Nabin’s Story: Healed and Redeemed by Christ

Suzanne Pearson • Jul 14, 2022

In a dark, cramped room in southeast Asia, a young man lay paralyzed and in despair. On the wall next to him sat a row of Hindu idols, collecting dust and unable to help him see any purpose or hope ahead. Yet today this young man, healed and redeemed by Christ, proclaims the Gospel to his friends and neighbors. The journey to this happy ending was not an easy one, but it is one marked by the faithfulness of the God who heals and redeems…

Two Friends on a Walk

The story began on a typical February day in 2020. Cindy and her husband Mike serve with TEAM in Southeast Asia doing pastoral care and family counseling. Cindy is also trained as a nurse and often uses those skills to minister to families in the local church.

On this particular day, Cindy and her friend Vishnu set out on a morning walk on the outskirts of the city. The two ladies talked and prayed together on these regular outings. Today Vishnu was burdened. “Cindy, I met a lady at the water tap and she told me about her son who is sick. It’s terrible – just terrible.”

Vishnu explained that the woman’s son was twenty years old and had been preparing to go to university. However, six months earlier, he experienced sudden pain in his back and became paralyzed. The family consulted medical doctors as well as Hindu healers, but no one seemed to offer any hope.

Cindy and Vishnu decided to visit the woman and her son right away. Cindy prayed that her training as a nurse might open a door for her to minister to the family. The two women passed through a courtyard to a low, tin-roofed building with no windows. As they entered, they found the young man lying on a hospital bed in a small, dimly lit room. He was not able to sit up or even lift his head off the pillow.

A Desperate Situation

As Cindy became acquainted with Nabin and his mother Gita, she felt their hopelessness and despair. Through tears, Gita shared Nabin’s medical records. After several months with no answers, doctors had finally diagnosed Nabin’s condition. He had tuberculosis of the spine, also known as Pott’s Disease . The deterioration of the vertebrae from the TB put pressure on the nerves, causing paralysis.

Doctors performed a surgery in which metal rods were placed on each side of Nabin’s spine. Gradually, some feeling and function came back into Nabin’s lower body. However, the doctors did not give his mother much hope. They told her that Nabin might never walk again.

Cindy remembers that first visit, sitting in the darkened room with tears in her eyes. “This was her only son,” Cindy shares. “Her husband had left her, and her son may never walk again. [Gita] said to me, ‘He wants to die.’”

Hindu idols on a shelf.

Paralyzed and in despair, Nabin knew only to turn to lifeless Hindu idols.


Prompting of the Spirit

As Cindy looked around the room, she saw Hindu idols on a shelf. Yet she felt the gentle urge of the Holy Spirit prompting her. “I knew [Gita and Nabin] were Hindus,” says Cindy, “but I said to them, ‘I don’t know what to do. All I know is to pray. Is it alright if we pray together?’” Gita and Nabin agreed, and Cindy prayed earnestly for healing and direction.

Throughout the following weeks, Mike and Cindy continued to visit Nabin. Nabin’s English was good and he told Cindy that he liked to read. So on one of their visits, Cindy brought him a book by Nic Vujicic. Nic was born without arms or legs yet shares his amazing testimony of living a vibrant life despite his disability. Nabin liked the book and read about how Jesus transformed Nic’s life.

At the same time, Mike and Cindy continued to minister to Nabin’s physical and emotional needs as well as his spiritual ones. Mike is an accomplished baker, and he often brought smiles to Gita and Nabin’s faces when he visited with their favorite homemade treats – chocolate cake and carrot cake.

Cindy also asked Joelle, one of her TEAM co-workers who is a physical therapist to visit Nabin with her. Joelle found that Nabin’s muscles were deteriorating from lack of use. She showed Nabin exercises to do, and she prayed with him.

A Turning Point

Over time, Nabin’s heart began softening to the Gospel. In the early days, he told Cindy that he only allowed her to pray because he didn’t know what else to do. But then one day as Cindy sat with Nabin in his room, he looked at the Hindu idols on the shelf. He asked, “What do you think of these idols?” Cindy, not wanting to offend him, thought for a moment and said, “I’m not going to say anything about them right now, but I want you to think about them and what you believe in.”

With excitement, Cindy shares what happened next. “I came back about a week later and the idols were gone! Nabin said, ‘We have decided to become Christians and we took down all the idols.’” Nabin shared how their Christian neighbors had been visiting and praying for them too, and Nabin and Gita accepted Christ!

Calling for Back-Up

With Nabin and his mom now experiencing the joy of knowing Christ, Mike and Cindy still felt burdened to address his physical condition. While he had made significant improvement in sitting upright and gaining strength, Nabin was still unable to stand or walk. Cindy consulted with two doctors on her team who suggested getting Nabin to a rehabilitation facility. The doctors could help get him admitted but the cost was far beyond what the family could pay. Mike and Cindy appealed to their sending church, Chapel Pike Wesleyan Church in Indiana, who graciously raised the funds for Nabin’s hospital stay.

Unfortunately, right about that time, COVID lockdowns forced a delay in Nabin’s admission to the rehabilitation hospital. “We were frustrated by the delay,” Cindy recalls. “But now we can see God’s plan and wisdom.” During the lockdown, a small group of believers from the local church came regularly to Nabin’s home and had church services right there so that Nabin and his mother could take part. “I came as well and prayed and shared the Bible with them,” says Cindy. “This time was important in their newfound faith.”

Patience Rewarded

By October 2020, the way was clear for Nabin to receive three months of treatment at the rehab hospital. Nabin’s four hours of daily therapy enabled him to begin walking using parallel bars and then eventually with a walker. He called Mike and Cindy with the joyous words, “I feel like I have my life back.”

By early 2021, Nabin was released from rehab to return home. Cindy recalls clearly her first visit with him after he returned. “Nabin was seated on the edge of the bed. He wanted to show me how he could walk outside,” Cindy remembers. “Nabin grasped the walker firmly and stood with great effort. He used the walker to slowly make his way across the small room. He was unstable and his arms shook from the effort, sweat dripping from his forehead. I was constantly on edge because it seemed he could fall at any time.”

Thankfully Nabin made the short journey safely. After rejoicing with Nabin and his family over this victory, Cindy was encouraged but also aware of the time and effort that would be necessary for Nabin to walk normally.

Putting in the Hard Work

Cindy continued to visit Nabin a couple of times a week and often saw discouragement set in. At times Nabin grew weary and made excuses to avoid physical therapy. Mike and Cindy feared that he would lose the function he had worked so hard to gain.

Mike and Cindy returned to the U.S. for a 4-month home assignment but prayed daily for Nabin to work hard in their absence with the support of his mother and his local church family. God answered those prayers! Nabin called one day explaining that he had walked to church – and even climbed a flight of stairs! “The church people knew of his story and were crying and saying, ‘It’s a miracle!’” shares Cindy.

A few weeks later another message came with a video of Nabin walking holding on to his cousin’s hands. More calls and messages of his progress spiritually and physically kept coming in. The day before Mike and Cindy were to come back to Asia, they received a video of Nabin walking on his own and proclaiming “Jesus is alive, he healed me!”

Better Than Netflix

Upon their return to Asia, Mike and Cindy found more reasons to rejoice. Nabin grew not only in physical strength, but in knowledge of the Lord as well. In the past, Nabin confessed that he found reading the Bible to be “boring.” But as the Holy Spirit worked in Nabin’s heart, he began to discuss with other believers how the passages applied to his life. One day he picked up his Bible, started from the beginning, and just kept reading all day! As the stories unfolded, he told Cindy, “This is better than a Netflix series!”

Cindy shares an amazing full-circle ministry moment that showed her the incredible work that God did in Nabin. Vishnu, Cindy’s friend who first introduced her to Nabin, was experiencing several difficult trials in her life. “Vishnu was visiting Nabin and his mom as I entered the room,” Cindy says. “Nabin took down his Bible which was carefully wrapped in a clean cloth and opened it and chose a passage. He read the Bible to Vishnu and started preaching to her and encouraging her.”

Nabin now has a bright future ahead. He loves computers and is considering how God might have him pursue his interests in technology. Regardless of where he goes, however, Nabin is bold in sharing his faith. Mike says Nabin tells the story to anyone who will listen. “He says, I don’t care if they’re Hindu. They need to know about Jesus because this is what Jesus did for me.’”

It Takes a Church

As Mike and Cindy look back on Nabin’s journey, they see how God used many people to be the light of Christ to him. First, Vishnu connected Cindy and Mike to Nabin and his mom. Then Cindy connected Nabin to physical therapists and doctors. Mike used his amazing baking skills to bless the family with special treats. Meanwhile, God also brought along Christian neighbors who encouraged Nabin and Gita in receiving Christ and introduced them to the local church. Mike and Cindy’s sending church in America funded and prayed for Nabin’s stay in rehab. And now YOU are reading Nabin’s story and praising God for His goodness! Isn’t the Body of Christ amazing?

Cindy sums it up beautifully: “Many people say, ‘It takes a village.’ I say it takes the Church to mobilize God’s transforming power in a life!”

Loving Like Jesus Cross-Culturally (Part 1)

By Megan Lunsford • 23 Apr, 2024
When seeking to serve cross-culturally with an authentic love for others, there’s no better example for us than Jesus. If we sat around a table and threw out the question, “How do we love like Jesus?” I think we would have several commonalities as we respond. For example, Jesus loved all people right where they were. He loved those who were deemed the least, those hardest to love, or those who were His enemies. These are all beautiful realities of the heart of Jesus. When we step into relationships, it can be easier to take on the warmer, more gracious gestures of Jesus’ love, especially in cross-cultural relationships. Think about it––when doing life with those who look and act differently than us, we are already out of our comfort zones and would rather keep things as simple and familiar as possible. But there are other facets of Jesus’ heart we often overlook that can transform us and others even more into His likeness. Jesus is love because God is love. Everything Jesus did was out of love; it’s the mere definition of who He is. As followers of Jesus, He calls us to the same: “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John:7-12) Every display of love we offer to others is an opportunity for them to encounter the ultimate love of the Father. That’s a pretty big deal! In this article, we’ll look at three expressions of Jesus’ love that we tend to overlook when engaging others cross-culturally. (Next month, we’ll look at three more.) 1. Jesus loved sacrificially. Everywhere Jesus went, crowds followed Him. We even see times in Scripture where Jesus had plans to step away for time alone but those who were hurting found Him and He had compassion on them and stayed with them. Can you imagine rarely having any time to yourself but, instead, constantly being surrounded by crowds of people wanting help from you? Jesus loved sacrificially. He welcomed all who came to Him with love and compassion, never turning anyone away. “When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) In the same way, we can make room in our lives for Jesus to bring sacrificial interruptions which, in His eyes, are orchestrated encounters to transfer His love to others. It can be tempting to be so “on mission” that we are full steam ahead and find ourselves frustrated when the Holy Spirit sends an interruption into our path that we feel we don’t have time for. Or, perhaps, we have scheduled a meet-up but it’s the norm in another culture to be 30 minutes or an hour late. We anxiously think through how it will affect whatever we have planned next. While it’s normal to feel a little stressed, what if the very "interruption” standing in front of you was really a divine appointment sent by God? Or what if that person running late experiences how peaceful and gracious you are in adapting to their culture and therefore, they can encounter a beautiful display of Jesus’ love? To truly represent Christ, we should remain ready and willing for each assignment the Lord sends into our path, no matter the cost or how much we will have to re-route our day. He is always a hundred steps ahead and will work all things for His glory and our good. 2. Jesus loved by discerning each situation well. Think about how many situations Jesus had to respond to on a daily basis. We read in Scripture that there were lines of people waiting to be healed by Him, talk to Him, hear His teachings, or simply touch the hem of His robe. Jesus was fully dependent on His Father to discern each situation before addressing it. “Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner.” (John 5:19) Another temptation we can have when in a relationship with those God has sent us to is to think we already know the solution or what God wants to do before we’ve even asked Him. We believe we are full of knowledge, so we just pull from the bank we have stored within and go with it. However, when we access what is familiar to us as our default, we risk missing out on a God-given solution that might truly be the key to unlocking whatever challenge is in front of us. What does this look like when interacting with others? We can simply ask, “God, what is on Your heart for the person standing in front of me?” Then we listen and respond as He speaks. When we make it a daily habit to pause and hear God’s heart for each situation before responding, we are guaranteed to be effective in loving those around us. He knows the heart of every person that will cross our paths. Imagine how impactful we can be if we first lean on His wisdom and discernment before moving forward. 3. Jesus loved by speaking truth. Most of us are familiar with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well. If we are honest, this conversation makes us a bit nervous as none of us would be comfortable with Jesus calling out intimate details of our lives that we would prefer to hide. But Jesus went further than just airing her dirty laundry. He offered her the hope of the Gospel and a relationship with Him - a divine fulfillment that could never be found in an earthly relationship. Jesus modeled a powerful example of loving others well cross-culturally. He took the low place and spoke truth, truly out of love––speaking to her heart from His. Like Jesus, our goal in sharing the truths about Him and His Word is to bring hope and satisfaction through Him alone. When we speak truth from Scripture, we are calling others higher into all God has for them. The tricky part here is we should avoid speaking truth if it isn’t first fueled by compassion. If it merely comes from a place of judgment, condemnation, or self-righteousness, it will fall flat 100% of the time. But if it truly comes from love, you are likely to not only win a heart back to the Father but, like the story of the Samaritan woman, even an entire village! If you see someone living outside of God’s best for their lives, ask God to show you your heart before engaging theirs. Once your heart is properly postured, you can speak truth out of an overflow of God’s love and trust Him for a transformation in their lives.

Hospitality, Help, and the Hope of the Gospel

By Suzanne Pearson • 16 Apr, 2024
TEAM Canada provides warm welcome and trusted friendships for diaspora populations living far from their native countries. As TEAM Canada workers Peter and Ruth (names changed) drive from their home to a nearby community center, they pass numerous apartment buildings and townhouses. Most of the families who live there are immigrants. They’ve left their countries of origin due to political unrest, trauma, and other difficulties. They’ve left family, friends, homes, jobs, and personal wealth behind. They search for peace, justice for the oppressed, and rest from fear and weariness. And as they adjust to a new country and a new language, they are often very isolated from others around them. “The sad reality is most immigrants are never even invited inside a Canadian home,” says Ruth. Peter and Ruth and their team try to change that reality. For the last nine years, the team, which includes workers from partner organizations as well as volunteers, has held English classes at the community center. Three days a week, over 60 students from more than 20 countries come together to learn English as well as to fellowship together and receive practical help in assimilating to a new normal. Meeting Needs and Building Trust That practical help may come in the form of procuring furniture, clothes, or dishes for newcomers, assistance with creating a resume and finding a job, or teaching people how to navigate Canadian laws and the medical system. As these tangible needs are met, relationships are built. “We invite them into our homes for meals and games,” Ruth shares. “We take them on hiking trips, picnics, outings, and out for coffee.” This is particularly important in this type of ministry because most immigrants come to Canada from cultures that value hospitality. Conversely, Canadians do not typically prioritize hospitality and consequently many newcomers feel lonely and isolated. Inviting folks to various gatherings and outings allows the team to spend extended time hearing people’s stories, struggles, hopes, and dreams. When she speaks about building friendships, Ruth’s heart for the people she serves is evident. “Hearing their stories, it’s easy to love them, and many have become close friends,” Ruth says. “We recognize the value of steady one-on-one relationships.”
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