May 26, 2009
By Jessica Schaeffer, serving at Koutiala Hospital in Mali
Editor’s Note: “To a large extent, women in Mali are seen as property; they have few rights,” said Jessica in her April newsletter. “God has given us a wonderful opportunity to love and value women and children at our hospital.” Read how one such woman responded to the love of Jesus and experienced not one, but two miracles!
Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles . . . (1 Chron. 16:12).
A couple months ago, Bafo Coulibaly was brought to the hospital by her brother-in-law, Pastor Enoch, one of our chaplains.
Her husband (Pastor Enoch’s older brother) wept when he was told that there was nothing we could do for her . . . she had an inoperable cervical mass. She and her husband had been very resistant to Enoch’s faith for many years. But after her consultation that day, Bafo listened as one of our nurses talked to her about Jesus.
Bafo went to stay at Pastor Enoch’s house with pain medicine we gave her to help relieve her discomfort. Dr. Dan Nesselroade told Enoch that only Jesus could heal Bafo; the only thing left to do was to pray.
So Pastor Enoch prayed, and he prayed for a miracle. God gave him two!
The Miracle of New Life
Two weeks later, after years of resistance to Jesus, Bafo prayed to accept Christ. A month after her initial consultation, she returned to the hospital. When Dr. Dan examined her, he found only a small lesion where the mass had been!
Bafo was smiling, saying that her pain and symptoms were gone. Dr. Dan discussed the possibility of doing a radical hysterectomy, but decided to wait two more weeks to see if God would complete the healing work He had already started.
Another Answered Prayer
When Bafo arrived the day of her scheduled surgery, her exam showed that she had been completely healed and was no longer in need of surgery.
I passed a smiling Bafo on my way to the hospital last week. I marvel regularly at God’s miracles and wonders as He provides for the needs of the hospital and as He works in the lives of the people around me.
Thank you for your part in His work here too, as you have sent me, loved, encouraged, supported, and prayed for me.
What You Can Do
Join Jessica in her request for prayer for Bafo’s spiritual growth. Also, pray for courage as she returns to the village-that God will continue His work in her life and in the life of her husband and the rest of their family for whom Pastor Enoch has prayed for and witnessed to for years.