Our first week in India has been a transitioning period…into a new continent, on a new team…
But it has been a week of amazing ministry as well. Worship has been vibrant and passionate–refreshing my tired spirit.
The Lord has really showed up. I hope that I can do justice, telling the testimony of what God has done this past week.
Our Wednesday began with what they call “Youth Visits” here at Covenant Worship. Basically what we do is we walk around the park, strike up a conversation with someone, or wait until someone approaches us. This type of ministry is something quite outside my comfort zone. I felt awkward walking up to people sitting on benches, joining them and talking. I felt awkward approaching some youth who were sitting on a field talking and another group that was kicking around a water bottle.
I ended up joining sister Madu, along with my teammate, Jess, sitting on a bench and talking with a young girl who had her face completely covered except for her eyes.
It was only a few minutes that we had been sitting there, when one of our brothers came up and asked Jess and I to come and pray for a man that he had been talking to. So we walked over, not really knowing what to expect. Our brother told us that this man was a Hindu. He had much pain in his body–especially his joints which left him needing a cane. Some of our brothers from CW came with us as, being an all girls team, it would be culturally inappropriate to strike up a conversation with a man. I was thankful that they were there, otherwise this opportunity to reach out to this man may not have been possible.
Anyway…We asked if we could lay our hands (well hand—we use our right hand to pray for people) on him and he said yes. So we began to pray. We declared healing and freedom over this man and we asked the Lords presence to come and work in his heart. We declared alignment of his spine. We spoke strength over him.
After praying Jessica and I asked him how he was feeling. After later conversations we found out that we both felt that this man had been healed and that we should ask him to stand and test his body. We asked our brother, who was translating for us, to communicate this. The man was hesitant, but he stood. And thats when a transformation happened. He was somewhat hunched over with age and pain but as he stood and took a few tentative shuffles forward, he straightened. His countenance changed. There was surprise in his eyes. Once again we asked how he was–if there was any pain remaining. Our brother told us that this man said the pain was gone. He stood there talking with us while he cane remained resting on the bench.
What?!?! Is this really happening??!
GOD HEALED THIS HINDU MAN IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK!
I felt like running laps around the park with my hand up in the air, praising Jesus. We had an open door now to share Christ.
Jessica started to tell her testimony and share the love that the Lord has for this man. But we were somewhat cut short. Our brothers who had come with us were constantly looking around, very watchful and aware of our environment. You see, there are anti-christian groups active here. They began to notice hindu men around us watching us suspiciously as we ministered to this man and as the rest of our group was connecting with some of the youth. They even began to take pictures of us praying for this man and talking with him.
Being aware of the changing environment, our brothers quickly ushered us into a safer secluded part of the park where we sat down on some benches to talk about what just happened. Our team, our brothers and sister Madu then prayed for this park, but with our eyes open like we were having a conversation, as to not draw any unwanted attention. We prayed that the Lord’s presence would invade that park and we interceded for each person there.
After we finished praying it was time to leave.
I was sad that I could not talk more with that Hindu man about my wonderful Jesus. But I know that the Lord did what He wanted to do through Jessica and I that day. This man experienced THE GOD who touched his life in a way that no idol could ever do. He was healed by the ONLY living God. He encountered love that day.
He told us that he worshiped many idols and he wanted to know more about this Jesus…he just didn’t know where to find a church. Our brother tried to describe where a church plant was in the area. I pray that he understood before we suddenly had to leave and that the Lord will continue to draw his heart there.
Thinking about that day in the park, I realize that the Lord also did a great work in me. Evangelism has never been a strength of mine. I realize that I have struggled with fear in terms of sharing the gospel with strangers–fear of man. These previous months I even felt uncomfortable sharing with unbelievers what the world race was and why I was doing it. I have NO IDEA why I felt this way.
But that day was different. As our brother approached Jessica and I to pray for this hindu man, I had no second thoughts about laying hands on him in public, bowing my head, and paring fervently for his healing. There was absolutely no thoughts about how it would look to the people around me. All I thought of was him–this one man in front of me. And I realized that that was all that matters. Jesus wanted to encounter this man today and my job was just to stop for the one in front of me.
Stay tuned for part 2…
