The sound of roosters and flashing rays of the sun’s upper edge signified the dawn of a new day filled with joy and happiness in Chogeywo, Kenya . . . but that was not the case for Alice.
Alice had been living with tungiasis for more than ten years. More popularly known as jiggers, tungiasis is a painful and itchy skin infection affecting millions of people, often in poverty. Her family and community had accepted her situation as permanent and stigmatised as a result. by her immediate family and community until Alex Cherebon and his team arrived.
Stories of a mission team moving around preaching the Gospel soon spread across the community of Mt Elgon. People gathered every morning to hear the Good News of King Jesus. Graduate Alex Cheroben and other facilitators used New Life Behavior’s material to teach, preach, and convert people into the Kingdom. God was at work! And they were honoured to partner with him in impacting the community with Gospel.
Amazed by the team’s compassionate attitude and willingness to reach every soul with the Good News of Jesus Christ, some members of the community approached the team and asked if they could be willing to help one of their friends who had been suffering from jiggers. “No problem,” they answered.
What they didn’t know was that the woman, Alice, had been suffering from jiggers for a long time and other people had tried to help without success. It would take something special for them to conquer the sickness.
At a distance, Alice looked up and saw a group of people approaching. She was taken aback as she was not used to receiving so many visitors at once. As Alex and his team approached, they could see tears flowing on her face. She was in severe pain.
They were already singing and praying. Alice joined and the prayer session continued seamlessly. The team knew that jiggers required special treatment, and after praying they began the treatment. Because jiggers is common in the region, they had treated others before – mostly young kids who were very responsive to the treatment.
She looked hopeful. The community watched in amazement. Knowing what she was going through, they continued praying. Days passed and the team continued providing treatment. Each day was better than the day before. Alice was responding positively to the treatment.
As lessons continued in their usual place, someone was approaching from a distance. It was too soon for Alice to have been healed, so everyone assumed it was someone eager to hear the Good News.
Their lessons continued in their usual place over several weeks. During one class session, a student pointed to someone approaching from a distance and shouted, ‘It’s Alice!’ Everyone stood and began shouting praises to God for the great work He had done. The community celebrated with Alice as she attended her first class – healed and filled with happiness.
Allice accepted King Jesus in baptism. And after successful completion of the lessons, the team gifted her with a female goat to start a business to support herself.
Her life had been changed forever: she had received healing, the Gospel of King Jesus, and a farming business.
Lives across Africa are changed everyday through the impact of faithful and hard-working graduates like Alex Cheroben in Kenya.