her house with malaria still racking her body. I wanted so badly to show this woman that we serve a Mighty God.

On the third day, I approached the woman’s house with a heart heavy with a desire for restoration. I sent up silent words to my Father. Before I could finish my prayer, I saw a changed woman running out of her house.

This was the woman who had been bed-ridden for who knows how long. This was the nameless woman whose body was malaria-infested. This was the woman in need of miraculous healing.

No longer.

This woman, Susan, came up to each of us, kissed us on the cheek, and hugged us so tightly I couldn’t help but laugh. Susan knew joy deep in her soul. God had healed her. Our God is bigger than malaria. He’s bigger than my worries. He loved this woman so deeply and she loved him too.

Her entire being radiated God’s glory. We celebrated with her. We sent up prayers of thanksgiving.

The houses in Maputo are still colorless. But amidst the despair, there is hope. There are pockets of light in the crevices of this city.

Our God is healing people in this country. He is working miracles in Mozambique.

Our God is in Africa.

photo via AJ Levan

Follow along on the Passport Immersion trip and read other stories of what God is doing here.