This amazing story happened just a few weeks ago in Southeast Asia – overwhelming proof that God is still in the business of performing miracles.

Two weeks ago a woman named Marice returned home after attending her small group.  Her husband became irate when he learned where she had been. He took up a machete and came at her to kill her. As the machete was heading towards her head, in defense she raised her arm. The blade went through her arm severing the bone in two, but leaving the arm still partially attached.  The women from her cell group came quickly and rushed her to the local hospital which of course couldn’t handle this situation and sent her on to the provincial hospital in a nearby city. The doctor declared that he would have to amputate what was left of the arm, but didn’t want to operate until Marice stabilized. Over the next two days 5 liters of blood was donated to replace all she’d lost and the women prayed round the clock in her hospital room.
She stabilized and on the third day the doctor had her brought into the operating room for the amputation. After a few moments, the doctor came out of the operating room looking for the women who had been watching over Marice in her hospital room. “What did you do to Marice? Did you take her to another hospital?” he asked. The women replied, “We were just in her room praying around her bed.”  He then explained that the bone was back together and there was no need for an operation, the x-rays verified his findings. She was wheeled back to her room. The entire hospital came “alive” with the news of this miracle. When I arrived the next day, every receptionist, nurse and doctor could point me to Marice’s room – they all knew what had happened. As I entered her room, I saw Marice there sitting up in bed singing to the Lord and smiling. Her arm was still dressed with bandages, but I quickly noticed all of her fingers with moving.
When we see miracles happening in the New Testament, it’s nearly always so that people will come to faith in Jesus. Our church is a buzz right now with the knowledge that God is visiting us for the purpose of many people in our city coming to know the Savior. This is not a “one off” miracle and it’s not the last. We really sense God is on the move here and it’s just the beginning.
*Names have been changed for security reasons.
Isn’t it amazing to see God on the move!  Keep praying for more!
Blessings,

Harry Brown

Many who read TouchPoint may not be aware that I am the Vice President for Global Church Planting, CityTeam Ministries, San Jose, California.  My responsibilities include developing the church planting strategies for CityTeam Ministries and our partners.  The international division of CityTeam is called NewGenerations International.  Much of what I do overseas is in relationship to NewGenerations and our overseas partners.

The Vice President for International Ministries is Harry Brown.  Harry has served with CityTeam Ministries for more than 30 years.  I work very closely with Harry.  He’s one of my heroes.  He makes me look good, because he takes care of all the administrative details in our ministry that would drive me nuts.

Harry has been writing up many of the stories from our field work and sharing them in an email newsletter.  I am adding you as an audience to these newsletters by republishing them here.  I will release them under a new category called “The Odyssey”.  Please feel free to share these with anyone in any format.  These stories have been closely edited for security concerns, and we are confident that no harm will come to anyone as a result of these stories.  So, please enjoy and share “The Odyssey”.

Blessings!

“A long series of wanderings or adventures filled with notable experiences”

The Scripture says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8.) When He walked upon the earth, Jesus often healed the sick not only as an act of compassion but as a way to launch the discussion about eternal life with those who looked on. Here is a story from our West Africa Director demonstrating once again that the Good News is something you can feel not just something you hear.

Within the last three months, one of our church planters approached one of the largest, but hardest to reach, people groups in a West Africa.  He went to the community serving as a health and sanitation specialist as a way to build relationships and gain access into the community. During the course of his work he was looking for a person of peace (someone God had prepared to welcome the Gospel into the community.) One day, before he found that person, a woman in the community became very sick. The church planter suspected it had to do with demonic influences. The Muslim leaders and the “community healer” used traditional Islamic rituals to attempt to heal the woman. When she continued to be seriously ill the church planter publicly shared that he would like pray to the Creator God for deliverance of the woman.

The village elders said that if that prayer worked then they would want to learn more about the Creator God. After he prayed the woman experienced a dramatic deliverance, regaining consciousness and good health. As a result the chief gave the community worker a place to share his stories about God and disciple people in how to live their lives in obedience to God. Forty-Seven villagers have now become Christ Followers, and their new church operates under the blessing of the local authorities.

God is still in the miracle-working business! I hope this story reignites your faith that God can do more than you imagine.

 Blessings,      

hbrown@cityteam.org
hbrown@newgenerationsintl.org
www.newgenerationsintl.org

Cell: 408-529-6248
Work: 408-232-5602

To make a donation to NewGenerations International. Visit our website at www.newgenerationsintl.org.

NewGenerations International is a division of CityTeam Ministries – 2304 Zanker Road, San Jose, CA 95131