According to her story, she had been living with HIV for three years and had been taking her antiretroviral medication faithfully. Her viral load had reduced significantly, and she was living a relatively healthy life.
However, everything changed when a close friend introduced her to a prayer ministry where people with serious illnesses were allegedly receiving miraculous healing.
Initially, she was not interested, but her friend kept encouraging her to give the ministry a chance.
When she eventually met the pastor and explained her condition, he reportedly told her that God had revealed to him that she would be completely healed of HIV.
However, he demanded a special seed of faith before the healing could manifest.
To her shock, the pastor asked her to surrender her car as the sacrifice.
Desperate to be free from HIV, she agreed and handed over her vehicle.
The pastor subsequently organised a 21-day prayer programme for her and instructed her to pay ₦50,000 daily to cover transportation and other expenses.
She complied throughout the period, believing that she was making a worthwhile investment in her health.
At the end of the 21 days, the pastor directed her to a government hospital for another HIV test.
To her greatest surprise, the result came back negative.
Overwhelmed with happiness, she returned to the ministry and shared her testimony. She reportedly spent a lot of money organising a thanksgiving celebration and preparing food for members of the congregation.
She genuinely believed she had finally received her miracle.
Unfortunately, three months later, things began to go wrong.
She started falling sick frequently, but whenever she complained to the pastor, he told her that the devil was trying to make her doubt her healing.
He allegedly warned her against returning to the hospital, insisting that doing so would amount to a lack of faith.
The pastor also told her that her HIV infection was not acquired from a man but was spiritually caused by her mother's co-wife, whom he accused of being responsible for her misfortunes.
Sadly, she believed him.
Unknown to her, the decision to abandon her medication was putting her health at serious risk.
The situation eventually became critical when she collapsed at her workplace and was rushed to the hospital.
Following several investigations, another HIV test was conducted, and this time, the result was positive.
Her viral load was also reportedly very high.
When the doctors asked why she had stopped taking her medication, she broke down and narrated everything that had happened.
That was when she realised she had been deceived.
The medication she had faithfully taken for years was helping her maintain a low viral load, but she abandoned it because someone convinced her that she had been miraculously healed.
Today, she has lost her car and a substantial amount of money. More painfully, she is now dealing with the consequences of interrupting her treatment.
According to the woman, she later heard that the pastor had left town after learning about her collapse.
She is now seeking advice on how to pursue justice and ensure that the same pastor does not deceive other people living with HIV.
She wants to know where to report him, whether she can recover her property and money, and whether his actions amount to a criminal offence.
My question is, how do people get away with using religion to exploit vulnerable people?
Faith and medical treatment should not be presented as enemies. Anyone living with HIV should continue taking prescribed medication, even when they are feeling healthy or have an undetectable viral load.
A negative test should never be interpreted as proof of HIV cure without proper medical evaluation.
What do you think this woman should do? Should she report the pastor to the police, the relevant religious authorities, or both?
And more importantly, how can people be protected from religious leaders who exploit their desperation for healing?
Sometimes In our quest to get solutions we often become the victims...I truly hope she recovers all and the pastor dealt with
ReplyDeleteThey just use psychology on her and backed on her having the means to fall to them..I pray others learn from this
It's very sad
DeleteThis is so sad.
ReplyDeleteThe pastor took advantage of her in her vulnerable state.
I pray he gets what is coming for him
He'll surely reap what he sowed.
DeleteWe need to know God deeply not just for the look of it but for our salvation. I believe God can heal her completely if she strongly believes it 👏 And if God wants to use her story as testimony, to Him be the glory 🙏
ReplyDeleteI pray they get the devious pastor so he can return all he stole from her.
Amen.
DeletePeople trust and believe pastors like a demi God. I'm he quest for miracle and healing, she was deceived and brain wash.
ReplyDeleteI hope she can get her car and money back with evidence given to the police.
Greetings poster
Thanks for always checking... God bless you
Delete