Anointing and healing.

Anointing and healing.


Working in the region of the Patrimony of Penha, São Lourenço, Espírito Santo, during a family visit I was struck by a stark reality:
I was called to give assistance to a family which stubbornly refused to receive or health workers, and nurses, much less doctors.
When trying to keep contact, I was greeted by the "boss" of the family who, aloof from contact, informed me that "that house, no doctor came."
I asked why and he told me he could not afford to "buy the drugs," to which I replied that these drugs would not be bought because he had paid with taxes that were embedded in goods and services used in day-to- days.
Without other arguments, welcomed me and allowed my entry into the poor house.
At first glance, I came across a strange reality, there were three women and a young lady who looked about fifty years.
One of the girls, the oldest probably presented with erysipelas in an advanced state, forming a sore ankle, common complication of the disease.
By covertly ask about the other women of the house, the matriarch interrupted me saying that they were all good, including the sickly.
He said the girl's leg was improving and "God would heal."
When asked what medicine she was using, the answer came swift and firm:
Water-anointed!
After this statement, I came across a radio, that have those old shortwave, the only appliance in the house.
When talking to my assistant, I learned the story.
There was a pastor of one of these churches "of God" through the radio, "anointed" the water placed next to the device.
This water was applied after the anointing of the sick on the leg.
Obviously the improvement was not occurring and the presence of high fever and the fall of the general state of the girl showed her condition worsened.
I stopped, thought and tried to devise a way to encourage the use of the drug.
Quickly, I grabbed a piece of coconut soap, and a box of antibiotics and painkillers, and a package of gauze and asked what time the program was such a shepherd.
On being informed that he would start in minutes, I asked to turn on the radio, and patiently awaited the time of transmission of the "miracle program."
I asked everyone, including my assistant, who heard the program and pray with the pastor in an attempt to anointing of the package of drugs, gauze and coconut soap.
Sure enough, after "anointed," asked that after the leg be washed with soap and water, were given the drugs, all duly anointed.
The improvement was evident in patients with wound healing and cure of erysipelas.
From that day on, every time they need to transform such a shepherd in my greatest ally.
Without knowing it, until now he is anointing vermifuge.