God leads two believers to pray for a woman and her sick son.
Elaine (North America) has worked in Türkiye for four years and Sarah (Western Europe) for three. The good friends frequently go on prayer walks, making themselves available for the Holy Spirit to use.
Walking through the neighbourhood, we prayed for God to guide us to someone who needed to hear the good news.
As we passed a local skatepark, we noticed a woman watching her son ride a scooter. They were the only ones there, and I felt the Holy Spirit prompting us to speak with her. I shared this with my friend, and in that moment, God impressed on my friend’s heart how to share with the woman.
We approached her with a smile. “Hi, how are you?” we asked. She looked startled at first but didn’t walk away, so we continued.
“We follow the teachings of Jesus, and we love to pray,” I explained. “As we were praying, we noticed you and your son. God gave us a picture — something to share with you. It’s as if you’re carrying a heavy burden on your back, so heavy that it’s pushing you over. You cannot carry it alone.”
The woman’s eyes widened. “My name is Hediye*,” she said, her voice trembling. “God has sent you to me.”
She buried her face in her hands and began to weep. Through her tears, she shared her story.
“My home was destroyed in the earthquake,” she began. “We were trapped under the rubble but were eventually rescued. I couldn’t move afterwards and spent 10 months in the hospital. We lost everything in our village and were forced to move to this city a few months ago. Here, we feel so alone.”
Hediye reached for both our hands and pulled us down to sit with her.
“A couple of months ago, my son was diagnosed with leukaemia,” she said, her voice breaking. “We have another doctor’s appointment tomorrow, and I can’t stop worrying.”
Moved by her words, my friend gently took out a New Testament and held Hediye’s hand. She began to read aloud:
“‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’" – Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)
My friend repeated the verse several times, her voice calm and full of compassion. As the words sank in, Hediye began to cry even more deeply, touched by the healing love Jesus offered.
For the next 20 minutes, we prayed over her and her son. When we finished, I handed her the New Testament. “When I read this, I experience love, hope, peace and the presence of Jesus,” I told her. “We want you to experience this as well.”
Hediye clutched the book to her chest. “I will read this, even though my family will disapprove,” she said. “Thank you, thank you.
"God sent you here to me and to pray for my son.”
As we walked away, we prayed that Hediye and her whole household would be saved.
*name changed