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Now that I have had time to process those insane three months I know God was in every situation, every single time. Here are just a few stories of the times God moved in mighty ways while I was in Nigeria…

My ear was healed

Whenever my team attended the crusades, Pastor Sunday would always have a time for healing. The thing was he would always say that people needed to say hallelujah 7 times if they wanted to receive their healing. This drove me up a wall! Everything was about a formula; all I wanted to do was get on stage and tell them all they needed was faith. That’s it. So rewind. For almost 2 months I had alot of pain/pressure coming from the inside of my left ear. At the last crusade I attended, Pastor Sunday was saying his healing jig and I started to tune it out like I normally had. Then God spoke:

 “Allison, say hallelujah 7 times.” 

Are you serious? No.

“Lay down your selfish pride and say it.”

Ugh, fine!

Every time after I said hallelujah, I would clench down on my teeth to check if I still had pressure around my ear. The first through sixth time I did. Then, on the seventh time, I checked… NO PAIN! I must have clenched down 50 times after that just to make sure. I was completely healed!


In my lack of faith and selfish pride, God healed me! He taught me that He truly can work through any man, regardless of the motive, because His desire is for us… each and every single one of us! God will prove Himself strong because it is who He is; it is His very nature. I had people from L-squad pray for me, but I was never healed in those times. Praise the Lord. Being healed at the crusade reminded me that He is sovereign, His plans cannot be thwarted, and in His love He always prevails!

 

Lei Lei tribe

The last 5 days of ministry were spent in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. The Lei Lei tribe redeemed everything I faced while in Africa, and it gave me a new hope for the nation! Ironically, it took traveling to the largest city in West Africa to meet with a tribe on the outskirts of town that had only heard the name of Jesus a few months prior! There was a peace on the land that was literally indescribable. I could feel the heartbeat of God in the soil; I saw His face in the mountains; the trees were literally dancing as the wind blew over its leaves; the birds that flew above were making melodies. I finally understood what it meant that all of creation is groaning because it literally came alive before my very eyes.

There was solitude that rested on this piece of earth that I had not experienced in all of my time in Africa. Away from the noise, traffic, and mass amounts of people that flood the streets of the city, I experienced God in His glorious creation. I experienced God in the whisper. Because of this day, I leave fully confident that better things are coming and change is occurring.

Experienced the fear of the Lord

Last day of ministry. Sunday,  May 30, 2010. To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t excited about going to one more church service in Africa. I had a really poor attitude going into it, and I just wanted ministry to be over. While we were in Abuja, our contact was a man named Joshua. Pastor Joshua is one of the most humble men of God I have ever met. The church service we attended was one he helped plant. As worship began I soon realized it was much different than what I had experienced in the past 3 months. These people were purely pouring their heart out to God without any hidden agenda of wanting more power or any miracle to take place; they just wanted to experience their Maker and give Him all the praise and glory. I felt the Holy Spirit so strong in that place, and I knew it was because the worship was in spirit and in truth. Things began to get intense as Sage was wrapping up her testimony. Mike took the floor after her, and that’s when the anointing really began. I felt like I couldn’t breathe, I was burning up, and my hands began to shake. Nicole spoke after Mike, and then I was to follow Nicole. 

I felt so heavy I had no clue how I was going to peel out of my chair.As I began to speak, thoughts of how I would be able to even stand flooded my mind. Don’t think, just focus. I even had to preface that I might shake or have to pause due to the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. I began to speak about how God is changing me; how He is teaching me about my identity, and how I’m called [as a Christ follower] to lay down my very life so that Christ may radiate through me. I really don’t know what more I said, but I know I wrapped it up quickly because something massive was about to happen. I felt like I was going to pass out at any moment.

I took my seat and at this point I could barely breathe. I clenched onto Nicole’s hand to my left, and Sage’s to my right. I literally began to feel like I was having a heart-attack. My whole body went completely numb, and this feeling came over me that no earthly vocabulary can describe. I had no concept of time while this was taking place, and what lasted probably minutes felt like it could have been a lifetime. It literally was the most terrible yet wonderful experience… and all I could do was ask God to stop because I thought I was going to die. I had been praying for months to experience the fear of the Lord, and why He chose this particular day may be one of those mysteries I will never know until I meet Him face-to-face. All I know is I can’t remain the same after this. I really don’t know what else to say other than I really know nothing of what HOLY really is.



The Gana family

Our last night in Abuja was spent with Pastor Joshua’s family eating an amazing feast fit for a king! Pastor Joshua’s father is Jerry Gana, an advisor to the president. He has ran for presidency in the past unsuccessfully, but plans to run again. I know if this man becomes president it will change the entire nation of Nigeria. I found myself sitting in a mansion with the elite of the country after eating vulcher and bathing with rain water for a month, and yet it was the first time that I honestly felt a sincerity and love from complete strangers. Pastor Joshua honored his mother and father; Mr. Jerry honored his wife, Lucy; Ms. Lucy honored Mr. Jerry. It was such a beautiful display of how Christ calls us to love and honor one another. 

Before we left, Mr. Jerry encouraged us with a few words. He reminded us that without the fruits of the Spirit, having His power is futile. The whole month all I had heard was the preaching of power; it was definitely so refreshing to finally meet people who understood that the power should not be the drive to know or follow Christ. He reminded us that it always comes back to love. 


God showed me there really are people in Nigeria that understand what His Kingdom is really all about. Please pray for Jerry Gana [and his family] as he plans to run for presidency again. I know with him change is possible, not because of his might, but by the willingness this man has to lay down his very life for the sake of the Gospel!