Every Wednesday morning I wake up knowing that prayer rounds at the hospital are in the evening at 7pm. As I drink my coffee and have my quite time with the Lord I think of all the patients at the hospital that I will get to meet and pray with that evening. I wonder if any have not heard of Jesus or what Yoruba greetings I can say to put a smile on their face. Then my day begins. By lunchtime I am already starting to feel the effects of the heat and the many directions I have been pulled since I woke. Why am I so tired already? At 1pm an espresso normally solves the problem and I get my second jolt to finish the day strong. By dinnertime, I am thanking God for Shola, who has dinner ready. I don’t know what I would do if I had to cook as well. 7pm comes so quickly. Why am I so tired? Maybe it is 
because I didn’t remember to drink water to replace all the sweat my clothes now carry? I sit with my family at the dinner table with my belly full and try to think of a million reasons not to go on prayer rounds. I am so tired and I have given so much already today to so many. I just want to shower this sweat off of me and relax in my PJ’s. Many times my flesh wins and I stay home. This past Wednesday God called me to the rounds. “Come on kids, Let’s go!”
I love our trek to the hospital in the dim hour of the night. There is enough light to see but not enough to watch for snakes. We turn on our flashlights and begin our trek taking in God’s amazing revitalization project as we walk. The new buildings and bright lights are a breathtaking view at night.
We meet our group of prayer warriors in the outpatient waiting area. We split up into male and female groups and then head off to the wards. My group’s first stop is an elderly lady who has eye surgery tomorrow. She is a Christian and tells us she prays 3 hours everyday. We pray with her and bring a smile to her wrinkled face. Next-door is a small girl with TB (Taye). Dr Jen has already starting talking to the patient’s caretaker (Radijat) who is her sister. Before I knew it we are in the middle of witnessing to a non-believer. Jen handled every question great and explained the gospel perfectly. This M&slim believer went from telling us what the K@ran says to wanting to know how she can find Jesus. We spent the rest of the night with her and never made it to another patient’s bedside.
We walked away that night filled with amazement but questioning how we would help these M&slim women come to know Jesus because they couldn’t read anything but Arabic. Suddenly Jolie says, “Mommy I have the Evangi cube from SIM.” My sweet baby girl had been by my side quietly observing and heard everything and wanted to help. I told her it was a great idea and asked her if she would want to come back down after school the next day and share the cube. I expected my shy little girl to say “NO”, but she immediately said “Yes” with a big smile on her face. The next day after school she came running through the door and said, “When are we going the hospital Mommy.” I was completely blown away. I fought tears of joy in my eyes, as I knew it would make her uncomfortable.
We went down and put a mask on Jolie to protect her from the TB and entered the room. Through an interpreter we found out that Radijat had accepted Jesus that morning after a dream she had where Jesus came to visit her. We were so excited to hear her vivid dream and that Jesus was now a part of her life. We asked if Jolie could share Jesus with her little sister, Taye and she said yes. Again I fought back tears as I watched my 9-year-old share the gospel to a small thin sick girl. I heard her talk about sin and heaven and how Jesus is the only way. She had no fear and spoke with confidence as the interpreter repeated everything in Yoruba. Once she was finished she handed Taye a teddy bear and gave her the cube. We told Taye she could take it with her to share with her family back home.
Thank God for prayer rounds! So many times I am too tired for God but thank goodness he is never too tired for me. I came to revitalize a hospital so the Doctors and Nurses could have a safe place to spread God’s word. I am simply God’s hands and feet backstage that just gets everything ready for the superstars. He puts people in my path everyday to show me I am a superstar too. Today was one of those days! I never would have thought he would use my blonde sweet baby girl to grow his kingdom at such a young age. He can use you too if you will let him. Come and join our team in Egbe. Please prayerfully consider coming to serve short term or long term in Egbe. If that isn’t what God is leading you to, then consider financially supporting our family as long term missionaries and/or becoming one of our prayer partners. God’s isn’t looking for your abilities he is looking for your availability!
Currently Radijat and her sister Taye have been discharged from the hospital but cannot pay their bill which is over N100,000 ($500). If you feel led to help with the bill email me at Patrice.Miles@sim.org
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