Mary is the mother six children—four with her current husband and two with her former husband. People say that Mary used to be a nice, normal lady. But now her hair is all chopped short and uneven, her clothes are disheveled, her words don’t make any sense, and she smiles very strangely. One day, years ago, I met her on the trail. She was carrying her baby girl, who appeared severely malnourished. I pleaded with Mary to bring the girl to our clinic, but she refused. Later that afternoon I went to Mary’s house, and her husband allowed me to bring the girl to the clinic where we started treatment. She was too weak to hold up her head, and her skin hung in folds from her legs.

Sometime after that, Mary spent a week at the clinic. Sensing this was a spiritual battle, we fasted and prayed for her. Her mental state improved somewhat, but then she insisted on returning home.

So what caused Mary’s affliction? I have heard various theories, but the most common one points to a love spell. Here in the mountains, people use love spells to attract mates for themselves or their children. However, sometimes the person targeted by the love spell will later go crazy. Some say that Mary’s current husband put the love spell on her. Other people say that one of her grown children from her former marriage knows who cast the spell, and they are going to try to get it reversed. But the belief goes that whoever reverses it could become crazy or even die. Whatever the case, Mary now lives a very sad existence.

How blessed we are as Christians not to live in fear of being hit by a love spell or any other type of spell or curse. Our God is so much stronger than our enemy. Please pray for Mary and her family that they will seek freedom in God.

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