“God is urgently telling us to make a visit to South Africa and see Pastor Makananisa” our worship leader in Dondo, Joao, and Fatima, his wife, tell me in November. “We don’t have funds for the trip, but we have faith he will provide. We believe God is going to heal Fatima and the baby.” God provided the funds (of course), and off they went.
Reaching the border of S. Africa, however, Fatima and their baby’s entry visas were denied. The officials wanted documentation that supported the reason they gave for needing to go into S. Africa. Fatima and Joao had said they wanted to go there in order to receive prayer from Pastor Makananisa because their baby needed a healing. The workers demanded official papers and mocked them for even trying to enter without them. Have you noticed when God gives a promise, he often tests your faith before you receive it? Joao and Fatima knew they would receive a spiritual blessing in S. Africa. What do you do when your circumstances are going the opposite direction from the promise you thought you heard from God? The couple decided to pray earnestly. They would not give up. Two hours later, the Holy Spirit reminded Fatima of a letter written by the hospital in Maputo the day before, when she took her baby there for a check-up. The letter said their baby needed to get medical attention in S. Africa because she could not eat properly. She called her uncle to whatsapp the letter to her. Upon receiving this letter, they went back to the counter at the border and found a new lady there whom they had not yet met. The mean ones had “disappeared.” This new lady listened to their story and asked what church they were visiting. After hearing it was Pastor Makananisa’s church, she delightedly said, “Oh, that’s my church! Please greet the pastor for me! I know what you are going through. Don’t worry, you will enter.” She quickly stamped their passports and on they went! How many promises have you not seen fulfilled because you gave up too quickly in your faith or prayer life?
By this time, their bus had already left with some of their luggage on it. It was 11pm. and they were in a foreign country with a baby. This is not the time to doubt and give up. Remember God allows trials in our lives to strengthen us, even when it looks really bleak. Joao and Fatima found another bus and had enough money to buy another ticket. They even found their missing things in Johannesburg on the other bus that left them the night before! That’s amazing, considering how that city has one of the highest crime rates in the world!
Now it was time for the mysteriously urgent encounter with Pastor Makananisa. Joao had been feeling sick for a few weeks, but didn’t know what the illness was. Upon seeing Joao and Fatima, this pastor began prophesying and praying over them. Joao was instantly healed as heat filled his chest and then spread throughout his whole body. He told Joao that God is going to use his hands to heal and set people free, and function in the prophetic. (We have already seen this in Joao’s life, but now God was increasing these gifts. When he returned, more miracles continued. That will be another story in the future…!)
Looking at Fatima, he told her how she was having an attack on her breast, which would grow into cancer. The doctors would operate on her but then the cancer would spread to the other breast. They would operate again. Eventually she would die of breast cancer and this would also affect the baby. Fatima at this time had already been battling abscesses in her breast even before their baby was born. Their baby, now six months old, had been struggling with nursing and was almost ready to give up. The pastor said the baby would also get this same cancer…if the curse was not broken. Then God began showing him a vision of Fatima’s ancestors fighting and killing one another in tribal wars. He saw them cutting each other and told her the location was Inhambane, Mozambique. The pastor asked if this was where her family was from, and she said, “yes.” “Because of this bloodshed, this curse began years ago and has been passed down through the generations,” Makananisa continued. “This is the root of your problem. The enemy is now trying to kill you and your baby.” The pastor prayed, “In Jesus’ name this curse is destroyed and you are healed!” Instantly Fatima fell to the floor. She was completely healed. Their baby was also healed in that moment. Now, three months later, we happily report that this family continues in freedom and good health. Thank you Jesus! Our God is able and willing to break every curse and heal any disease!