I walked into this boy’s house blindly without really knowing much about the situation. I knew we were going to visit a child with HIV, but I didn’t know the emotional toll it would take on me. I had little background information on this young boy - we were speaking with his grandmother before we went to see him, but it was hard to get the full story. His father and mother are living in separate houses and fighting over medication. One parent has taken him to the clinic to get treatment, while the other refuses. They thought he had died a week or two earlier. A fight over this boy’s life.
As we walked in, I wondered if I would be able to tell which child was HIV positive just by looking. I had no idea it would be so blatantly obvious. There he was, standing at the edge of the bed. He was unnaturally skinny - all skin and bones. His hair was falling out and what was left was matted against his head. He was losing his skin coloring and oddly pale. There was a rash over his entire body. His hands were covered with puss-filled blisters and open sores. It was heartbreaking.
He, his mother and two siblings live in a small cinder block house that consists of only one room. There is a small kitchenette, bed, wardrobe and shelving filled with a tv, pictures and other small valuables. As we spoke, we learned that the young boy (we’ll call him M from here on out), hasn’t gone to school in some time because of his condition. When we had arrived, M had just woken up. He sleeps most of the day because he doesn’t have the energy to do anything else. M sat on the floor with us quietly and patiently as we talked with his mother. His siblings and friends played in the corner loudly and he just stared at them, unable to participate because it would be too much.
Towards the end of our visit, we asked if we could pray for him. M and his mother agreed and we laid hands on him. He brought his hands up next to his face, folded them and bowed his head as we prayed for healing. I choked back the tears and pleaded with God to please heal this young boy. Why God? I asked. Why does this boy deserve this? Why is he suffering from the sins of his parents? He is only eight years old and on the brink of death. Suffering in ways we cannot even imagine. My heart hurt for him.
When we were done praying, we asked if he felt any different. He said that he constantly has an intense pain in his back stretching across to his side and stomach. We laid our hands on the specific area and asked Jesus to please take away the pain. You could feel his heart beating fast, but not in a normal way. It wasn’t a nervous beat. Or an excited beat. But an exhausted beat. I could feel his heart throbbing harder than it ever should. It felt unnatural and almost like it couldn’t beat that way much longer.
It was time to leave, so we asked M’s older brother to walk to the car with us because we had an extra cabbage for the family. M walked outside with us, put on his shoes and started down the dirt road with us. We quickly told him he didn’t have to come, but he insisted. We were shocked. Praise Jesus! This boy is moving and has enough energy to walk down the road!
Fellow Brothers and Sisters, please join me in praying for M. We have seen the Lord heal people right before our eyes and we know that He can do immeasurably more and heal M as well. We see HIV/AIDS as an unmovable mountain and a death sentence. But nothing is too big to bring to the feet of Jesus. We don’t need to settle and just ask for comfort during this difficult time, but we need to ask for complete healing in the name of Jesus. Starting in the very core of M - every blood cell, every vein, every artery, every bone, every muscle, every tendon, every organ completely healed.
In Matthew 17, the disciples came to Jesus after they were unable to heal a demon-possessed boy. When they asked why they were unable to drive the demon out, Jesus answered, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain ‘Move form here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20). Where is your faith? We are believing and declaring that the Lord can and will heal M.
We serve a God who sees us. And He sees M. When it looks like all hope is lost and the darkness is overwhelming, Jesus shines through. There is always hope.
In Christ,
