Praise Academy students. Photo by Mary Grams.by Mary Grams
Editor’s Note: Mary Grams is a teacher at Praise Academy in Shreveport’s Allendale neighborhood.
Several weeks ago, I got a call from Joan Pingel, the principal of Praise Academy. She told me about a healing story involving one of the school families. It had to do with a student I’ve taught in the past. I decided to give the mom, Connie, a call and hear more of the details.
Connie told me she had been with her kids for the afternoon and was also taking care of several of her nieces and nephews, all of whom have attended our summer camps in Allendale. Suddenly, her eleven-year-old niece began having a seizure and became unresponsive. Connie said this girl was never known to have had a seizure before.
The other children in the house began screaming and crying, and Connie sent them out of the room to calm them down, while she called 911. But due to some confusion about the address, it took the first responders 25 minutes to arrive. Meanwhile, Connie’s niece continued seizing--shaking and not responding to Connie.
In the midst of the chaos, Connie’s son, Dewayne, a six-year-old Praise Academy student, re-entered the room. He walked towards his cousin, stretched out his hand and silently began to pray with her. In less than a minute the seizure stopped. Dewayne calmly turned and walked back out of the room. Connie called out to her niece, and the girl responded, “What?” She was fully alert and had no idea anything had happened. She told Connie, “I just felt someone touch me, and I woke up.”
Moments later, the first responders arrived. They checked the girl’s vitals, and everything appeared normal. They said she had no signs of having had a seizure, but when Connie showed them a video of the event, they agreed that she had had one.
They brought the girl to the hospital, where she had various tests done, which also showed no abnormalities. Since then, Connie says she has had no problems or recurrence.
Connie later asked Dewayne what he had prayed over his cousin, and he said something along the lines of, “I asked Jesus to come and be with her, to help her and wake her up. And I prayed the coronavirus would end.”
I wasn’t surprised that Dewayne would act with such faith. He prayed the way we often pray with one another at Praise Academy, and I’ve actually had Dewayne pray with me. There have been a few occasions where I was coming down with a headache or feeling sick, and I asked him to pray with me, and I felt totally healed.
But there’s more to this story than just the healing. There was a teenage girl who had been in the room as well. She’s a family friend of Connie’s who has told Connie’s family that she doesn’t believe in God. But Connie said that when the girl saw the healing take place, she was just stunned. That night, she came to Connie, crying, and told her, “Did you see that? No one was there! That could have only been God.” She added, “Dewayne had faith to believe God could heal, and through Dewayne, God healed.” She went on saying things like that for several days afterwards.
Not only was there a healing, but there was also a conversion of heart that happened all because of this little one’s prayers. Hearing the story, I was reminded of the passage from Luke 10, when Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.”
Responses
Miriam Pena says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:18 AM
God bless Dewayne. This is a beautiful example of coming to Christ with a child like trust and faith.
Gina Kadera says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:18 AM
Praise God for such faith in a little one. Praise God for his healing power.
Barbette says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:19 AM
That's a beautiful and very timely story. Christ alone can work the miracles we need right now. Lord, give us all this simple faith in you.
Steve Becker says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:34 AM
So moving, the innocence and faith of a child. So matter of fact. May we walk in similar ways. Great photo. So much joy and love expressed.
Elizabeth Kaiser says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:52 AM
What a totally amazing healing. It seems that God has given Dewayne a gift of healing.
Cynthia Hagens says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Boy, this story gives me goosebumps! Praise the Lord for the faith of Dewayne! WOW!
Joseph Schiller says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:55 AM
Amen. Glory to God
Barbara Grodzicki says:
July 8th, 2020 at 11:47 AM
What a beautiful story of a child's faith moving mountains! It brought tears to my eyes and built up my own faith. Thank you.
John Mitchell says:
July 8th, 2020 at 11:52 AM
This is first century "signs and wonders" in action. It brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for sharing this very powerful story.
Judy Hilton says:
July 8th, 2020 at 12:02 PM
Such a great blessing to hear such stories of faith and the Lord working in and through children ??
Patrice says:
July 8th, 2020 at 12:36 PM
Such an inspiring story! I rejoice with you. This is a double miracle that there was no damage. Seizures lasting longer than 5 minutes have been known to not only be life-threatening but can cause brain damage. My adult daughter has suffered from seizures Since was three years old, so we know this well. Thank you, Lord for this amazing answer to young Dewayne’s prayer. I can see yet again the Lord’s wisdom on “becoming like children in order to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 18:3). Bless you beautiful children! Dewayne, you are an example for us all.
Alana Busekrus says:
July 8th, 2020 at 12:55 PM
What an amazing story! Thank you for reporting on both this and Mike Stapp's outreach service.
It is good to hear about how PoP is impacting the wider world. Thanks for turning the focus outward!
Linda Simpkins says:
July 8th, 2020 at 2:07 PM
Thank you Dewayne, for increasing my faith! and my joy!
Ron Gouveia says:
July 8th, 2020 at 2:12 PM
Thank you Lord!!!
Mary Duddy says:
July 8th, 2020 at 2:45 PM
I love this story on so many levels.
Tom Caneff says:
July 8th, 2020 at 3:30 PM
Wonderful story. And told so well!
JoAnn Szulewski says:
July 8th, 2020 at 4:08 PM
We serve an Amazing God.
Thank you for sharing.
Robin says:
July 8th, 2020 at 4:34 PM
I've got goosebumps all over. GREAT story. Thanks for sharing
Marti Merrick says:
July 8th, 2020 at 6:32 PM
I'm in tears at the great love of our Lord Jesus. Thank you Lord. Let's all pray with the faith of Dwayne to end this covid 19 and heal all the people that have it.
Pat Flynn says:
July 8th, 2020 at 7:06 PM
Dewayne has learned so much more than the 3 R’s at Praise Academy. Thank you for your daily example. This is what helped him know what to do when the girl needed help. Praise the Lord!
MICHAEL P PINGEL says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:35 PM
praise God! What an uplifting story of Gods Love mercy and friendship!
Amen ! Mike Pingel
Frances Gauthier says:
July 8th, 2020 at 10:56 PM
I am so touched by this story. Please pray for healing for my sister-in-law, Cheryl, in hospital with Covid.
Elaine Davee says:
July 10th, 2020 at 6:24 PM
Wow! God bless Dewayne! Through his faith in Jesus, Jesus was there to heal and heal immediately! "If you only have faith...."
Lacondra Woodson (Connie) says:
July 11th, 2020 at 1:10 AM
Dewayne is my little one, and he said to say, " Thank you all for the nice words"
Renee Long says:
July 11th, 2020 at 4:11 PM
Thank you for this beautiful story of faith and hope. It touched my heart!
Joseph Mutidjo says:
July 14th, 2020 at 10:07 AM
Praise God!!!
Kim Doffing says:
July 15th, 2020 at 1:34 PM
My heart is greatly moved by the tender love of our God!
MARY ANN GUENTHER says:
August 10th, 2020 at 4:41 PM
A beautiful and inspiring story. Thanks so much for sharing it.
Leave a Response