Dr. Joel Anthis has faced many challenging medical cases since coming to Evangel Hospital in Nigeria. Many have stretched his abilities to the limit and allowed him to clearly see God's hand in the healing.

One such patient is Emmanuel, a homeless young man in his 20s who had been working in a commercial bakery. An oven exploded sending a scorching hot pipe several inches in diameter and six feet long up through his face.

When Joel arrived in the hospital, he found Emmanuel with the pipe still protruding through his face and resting on his chest and abdomen where it had caused severe burns. He was conscious, and it was obvious the pipe had somehow missed his brain. The hospital staff thought he could not survive such an injury and that he was a lost cause.

Dr. Joel went to work securing a tracheotomy so he could breathe, and the Lord mercifully spared Emmanuel's life. Over the next two months, Emmanuel lived in our tiny one room, four bed Intensive Care Unit, requiring strong efforts to maintain his life. He endured daily dressing changes in the operating room and saw 30 others die over the course of his time in the ICU.

Dr. Joel and his family prayed for the miracle of healing in Emmanuel's life every day, and when we visited him, our daughter Abby sang songs to him. Through prayer and encouragement from Joel and the hospital staff, Emmanuel slowly began to heal from the inside out.

Though he has endured numerous large reconstructive operations and has more to come, the joy of the Lord now is clearly evident on his face. Emmanuel's presence in the hospital all these many months has been a powerful testimony to all who see him and have heard his story. Pray that God will make Emmanuel whole and use him as a testimony for the gospel.

UPDATE from Dr. Joel Anthis, January 2012: "You may remember my patient Emmanuel whom I treated for over one year while we were living in Jos, Nigeria. He was severely maimed when a commercial oven exploded, shooting a 6 foot long 2 inch in diameter burning hot metal pipe through his lower jaw and mouth up through his nose and one eye and out through the top of his face. It was only by God's grace that Emma survived and was able to be reasonably reconstructed over the next year.

Even more exciting was Emma's spiritual transformation from a homeless street youth who was living without hope before his accident, to a joyful Spirit-filled believer who has worked at the hospital laundry ever since his accident.

By God's grace Emma found a wonderful wife named Abigail and was married in the past two years. (see photo above) As is often the case with our friends living in Nigeria, even though they have suffered in the past, they are often called upon to suffer again. Emma and Abigail lost their first child last year at four months of age. But this young couple is rejoicing as Abigail is pregnant again."