Trading death for life

Sudan and South Sudan in East Africa

South Sudan is a land of traditional animistic religions, where people fear and appease the spirit world.

His name is Adam,  and he was a witch doctor.

A few weeks ago, Adam told his wife that he was tired of his life and even of his own beliefs. Their eldest son was sick again, and he felt unable to help him. And so he told his wife that he was going to take their son to the Doro Christian clinic. His wife said, “Go!”

While Adam and his son were waiting to be seen at our Doro health clinic, Zachariah, our clinic chaplain, spoke of Jesus and His saving grace. Adam’s heart began to stir as he had never heard about Jesus and this good news. He determined in his heart that after his son saw the clinic health worker, he must go to the chaplain’s office to find out more!

When Adam and his son arrived at the chaplain’s office, Zechariah warmly welcomed him. Zechariah was from Adam’s tribe, and so Adam felt comfortable asking questions about what he had heard. He told Zachariah that he was a witch doctor, and Zechariah asked him why his son was wearing charms around his neck - what was in them?

"The charms are to ward off evil spirits and to keep my son from getting sick," Adam replied. "Inside them we put herbs and pieces of sticks." All the herbs had been stuffed into a tiny leather pouch the little boy wore all the time. "He can never take it off," Adam said.

"Was your son healthy when you put the charm on him, and has it worked?" Zecharaiah asked. 

"No, it hasn't worked," Adam told him.  In fact, his son had been healthy when he first put it on him!

Then Zechariah began to share the good news about a living God, Jesus Christ who rose from the dead and is alive and can save people from their sins. Adam said that he didn’t want to trust in dead things, but in Jesus, the living God.

And so, right there in the chaplain’s office, Adam gave his heart and life to Jesus Christ! He was finally at peace with God!

Zachariah asked Adam if he was going to continue to allow his son to wear something dead around his neck. And so, it was there that Adam took off the charm from around his son’s neck. Adam was going to trust in Jesus to protect his children!

Then Adam told Zachariah that he had other charms in his house, and that his whole family was wearing charms. Would Zachariah come to his house to help him take the charms away?

A SIM missionary nurse drove Adam, his son, and Zachariah to Adam's house. When they arrived, Adam went into his house and took out all of his charms, and then one by one took off the charms from around his children’s necks. While this was still happening, Adam’s wife arrived at home. As soon as she saw what was happening, she, too, took off her own charms, and they were added to the pile of charms on the ground at the feet of Adam and Zachariah.

Zachariah then took the charms back to the clinic and burned them in the clinic incinerator - the end of those useless dead objects.

Adam is now attending a Bible class every week close by his house. This family is now free from depending on dead things to trusting in a living God!

Pray for:

• Adam and his family to grow in their faith.

• believers like Zachariah who are willing to share the good news with their own people.

If you'd like to use your health care skills in a place of ministry like SIM's Doro Clinic, contact SIM today!