by Peter Fretheim, Nigeria
11 August 2006

Abner, a victim of polio as a child, was a 14-year-old boy who could not walk. Since contracting polio at age seven, he spent his days crawling on the ground. When some visiting short-term missionaries met him at a missionary school in Nigeria, they began to look for ways to help.

Abner's parents are Nigerian missionaries, ministering to Muslims and unreached peoples in an area where schools and medical facilities are inadequate. SIM missionaries have been working with Evangelical Mission Society (EMS), the mission arm of Evangelical Churches of West Africa (ECWA), to provide a good education and a loving and safe environment for the children of their missionaries.

Seeking Medical Help

Through the inquiry and help of the visiting team, Abner was admitted into an orthopedic hospital in the city of Kano, four hours away. The treatment began with traction, the process of connecting the legs to a weight to slowly straighten them. Because Abner's legs had been bent and unused for seven years, this took weeks and was extremely painful. After the traction process was complete, doctors operated to release the contraction in his hips and placed his legs in casts. Throughout the process, there was no guarantee about the outcome.

Our nurse was able to visit Abner just before Christmas. Even though he had been in the hospital for so many months, he was positive and thankful. He had made close friends with the other patients and the staff, and everyone loved him. They enjoyed many hours together coloring, talking, and reading. Our nurse left thankful and excited to see what God was going to do for Abner.

He Can Walk!

On January 13, she received one of the best calls of her life. Abner's doctor called to say that he was able to walk! He is assisted by the use of leg braces and crutches, but he is no longer crawling on the ground.

When Abner traveled to his village to meet his family, his father wept with happiness, and many people in the village called Abner's walking a miracle. This visible work of God is showing His love and power to many who do not know Him.

When Abner returned to Jos, he was greeted by more than 100 fellow classmates who began dancing and crying and laughing, praising God that their friend was walking! When our nurse saw him walking towards her, she was filled with awe at God's goodness and love for this precious boy, and began to cry tears of joy.

Abner wants to follow in the footsteps of his father and be a missionary pastor when he grows up. "Abner, may you not only walk, but run to tell people about Jesus!"