In my mind, her name is Cherish. If I'm totally honest I have to tell you that I don't actually remember her name, but I think she would be ok with that, because I know that God knows her name and that when I pray for Cherish He smiles at her and lifts her up in His hands.
She came into my life about mid-morning on the day that I was privileged to work in intake. Her dark eyes were filled with worry and her small body carried every tell tale sign of stress and desperation. The first thing about her that caught my attention was her mangled left arm. Her hand was twisted back and the skin of her entire forearm bore scars that made it seem as if it had at some point been melted violently and had never fully cooled again. I would later come to realize that that was exactly what had happened to Cherish...
As her story tumbled out I realized that it was eerily familiar to me, and later that night as I thought through the story in Mark 9 verses 14-29 I understood why. At a very young age Cherish had begun experiencing "Attaques" (attacks) that, although they had never been diagnosed because proper testing is not available for her, I can only imagine are most likely seizures, mini-strokes, or some form of heart condition. When she was 13, she fell into a fire during one of her attacks and her arm was burned horribly and never healed properly. Although the skin was intact on the day that I met her, it was obvious that the arm still caused her great pain. Throughout her life, Cherish has faced untold hardships due to her attacks and not has been at all helped by the fact that many in her life believe that she is possessed by a demon. She is alone now, no parents, siblings, children, or friends to count on. She has no one to carry her to Jesus and ask for healing as the father of the boy in Mark 9 did, or at least she had no one until Jesus showed her to me... Now though, Cherish does have someone, and because I am a part of the Body of Christ, and you, my dear friend, are a part of that Body too, I am asking, begging, you to help me lift Cherish and every other beautiful and hurting soul in her situation up to our Father God who can and will heal her spirit and body in His time.
When Jesus' disciples asked Him why only He could drive out the evil spirit (or was it simply epilepsy?) that possessed the boy in Mark 9 He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” I know that Jesus is holding Cherish in His all powerful hand right now and that He always will, my request to you is that you would join me in being her family who can provide for her better than any earthly family because we can give her the gift of prayer and all the joys that it can unleash for her from the bounty of heaven.
