From Severed Fingers to a Saving Faith
AUGUST 21, 2023 | 2 MINUTE READ
DR. BURNIS BUSHONG, RETIRED MISSIONARY & HQ STAFF
This story was written by Dr. Burnis H. Bushong and appeared in The Best of the Story: Miraculous Answers to Prayer.
When I first shook hands with Pancho in Juticalpa, Honduras, in 1952, I noticed that fingers were missing from his right hand. This man had been the Sunday school superintendent, a church board member, and even a delegate to the annual conference. He was an outstanding layman. Later, he told me the story of his severed fingers.
Years earlier, while drunk, Pancho had fought a man, and in the encounter, the opponent had been stabbed. The injured man was not hurt seriously but determined to secure vengeance. With machete in hand, the man found Pancho stretched out in the doorway of his own home, passed out drunk. The man beat Pancho severely and left him for dead.
Pancho was rescued by his family, and his horrible wounds were bandaged. When consciousness returned, he had one thought—vengeance. But he couldn’t take revenge because he lacked fingers. While recuperating, he was bored and asked for something to read. An old Bible was found and placed in his hands. Turning the pages with his tongue because his hands were useless, he learned of the Gospel and read where Jesus had said that one should love his enemies.
He longed for explanations as to how the Gospel was to be accepted. Even though he had heard that the evangelicals were heretics, he entered the WGM church in town one night with a spiritual hunger. The Holy Spirit spoke, and Pancho was changed into a new man.
ACTION STEPS
PRAY: Do you know anyone who’s facing difficult circumstances right now? Pray that they would be aware of God’s presence and that they would draw closer to Him during this season. Ask God to take what the enemy intends for evil and use it to bring about good in that person’s life.
GO: God might want to use you to shape the life of someone like Pancho! Maybe you’ll have a conversation with a new friend over coffee that opens their eyes to God’s love for them. Or maybe you’ll coach a sports team and get a chance to invest in their lives in a powerful way. God can use your passions and skill set to grow the kingdom, and we’d love to help you figure out how to say yes to His calling! Check out our interactive map for opportunities to serve.
Author Bio: Dr. Burnis H. Bushong served with his wife, Thelma, first on the Texas/Mexico Border, then in Honduras and Bolivia, and finally as a Vice President at the WGM headquarters in Marion, Indiana, for a total of nearly fifty years. He served as field director of multiple ministry locations and authored several books during his lifetime, contributing both to the impact of World Gospel Mission and the preservation of its history. Burnis went to be with the Lord on May 17, 2020.