Day two of ministry,
we got in the van with Raja and Meena and headed to a village. Three hours
later we arrived.
We were immediately
invited inside the local pastors home and asked to sit on their beds in the
cool. Their beds are cots, most with a pattern that looks like a swastika. I am
not sure what that means here, if anything.
They served us
lunch. This time a curry with boiled egg and rice. The egg was a nice touch and
made it much easier to eat. It wasn’t to spicy either, so I could eat it.
I don’t like the
taste of curry very much, sometimes I think I’m going to throw up if I have to
eat it. God helps all of us through each meal.
Then women gathered
outside, sitting on the ground. We were asked to sit facing them in chairs. We
sang some songs, then they sang songs, then we sang songs. We were asked to
share a message. We didn’t prepare anything since we didn’t know what we were
really going to be doing. We expect God to show up in us.
Then we prayed with
people. Women were blind, we asked for their healing. There was no physical
evidence we could see. There was one man sitting in a chair with a cain. We
prayed for him, the whole team together for a long while. People touched where
God told them, his knees, wrists, head. After we prayed, he cried. We had to
leave soon after, we couldn’t understand if he was better or what was
happening.
We traveled to the
next village. On the way, Shelley shared how she felt a spirit of oppression on
those people. Lizi said she felt like there was so much expectation on us to
pray and heal them. We all agreed. It did seem that way. There was no joy in
that village, it was like they didn’t believe Jesus could heal.
Andrew felt lead to
talk about this in the next village. We got there and were asked to sit on a
bed in front of someones house. Everyone was staring at us, all gathered
around. It was different though because when we waved they wouldn’t wave back,
they’d just laugh.
Then, we were asked
to sit on the porch, facing the crowd. Women from the village came and sat
down, only a few children did. The rest were standing outside the house,
watching us. Raja finally explained that this village is mostly Hindu. They
were standing away because they didn’t want our God.
Andrew shared that
we Americans were no different. The people there could pray just as easily as
we could. God gave Courtney words for the children and gave them a great
message about Jesus wanting to know them. Lizi shared the gospel. God was all
over our team.
This village had
joy, they knew Jesus. They weren’t afraid to worship him. Then we prayed for
them.
I showed the kids
the American high five. They started doing it with each other! America has left
her stamp.
I actually high
fived this one woman who was waving goodbye to me. She didn’t know what to do
after I slapped her hand. It was kind of awkward…
Then we traveled to
another village. We got there and went inside a house, with a gate like thing
for the door. We sat on their bed. Then people came and stood outside the house
watching us like zoo animals. Then Raja said, “Okay, we’re going to go
pray for people.”
You can’t do
something like that in America. The people here are so inviting, they want you
to come into your home. They want prayer, even if they aren’t Christian.
We went from house
to house, praying for families. Some were Hindu, most were Christian.
After a while, I
could feel the team growing tired, I could feel unity leaving us. I could see
weariness appearing in our words, on our faces.
Galatians 5:6
continued to come to mind. “Do not grow weary in doing good, for at the
proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.”
That kept me going.
Our prayers were not going void. God was listening, he was healing, he was
showing up, he was giving and restoring joy in lives. We aren’t ever going to
be able to see what happens in this lifetime.
