by Joel and Cindy Anthis, Nigeria
1 March 2005

The patient lay bare-chested on the table, two arrows protruding bizarrely from his chest. He was a Fulani nomadic herdsman, and had been shot after a dispute regarding a recent marriage to his third wife. After four days of travel and visits to two other hospitals that could not help him, he arrived at Evangel Hospital in Jos, Nigeria.

Dr. Bill Ardill and Dr. Joel Anthis, physicians from the United States, looked in astonishment at the man. It didn't take much investigation to realize that one of the arrows was lodged inside the left atrium of his heart and the other was in his right lung. The fact that the man survived the trip to Jos over bumpy roads was a miracle! Now it was up to Bill (a general surgeon) and Joel (an ENT) to remove the arrows and repair the sizeable hole in the heart, all while keeping the heart beating!

With prayer and skill, the men were able to remove the arrow from the heart and the other from the lung. Miraculously the man survived!

Within the next week a Bible translator for the Fulani language was able to share the Gospel with this man whose life God had so clearly spared. After hearing in his own language the news of Jesus' great love and forgiveness, the patient committed his life to the Lord.

The Fulani are a predominantly Muslim people group numbering about 20 million and scattered across the southern rim of the Sahara Desert. Major efforts over many years to share the love of Jesus with them have resulted in only a small number of believers. The good news is that Fulani are now responding to Jesus in greater numbers than ever before. But reaching a nomadic group is always difficult. Much prayer and intercession are still needed to bring the Fulani to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The man with the arrow through his heart is recovering well both physically and spiritually. The newest hospital chaplain is also Fulani and has been a great encouragement to him. The lengthy healing process has afforded the Anthis family the opportunity to go together and pray with him, giving him a tape player and some gospel tapes in the Fulani language. The fact that the man cannot read disturbed the Anthis' daughter (although she also cannot read!), and she is praying that he will "go to school and learn to read the Bible."

Please pray for this man who God so clearly spared from death. Pray for the salvation of his wives, children and community back home. Praise God with us that He still works miracles, both physical ones and spiritual ones!