Masara Doshi had a wonderful life. The then 81-year-old woman lived in good health, her family loved her, and even after her husband’s death in 2001, she was cared for well.
But one morning in 2004, Masara woke up and couldn’t move her legs. She was paralyzed from the waist down.
The whole family was shocked. Masara had been in perfect health up until that day. Her sons immediately brought her to one temple after another, asking the priests to pray and offer sacrifices for her healing. The family also met with witch doctors, and they gave Masara special pills to take. Time went by, and they realized Masara wasn’t getting any better; she was getting worse.
Her immune system became weak, and her good health gave way to many different sicknesses. She eventually lost much of her sight and her hearing. Before long, Masara gave up hope and waited to die.
Her family was brokenhearted because of her suffering, but they didn’t know what to do or who to turn to for help.
Messengers of Hope
In early 2011, however, two women walked into their village carrying Good News of great joy. Until that day, no one in the village had ever heard of Jesus Christ.
The two Gospel for Asia-supported missionaries, Benita Viswanathan and Esther Singh, knocked on Masara’s door. They began telling her sons and daughters-in-law about the Lord’s love for them. When Benita and Esther explained that Christ not only forgives people of their sins but also has the power to heal them, a flicker of hope arose in the family’s hearts.
Masara’s son Ojas began describing his mother’s condition to the women and asked them to come inside the house to see her. Benita shared the Good News with Masara, and Esther prayed for her healing. Just before they left, they gave Masara a New Testament.
Women of Prayer
Benita and Esther continued ministering in that village for another week, the whole time fasting and praying for Masara’s healing. Although the Lord did not immediately heal Masara, He continued to work in her heart and in the hearts of her family members. Just days after the women missionaries left the village, He gave the family the faith to trust Him with their lives.
Benita and Esther persisted in prayer for Masara, and the Lord completely healed the elderly woman of her paralysis, vision problems, hearing impairments and sicknesses!
Masara, at 88 years old, actively shares the grace she has found in Jesus Christ with others who have not heard. She has an especially powerful testimony because of the respect her culture gives to elders.
Nearly everyone in her village is interested in knowing more about Christ because of the miracle He performed in her life. And, despite their culture’s hostility toward Christianity, 22 villagers have embraced the love of God.
Please pray for Masara’s village, that many more people will come to know the Lord’s love for them.
Please also pray for the ministry of Benita and Esther, that the Lord would continue to bless them.
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