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Indonesian Boy Healed of Autism

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CBN.com Young William of Jakarta, Indonesia, was born a normal, healthy baby, but he started acting strangely when he turned 2. He had learned to walk months earlier-now he seemed to regress and only walked on his toes. But that wasn't the worst.

William's mom Hilda says, "He liked to hit his head. He would take his toy car and just spin the tires round and round. Even after you took the toy away, he never looked at you. He just kept spinning the wheels."

It wasn't long before doctors gave William's family the grim diagnosis: autism.

"I brought him to the doctor, and he said that William needed to have speech therapy," Hilda recalls. "But from the beginning of the therapy, William just kept shouting, with no change for the better."

Finding a school that would educate William proved even more daunting. Eventually, Hilda did find a school, but Hilda wasn't grateful.

"I didn't give thanks to God at all," she says, "because I thought that it happened because of my efforts."

Even at his new school, things proved difficult for William's teacher and for his mother.

"From the start of the school day until it ended, he would fight with me," Hilda explains. "He would make a scene in the street. I tried hitting him-punishing him. If I got really angry, I kicked him with my foot. When we would take the bus, no one could touch him because he would get very angry and shout at the people. Eventually, all the passengers got angry with me and asked us to leave the bus."

Stress began to take its toll on the rest of the family, too.

Says Hilda, "I never asked for God's help, but I always asked Him, 'Why I do have this problem?' I would often get angry with my two older children and demand that they be more understanding. I would get angry with my husband when he would get home from work. Sometimes I would say nothing to him. There were times when I would not speak to him for a week. One time I didn't speak to him for a month! Eventually, I could stand it no more. That was the first time I called on the name of the Lord."

During an especially desperate prayer, Hilda says she heard a voice tell her to find a worship tape that someone had given to her.

"I saw a phone number of a Christian Church on the cassette cover, and I made a decision to go there," she says. "When I arrived, I began to share like never before, and I told them I had a child with autism. I asked them for prayer and felt a strength come into me-God's strength. I prayed to God and said, 'God, I trust William into Your hand, and whatever happens to him, I will face it with Your help.' "

Only moments later, Hilda heard the voice again.

"After I prayed, I felt like I was surrounded by light, and I heard the words, 'Your son is healed.' I began to believe in it. I held onto the words from the Lord: My son will be healed. He must be healed. But when I came home, I did not see any progress in William. Nothing. But I thanked God because He gave me strength to face William's condition."

Just a short time later, William went to the doctor for a check up. On the way, he did something he had never done before-he tried to read a word on the side of a truck.

William's mother, Hilda"I thanked God because He was starting to heal William," Hilda says crying. "I was so joyful. He began to understand when we would call him. And when we would ask him his colors, he answered correctly."

William quickly progressed to the point where he was able to attend a regular school with children his age. God had healed him of autism!

Now William studies like normal children. His new teacher couldn't believe that William had ever had autism before.

If you ask William about one of his favorite things, he'll say, "I like to sing together with my friend. We both sing together."

"We are really grateful to God, for He has blessed our family," says William's father. "He touched William and healed him of autism."

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About The Author

Ken Hulme
Ken
Hulme

CBN International Managing Director for The 700 Club | Ken's been telling stories as a producer and writer for nearly 40 years. Currently, he manages and mentors media teams based in countries worldwide that provide stories about the work of CBN, Operation Blessing, and Orphan’s Promise for The 700 Club and other media platforms. He is married with four adult children and nine grandchildren.