Advent: Day Sixteen – Healer

Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.”—Matthew 11:4–5 (NLT)

Their four children asleep at last, Aziz and Habiba finally had a chance to sit down and talk with Aziz’s mother, the matriarch of their multi-generational household. Their village in an isolated region of Central Asia had been hit by a measles outbreak. The nearest medical services were a long distance away over mountainous terrain, and the virus had already claimed the lives of a number of young children. In the midst of their community’s grief and concern, today brought good news: a mobile clinic and a team of healthcare workers was on its way. Everyone would be vaccinated tomorrow. Thank God for sending help!

In a country with an extremely high infant mortality rate, families know too well the tragedy of losing little ones to measles, malnutrition, malaria and other diseases. While many illnesses are preventable or treatable with standard interventions, most people lack the resources to provide the care their children need.

Aziz and Habiba are some of the many parents grateful for the lifesaving aid and health education provided by a rural community center. Through the interfaith leadership of this organization, followers of Jesus and Muslims are working side by side to help families gain access to healthcare initiatives that are giving their children the chance to grow up and thrive. The center’s staff serves more than 50 towns and villages in this underserved district, treating nearly 30,000 people per year.

As the center cares for communities, staff members who follow Jesus are extending the hope of spiritual healing to people with little to no knowledge of His Good News. Throughout His earthly ministry, He healed diseases, raised the dead to life and preached the message of God’s Kingdom, in which suffering and death will one day come to an end. His care for people’s bodies was intrinsically connected to the spiritual transformation He came to bring.

Pray for Central Asians and others around the world who don’t have access to healthcare and live without the news of a Healer who wants to restore their bodies and souls. Take a moment today to be aware of your physical, emotional and spiritual needs. Ask God to show you where you need to experience His healing touch.