Nondis--

 

 

         A Boy Of

 

 

      New Guinea—

 

 

       When a messenger burst into the village of Papua with word that the government patrol was approaching, the people fled in terror.  They had never seen white men before, and they were taking no chances.  Mothers scooped up their babes, and everybody, young and old, disappeared into the bush or up the mountain.  Everybody, that is, except Nondis.  He couldn’t go, because he was crippled with leprosy!

                So When the patrol officers trudged wearily into the village, they found houses empty, cooking fires still burning, and Nondis.  Imagine, if you can, his absolute terror as a strange white man in a big hat bent over him and examined him.

          Within a week the boy, who knew nothing of the rest of the world, was put aboard a strange aircraft and taken to a leprosarium on the coast.  There he was operated upon and sealed in plaster from the sole of his feet to the top of his hips.  Think of the trauma of it,--no friends, no one who could understand his language.  He sat alone on his bed day after day, unable even to feed himself because his arms were so deformed.

         It was in this condition that a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor found him and became his friend.  He brought him food and clothing, and slowly Nondis learned to speak pidgin.  Now the pastor could tell him about Jesus and how he restored the paralytics and healed the lepers.  He told him that Jesus is the same today.  And the boy believed!

          Three months after the plaster was applied, it was cut away, but his joints were still weak and twisted.  His leg was badly ulcerated.  It was a terrible disappointment.  Now he must be encased in plaster again, this time for six months.  But the pastor encouraged him to keep trusting.  He told him Jesus still could heal him.  Nondis believed it was true and kept on praying.

          On the second Monday night after Nondis was sealed in plaster the second time, he had a dream.  In his dream a tall man in shining white stood by his bed and said to him, “Nondis, it’s time for you to get out of bed.”

        He said, “I can’t, look at me!”

        But the man said kindly, “You can!  Give me your hand.”

               Nondis held out his wasted hand, but the Man said, “No! Open your fingers like this.”

          “It’s not possible.  You see, my motor nerves have died, and my hand is permanently disfigured,” That’s what Nondis had heard the doctors say.

     “If you take my hand, your own will strengthen.”  And, in the dream, it was so.

           Then the Man in white said kindly, “Now come, get out of bed.”

        So, in his dream, Nondis swung his legs over the side of his hospital bed and stood up.

        “Go for a walk.”  And he strode off down the ward.  When he came back to his bed, the Man in his dream said to him, “You have been sick a long time since you first believed, yet your belief in me hasn’t wavered at all.  Tonight I have taken away your leprosy and have restored your movement.  Now I want you to work for Me.”

     Nondis said he would, and thanked the Man profusely as he turned and left the room.

          Not long after that the boy was awakened by the sound of a patient down the ward calling out.  A nurse turned on the light.  It was almost dawn anyway, and Nondis decided to say his morning prayer.  In the midst of his prayer he remembered his dream.

         Nondis opened his eyes and could hardly believe what he saw.  His fingers were straight.  He opened and closed both hands several times.  It was easy!  He examined his formerly twisted arms.  He could move them!

       Next he felt for his legs.  He was happily shocked to discover that the plaster had all crumbled away.  The sores were healed, and his joints were strong and firm.  Overjoyed, he slipped out of bed and fell on his knees.  How could he thank the Lord enough?

                When a male nurse passed by, Nondis called to him and showed him his hands and his legs.  The nurse was astounded at the sight of Nondis standing.  The nurse called the other patients to come and see.  Excitedly they crowded around him.  Some said he shouldn’t have removed the plaster.  When the doctor came, he cleared that up, however, telling them it was utterly impossible for Nondis to remove the plaster when he couldn’t even feed himself.

       The doctor examined the boy and said, “I think your God has had something to do with this.”

          X-rays of his legs were proof of his remarkable healing.  Blood tests were negative.  Nondis was cleared to return home.  But he said to his doctor,” “The Lord said I should work for Him, but I really don’t know what kind of work I should do.  Can you give me some work?”

            So Nondis was put to work in the physiotherapy department. That was the beginning.  Soon he was transferred to a Seventh-Day Adventist hospital, was baptized, and married a lovely, Christian girl named Rebecca.

            Yes, angels are often sent on missions of healing, but sometimes the Healer is so moved with compassion that He takes charge Himself!

 

 

Marjorie Lewis Lloyd