Saharan snake bites Muslim woman, Jesus heals, family believes
Hajira (not her real name) grew up in a prominent Middle Eastern Muslim family. Her father, a top religious authority in their state, helped enforce the dictates of Sharia law, particularly those regarding religious matters.
She and her brother Haroon (not his real name), the only children of their mother, share other brothers and sisters by their father’s other wives. Her sharp-shooting brother commanded a militant Islamic wing intent on protecting the faith. The large extended family strictly followed Sharia law, and Hajira felt deeply loved by all of them.
Once a year, the family—with their cooks, drivers and servants—enjoyed setting off for the desert to enjoy a bonfire under the moonlight. This year they selected some nearby rocky hills for the gathering, Hajira told Bibles for Mideast. After the evening’s festivities, she felt like going on a little walk out further into the desert, and her siblings decided to join her. Their father and mothers remained near the bonfire with the servants.
While they walked, she suddenly felt something bite her leg. The siblings saw a big snake slither quickly away, then bury itself in the sand. Haroon grabbed his revolver, took aim, and killed it. It proved to be a Saharan horned viper, fairly common in the area but with highly toxic venom.
Within seconds Hajira became unconscious, and was rushed to hospital. She lay there four days in a coma. She remembers waking up briefly on the fourth day, in severe pain and unable to move. She heard the doctors discussing renal failure and increasing fibrinolysis. Her prognosis was grim.
“I gave up my hope and tried to prepare my mind for death,” she explained. “I turned my face to the wall and wept. I did not want others to see my tears. I prayed to God for a painless death in sleep.”
While she slept, she remembers an angel appearing before her and saying, ‘Call upon Jesus, the son of the Most High who was crucified, died for you, and rose from the dead.’
The words irritated her. “Prophet Jesus, the son of Mary?” she challenged the angel. “He was not crucified. And he was not greater than my prophet.”
“You are wrong,” the angel replied. “Jesus is the Lord of the prophets. He is the true savior. He can heal you from all sickness and save you from sin and death. Call upon Him with your heart, and with your mouth.”
The angel disappeared, and she woke up to see her brother standing beside her bed.
“Were you dreaming?” he asked her. “I heard you saying something about the prophet Jesus.”
She told him about the angel and what he had said, and was surprised when Haroon looked enthralled rather than angry.
She then learned of his own experience with Jesus in a dust storm, when he and his team of militants were intent on killing a group of Christians. He shared that remarkable incident with her (you can read it here), and brother and sister then joined hands and prayed.
“Lord Jesus, if you are the true savior, show us the way,” Haroon began. “Jesus, if you are the true savior, forgive our sins.”
“Jesus, if you are the true savior, heal both our physical and mental sickness,” Hajira continued. “Jesus, if you are the true savior, send somebody to us for further guidance. Amen”.
“We prayed from our heart,” Hajira said. “While praying, both of our eyes overflew with tears.”
In about two hours, she said, two strangers came to her room unexpectedly. The senior person knew both her and her brother’s names.
“But we never met them before,” she said. “Without any introduction he said, ‘Lord Jesus heard your prayers which you both prayed together. The angel who visited you appeared before me too and asked me to visit you, guide you to salvation and pray for you.’ At once I left my house to see you.”
The elder man introduced himself as Pastor Paul of Bibles for Mideast. He explained to them who Jesus is, why he was crucified and died. Hajira and her brother repented of their sins and accepted Jesus as their Lord and savior. Pastor Paul put his hands on Hajira’s head and prayed.
“Immediately I felt something extraordinary flowing through my veins,” she said. “I got up from the bed and knelt down on the floor. Yes, Lord Jesus totally healed my sickness and sealed me by His precious and victorious blood.”
She told the doctors Jesus had healed her. After thoroughly examining her, they accepted her recovery as miraculous. Seeing their precious Hajira restored to health, all her family members accepted Jesus as savior as well..
“Pray that our Lord Jesus protects us and gives us strength to survive persecutions,” she asks.
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The experience of Haroon (update on Dec 20): At the sound of Jesus’ voice, militants toppled, guns blown from their hands.
Story of Oct. 02: Heavenly dust storm protects newly-baptized from militant gunfire
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