'Death is swallowed up in victory'
Yawko was taken from the river and pronounced dead last week. Wailing and grief rang out among the villagers.
The little Abau boy fell into the river's strong current during an epileptic seizure. It is rainy season in Papua New Guinea and although there were no rapids, the condition of the river put the boy's condition at high risk.
"The room he was taken into was absolutely packed with family and neighbors who had come to cry for him," missionary Mike Cratch wrote. "As I held his cold hand, my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark house and I saw that he was alive and gasping for air."
The Abaus and missionaries took immediate action and turned Yawko so he could cough up more water.
Abau believers immediately began to pray for him and the surrounding witnesses started to cry for joy for their young survivor.
"After nearly a full hour of massive seizure, he came out of it [and] moaned a couple sentences about the water," Mike wrote. "I was so thrilled to hear that his first clear statements were a prayer to his God to help him. It was honestly one of the most touching moments of my life."
Yawko's incredible story spread throughout the village and people couldn't stop talking about God's hand in saving this boy.
The Abau man that pulled Yawko out of the water had a similar name -- Yawlo. Yawlo started to wonder if God used him to help this little boy.
"I don't think he realized the God of the universe knows him," Mike wrote. "It seemed to just amaze him. I trust the Lord will use that to stir Yawlo's thinking a little bit."
Please pray that Yawko's faith in God will be an example to unbelieving Abaus. Also pray that this event will continue to work on Yawlo's heart and bring him to faith in Christ.
The little Abau boy fell into the river's strong current during an epileptic seizure. It is rainy season in Papua New Guinea and although there were no rapids, the condition of the river put the boy's condition at high risk.
"The room he was taken into was absolutely packed with family and neighbors who had come to cry for him," missionary Mike Cratch wrote. "As I held his cold hand, my eyes slowly adjusted to the dark house and I saw that he was alive and gasping for air."
The Abaus and missionaries took immediate action and turned Yawko so he could cough up more water.
Abau believers immediately began to pray for him and the surrounding witnesses started to cry for joy for their young survivor.
"After nearly a full hour of massive seizure, he came out of it [and] moaned a couple sentences about the water," Mike wrote. "I was so thrilled to hear that his first clear statements were a prayer to his God to help him. It was honestly one of the most touching moments of my life."
Yawko's incredible story spread throughout the village and people couldn't stop talking about God's hand in saving this boy.
The Abau man that pulled Yawko out of the water had a similar name -- Yawlo. Yawlo started to wonder if God used him to help this little boy.
"I don't think he realized the God of the universe knows him," Mike wrote. "It seemed to just amaze him. I trust the Lord will use that to stir Yawlo's thinking a little bit."
Please pray that Yawko's faith in God will be an example to unbelieving Abaus. Also pray that this event will continue to work on Yawlo's heart and bring him to faith in Christ.