God continues to do incredible, even unexpected, things in East Timor (also known as Timor-Leste), as Nazarenes serve their communities through compassion and prayer. According to team leader Warren Neal, one of the most effective ministries has simply been in response to the physical needs of people.
“Often we will hear about someone who is ill or in the hospital and our team members visit them for prayer,” says Neal. This has often led to that person’s acceptance of Christ and healing, as is the case for a woman named Juvita.
Juvita, of Rasa, had been a very ill in a hospital. Several weeks ago Pastor Samuel and his prayer team learned of her illness and prayed for her there. At that time, Juvita made a decision to follow Christ. She became strong enough to return home as a witness to her family.
“Evidently,” Neal reports, “it was not God's plan to heal her in the way that we had thought.” Juvita’s condition continued to worsen.
Two weeks ago on Sunday morning, as the believers were gathered in Lospalos town at the youth center, Pastor Samuel felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to pray again for Juvita. This is what he prayed: "God, if you have work for Juvita to do here, then please heal her. But if you want her to be with you, please take her quickly out of her misery."
After church, one of the men told Pastor Samuel that he thought they should go to visit Juvita. When they arrived at her home there was a large crowd of people gathered. They reported the news that Juvita had gone to be in the arms of Jesus right about the time that Pastor Samuel was praying for her.
The church in East Timor is recognizing this as a miracle: “God did answer our prayer to heal Juvita--completely!”