“As the political war rages on in Darfur, a rampant spiritual battle is being fought there too,” says Dr. Milan Bajic, chairman of the religion department at the Adventist-owned Middle East University in Beirut, Lebanon. Bajic just returned to Lebanon after conducting pastoral training seminars in Khartoum, Sudan. He spoke of how Seventh-day Adventist pastors and church members regularly fast and pray so that the demon-possessed can overcome evil spirits.

“I had set the students an assignment to give a presentation on a chosen biblical text, and combine it with reports from their church districts,” said Dr. Bajic. Pastor William Oliver Kabi’s dramatic report from war-torn Darfur drew his attention especially.

Kabi recounts how church members in the Nyala province had just settled into groups for their Sabbath Bible study discussion, when they noticed a group of nine men approaching the church. They were dragging a young man by chains from prison, where he had been held for six months.

Kabi continues the story:  “Our church elder, Albino Garang, approached the [man’s] father who told him that his only son, Santino, had been chained for the last six months and was uncontrollable. All attempts to seek treatment for the [man] had been unsuccessful. They had sought the help of doctors, magicians and witches, but all in vain. Santino’s father said, ‘I have heard that you people [Adventists] believe only in God. That is why I have organized this group to assist me in dragging him here for prayers so that he may be relieved from this possession.’”

Kabi declared a fast and prayers for Santino and the entire church became involved. “We ordered the spirit to come out of Santino in the name of Jesus. We prayed throughout the night. Finally the following day, Sunday, at 9 a.m., Santino was at peace and the demon was gone.”

The church members gave him food to eat and water to drink. After eating they asked him if he recognized his father and the delegation that accompanied him. He could remember and recalled their names one by one.

Because of Santino’s miraculous healing, he and his best friend Joseph Ngor, and some neighbors, joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church by baptism on March 6.

Santino Garang is from Southern Sudan. He is 25 years old. He is now enjoying the Christian fellowship of the Adventist Church and his father sometimes accompanies him to attend worship on Sabbath.