After Cyclone Harold ravaged Vanuatu earlier this year, roads on the nation’s remote island of Pentecost were impassable. Landslides and high winds washed away sections of the dirt roads, remaking the landscape into something even wilder and more challenging than it had previously been.

From the very beginning of this year’s cyclone relief effort, we had prayed for God to use us, to open doors for us to share the gospel, and for lives to be changed forever. We also prayed that God would lead us every step of the way and that only His will would be done!

So we strapped on our packs and trekked up a mountain into central Pentecost, into the remote village of Ratap. The whole community greeted us, eager to see who was willing to make the trip to visit them.

To give to the Paris family, click this link.

As we made introductions and explained why we had come, the chief of the village came out of his hut. I immediately noticed a gaping wound on the back of his hand. When I got closer to him, I could see the wound was about two inches across and extremely deep, exposing the tendons. His hand was badly swollen and grossly infected. He was in so much pain that he could not lift it.

The chief explained that he had gone spearfishing to get food for his family. While in the ocean, an octopus attacked him. It gripped his arm and ripped a chunk out of his hand before he could detangle himself from it. Now his hand was swollen, and his body badly infected.

The outer islands of Vanuatu have little to no medical care. An infected wound is deadly out here.

After being shown around the area and assessing the village’s needs, I felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to pray for the chief.

I asked him if I could pray for God to heal his hand. Ratap does not have access to any church and still follows traditional animistic beliefs, but after some consideration, he agreed. I prayed with excitement because we had been asking God for opportunities to make Him known and see Him work in wondrous ways. Shortly after our prayer, we said our goodbyes.

Three weeks later, we returned to Pentecost in a ship filled with rice and canned meat for distribution. When we got to Ratap, the chief came running. He held up his hand, showing me that the swelling was gone and that the gaping wound had become just a small scab!

He added that as soon as we had prayed for his festering wound, it had stopped weeping! That day, and every day thereafter, it got better and better.

He then asked if I would be willing to do for others what I had done for him. I excitedly explained that it was God who healed him and that I would be happy to pray for others in the village. The chief led me from hut to hut, where I was able to lay hands on the sick and broken, asking God to heal them and make His presence known

To give to the Paris family, click this link.

Village Chief Experiences Supernatural Healing After Octopus Attack

By Sam Paris, AGWM missionary to Vanuatu