A little update on what we’re up to this week…
We’re in Vellore this week with a couple guys who are working to promote and finish the logistics for a healing crusade that’s going to take place here at the beginning of next week. Randy Clark is coming from the US to speak at the crusade.
To be honest, I was a little skeptical when I first heard about it. Crusades always evoke pictures of flashy TV evangelists in my mind and stories of different scams that have taken place. I don’t know very much about the Global Awakening movement (since we haven’t had a chance to check out their website or do any research on the internet). However, as we start preaching and sharing our testimonies at local churches and meeting with Christians here in Vellore, and as we pray over the grounds where the crusade is going to be held, I’m so honored that we have this opportunity to be a part of what God’s going to do at this huge event (they’re hoping for 20-30,000 people).
From what I’ve heard, Global Awakening started in the early 90s at an event in Toronto. It was an evangelistic meeting where Randy Clark was speaking. The focus of the meeting was simply to share the Gospel but the Spirit of God showed up in miraculous ways as people began to be healed of their sicknesses.
Being here has been an honor. I’ve been seeing how this whole event truly is about sharing the love of Christ. Kalyan and John, the two men we’ve met who are working hard to coordinate the logistics here, have such a BIG heart for people to come to know of Christ’s love for them and for God to be glorified.
Yesterday we got to spend the afternoon with kids in a slum area (with brightly painted houses, of course… and a large population of goats). We spent the evening walking around the neighborhood, passing out flyers and praying for people. I’ve been blown away by how many Indians come up to us to ask us to pray for them.
We also stopped in at a prayer cell that Kalyan had heard while we were walking around the neighborhood and popped his head into. My teammate, Natalie, got to share the message she prepared (in abbreviated form) without an interpreter for the first few minutes BUT John (our Tamil-speaker) showed up just in time. Funny how God takes you places and provides just what you need when you need it. My other teammate, Katherine, got separated from the team tonight and was lost in the slums of Vellore for a while. But God provided there too. J
Today was also another day packed with beautiful people and blessed opportunities to share God’s love. Thanks again for all your prayers! The highlight of my day was definitely the 6 day old baby we got to visit and pray for. Before we left, they asked us if we had a name for the little boy. “Joshua” popped into my head and I really wasn’t going to say anything but after a little bit I felt like I should. So we looked up Joshua 1:5-9 and someone read it in Tamil for the Mom and Dad. So.. yep. Think we just got to help name the little guy.
In other news, the Indian food hasn’t done much too damage to our tummies, though it’s been rough on some non-rice and non-spicy eaters. J We’re also learning new ways to refuse food (especially when the first serving is a HUGE mountain of briyani… which is delicious but you only have so much room in your tummy). Didn’t do very well at refusing food today, though. 3 HUGE meals, a couple “snacks,” and tons of cups of sugar-loaded chai and coffee later, I think most of us are done with eating for a while. Indian hospitality and generosity is definitely a blessing (and an overwhelming one at that when SO much is packed into one day). 🙂
