Filo

The other day we found a very sick woman named Filo at a voodoo house. She was lying on the floor and was completely unresponsive. She was a young woman, only 31. She had a high fever and was laying there lifeless. We immediately brought her back to Lifeline so the nurses could examine her. The right side of her body wasn’t able to move. She was dehydrated. It appeared if she possibly had a stroke and also had pneumonia or something as such, but the nurses weren’t sure. They started an IV on her and gave her antibiotics. By the time she was taken home she seemed to be doing a little bit better. Yesterday we went back to her at the voodoo house and gave her another IV and medicine.

Her fever was gone and she seemed to be doing better. We told her we would come back again today. We went back again today expecting to find her the way we found her the day before but we were in for something different.

As we pulled up to the house we saw candles surrounding her and heard chanting. Donald and one of our interpreters went in first to see if they would stop the ritual so the nurses could help her. As soon as Filo saw Donald she reached for him indicating that she was happy we were there and wanted help. The voodoo priest was resistant at first and had to know that we weren’t trying to be disrespectful but that we were worried about Filo and wanted to help her. They said that an evil spirit was making her sick and they were trying to rid her of it.

Donald asked her husband if we could help and he said yes; so we all walked in. We found her lying flat on a bunch of tobacco leaves and there were candles surrounding her. There was a baby chicken tied to one of the tobacco leaves as part of the ritual. Donald immediately got her on a mattress so she was more comfortable. Filo had another high fever so the nurses gave her a shot of antibiotics called Rocephin and they also crushed up a few ibuprofens and added it to a can of ensure to help strengthen her and give her vitamins and minerals. We were then able to pray with her. We prayed for healing. Please pray with us also. We want to see her well! We believe in the power of a God who heals and we’re not only believing for her healing but for the salvation of the voodoo priest!