Mona's Story - "A Story of Faith"
Mona grew up in the small village of Gramothe. She is one of eleven children born to a subsistence farmer in the mountains high above Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince. Her village, like most Haitian villages, has no electricity or running water. Work is hard - the hours long. Growing up in the midst of poverty and in the influence of voodoo, Mona was able to find strength and peace in God’s Love and Mercy.
Here is her story . . .
As a young girl, I had many family responsibilities. One of my jobs was to carry water to our house. The water was used to wash, cook, or do laundry. I had to walk down the mountain to the river, fill my 5-gallon bucket, put it on my head, and walk back up the steep mountain path to my house. This was done every day.
When I was nineteen, I began to get dizzy and my legs began to feel weak. I was afraid to tell anyone, so I kept it a secret. One day I was returning from the river when my legs began to shake. I could not move. I stood there frozen, on the steep hillside, high above the river. A friend saw I was having trouble, and quickly ran up the path to help. I could not even take the bucket off my head. He took the bucket from my head and set it down. I was still unable to move my legs and could not walk. I had no pain and just dizziness. He helped me return home.
My family did not have money for me to see a doctor. My mother and I are Christians, so we prayed for God’s help. One morning, my brother, who is not a Christian, carried me to a voodoo houngan (priest). Since I could not walk or resist, I had no choice but to go with him. He asked the houngan to heal me. I did not want to see the houngan.
“Reynold, take me home. I don’t want to see the houngan. I am a Christian and do not believe in voodoo.” Reynold listened and carried me home.
When I returned home, my mother was happy I did not see the houngan. We thanked God and prayed for God’s help. My mother and I have a great Faith.
The next week a friend came and took me to see a doctor. The doctor could not find anything wrong. He did not understand why I had no pain and felt perfectly fine. Still, I could not move my legs or walk. I returned home, and my family and I continued to pray for God’s healing power.
A local Haitian missionary, Willem Charles, came to see me. He asked to take me to see an American doctor. He told my parents that he would pay the doctor’s bill. This doctor too could not find anything wrong.
“Jesus, send someone to find out what I have.”
A few days later, Monsieur Willem returned and took me to see a specialist. The specialist prescribed a series of twenty shots. I had to take one shot a day for twenty days – I could not miss one day. I prayed for God’s guidance, and agreed to begin the treatment.
Everyday my uncle Tius took me down the mountain from Gramothe to Monsieur Willem’s house. I rode on horseback while my uncle led his horse down the steep mountain trail. It was the rainy season, and the horse would slip and slide on the muddy trail. I was scared. “God let me get down the mountain and get to the doctor.”
When we arrived at Monsieur Willem’s home, he drove me into the city to get my shots. The trip was about twenty-five miles. I thank God for Monsieur Willem’s patience and love for me.
Editor’s note: In Haiti twenty-five miles can be an adventure - holes in the road, traffic, no stop signs, people carrying vegetables on their heads, traffic, no stop lights, rock trucks, traffic, no regard of driving rules or courtesy, and more traffic.
Luckily, because of my paralysis, the shots were not painful. During my treatment, I continued to pray for God’s healing powers. By the time I received my twentieth shot I could begin to feel the needle. Still, I had no feeling in my legs and was unable to walk. The doctor said I needed five additional shots. I told him, “First, I have to pray and ask God.”
I began fasting every morning and continued to pray for God’s healing. I decided not to take any more shots.
“God, if YOU want me to be healed, YOU are going to have to do it. If not, I will be paralyzed. I have Faith in you, Lord.”
I continued to fast every morning and prayed continually. Within a few days, feeling began to return to my feet. God began to answer my prayers. Slowly, I regained feeling in my legs and within a few weeks I was able to walk again.
“Halleluiah!” “Praise the Lord!” “Thank you, Jesus!”
I hope my story will be an inspiration to all, and an example of Faith and God’s healing powers. I praise God and Jesus everyday, and thank them for their mercy. Now, I want to spread God’s message to Haiti, and to help educate and bring medical care to my people.
May God Bless You All,
Mona
Hope in the Light Ministry
"Doing God's Work in Haiti"
Jesus said, "Your faith has healed you."
Matthew 9:22
