There are rare moments on the Race that capture my attention, such that my eyes opening wide, blown aback by what I see happening before me. In India, this came in the form of a healing or a demon cast out, or in how some children gave Drew and I a gift of a bracelet (isn’t it supposed to be we, who give to them, not vice versa?). In Nepal, it has been the mountains, the greenery, and the discipline/ worshipful spirit of children at an orphanage where we are residing. Seriously, these kids are amazing. One man, Pastor Bishnu, took in 34 children in obedience to God’s calling. And I don’t know what he does, but these children take care of their homework by themselves, serve each other and clean up after dinner. In a moment before dinner tonight, they sang worship songs. Not playfully. They were ACTUALLY worshipping. Hands raised high. Bold prayers being shouted out. Even a 4 year old girl, full of the Spirit, praying her heart out in a way that I don’t see most pray. But this blog is not about any of that.
This blog is about one family who, I believe, will change the course of their descendants’ lives, and the community around them. Deirdre Lehmann and I had been out one day, travelling door to door, literally, sharing the gospel with people. We were with our Pastor Yam, who is a brilliant man of God. We had the system down pat. And yes, I know what you are thinking, God doesn’t work in formulas. He wants people to respond in listening to Him. Don’t worry, we were listening. We spoke in response to the words that the Holy Spirit was giving. But the order of who spoke was organized. One of us would give the gospel message. One of us would give a testimony. We took turns, even to the point of comfortable “tagging” each other in when it was the next person’s turn. After we were done, Pastor Yam would talk. Usually much more than us.
So here we were, one hour left into ministry, thinking that we had a couple houses to visit before we could return home for the evening. So we approach this particularly nice home, given the rural setting, sit down, and start our “routine.” I give a short summary of Jesus’ life and ministry (Pastor Yam liked to move quickly) and Deirdre gave her testimony. Then Pastor Yam talked. A lot. Deirdre and I didn’t know what was taking so long. Selfishly, I looked at my watch and realized that enough time had passed that we wouldn’t have to go to any more homes. Pastor Yam was STILL talking. Thankfully, one of the boys, Reuben, who lives at our residence with us, told us that the family was going back and forth between wanting to accept Jesus. Eventually, Pastor Yam said, “Okay, let’s go inside. They are accepting Jesus.”
WHAT?!
What just happened? What did he say that tipped the scale? Oh well, I wasn’t going to debate what was happening. God communicates in powerful and mysterious ways. Who am I to determine how He convinces people, and how soon? So we go inside, we speak a little more to them, and Pastor Yam leads them in a prayer of conversion/forgiveness/redemption. And, almost before the final words come out, they begin to break the orange necklaces on each of themselves, some cutting them apart. Until that moment, I didn’t realize that the necklaces were a symbol of Hinduism. Either way, I was LOSING it. God was literally breaking the chains of religious oppression off of them.
Next, Pastor Yam leads them and us into another room in the house that as only used as an idol worship room. There was a small idol, a couple of posters, some incense, and a tray containing the red “Tikka” that they put on their foreheads. Well, we begin to pray freedom over that room, casting out any foreign oppression that has entrapped them, and declaring the house as a place of freedom, in the light of Christ.
I can’t believe what I’m seeing! Sure, I had seen that Hindus will accept Jesus into their lives. Sure, I noticed them saying “Jaimassi” (Praise God) instead of “Namaste.” I noticed that Christian no longer wore markings on their foreheads. But I figured this was a process, something that they were counseled to do after accepting Jesus.
Nope. Not for them. They were free. They weren’t turning back. They threw out their idols. This, friends is TRUE repentance. This is what it looks like to turn 180 degrees and have a heart set on Christ, and only He has the power to move hearts to do this. God blessed those people, he blessed us by showing us this, and I am so glad to have witnessed it and to have been a part of it. This is a family completely remade in the image of Christ. And it will pass on through the generations. I saw before my eyes God’s kingdom expanded. It was one of the most beautiful moments that I have ever witnessed.
