This is Africa! Or, as we are calling it, “TIA.” The revival was my favorite night of the whole race so far. Friday night was a culmination of fulfilled prophecies, salvation, healings, deliverance, worship and dancing.
Let me set the scene. (since I was too busy experiencing everything to stop and take a photo) . The stars in the sky could almost explain the night by themselves as they echoed down God’s glory and magnificence from heaven. The stars were sprinkled everywhere as if the cosmos were crying out in a marvelous spectrum of shining lights. Over 200 people gathered around as the sound of guitars and beautiful angelic voices filled the atmosphere. As the songs reverberated throughout the area people began to dance and a young lady grabbed my hand and swept me into the whirlwind of dancing. Then a little girl took my hand and led me to the circle that was forming as I tried to mimic the African style dance, shuffling my feet in an ambiotic drum-like rythmn, bending over at the hips and moving my arms in synchronization. I looked around me smiling taking pictures in my mind not wanting to forget the joy that flowed like waves crashing over us encompassing each person. God’s presence billowed and overflowed sweeping us away with his magnetic current of love. The dancing continued as the songs marched on to the throne room of heaven.
Then, Lazarus announced that each church would take a turn performing a worship song and dance that they prepared. One after another groups got up and worshipped the Lord. While this was going on one lady could not contain herself and stood up in the front of the audience moving her body with the joy of the wind. Her body swayed and moved and twirled, her arms weaving through the air outstretched, feeling God’s presence blow around her. I wanted to watch the dance that was prepared, but I couldn’t take my eyes of this woman whose smile brimmed across her face so brightly it was piercing the darkness. My stare was interrupted as I was called up front along with a few others to lead a worship song and dance in Shangan, the local language. Oh, they loved it and laughed for joy as we sang a song they all knew very well. “Hi thlanguela heyova amen, alulamile. khassi hena ani kuma kwini a kuma la, ani sussa la, a ni veka la, a ni hisa le ale, alulamile.”
Then, Josh, fulfilling a prophecy spoken over him in Guatemala, was given a platform to speak to the large crowd. And, there he was speaking so powerfully and boldly as he proclaimed the word of God with such understanding, compassion and love. I watched him with a deep understanding of his gift of preaching as he allowed God to speak every word as he was just the mouthpiece. The gospel was shared in a way that completely resonated with them. Then Sara came forward to give the altar call using the story of the prodigal son calling the lost home to God. It was a beautiful moment as four people came forward to receive salvation and we lovingly embraced them as our new sisters and brothers in Christ.
Healing.
Then we prayed for those who needed physical healing and around 40 people came forward for prayer. It was interesting as Natalie, Pamela and I all felt called to pray for the same lady, but Natalie reached her first so I began praying for the man on the left and Pamela the man on the right. Once I finished praying for the man he opened his eyes and smiled at me and walked away. So I joined Natalie in praying for the woman, but was startled by the high-pitched animal like barking noises that came from the man Pamela was praying for. Then Brian and a few others joined as we all layed hands and prayed for deliverance of these evil spirits and also for his back that was in physical pain. Eventually the man began to cry and a peace and silence fell over him and the noises quieted and turned to yawns. After he walked away we continued praying for the woman and heat was flowing down her spine as God was healing her and restoring her. We hugged her and she smiled and walked away.
Deliverance.
Then we prayed for those who needed spiritual healing. This was intense. About 20 people stepped forward, but these two who had stood out to me since the beginning of the night stepped forward together. There was lifelessness and a haunting presence you could not escape as you looked into their eyes. I went boldly to pray for the woman and as I layed my hand on her I was shocked with an immense amount of fear and it struck my whole body numb. I immediately turned around and went to get someone else to pray for her with me. I grabbed Vashta and Ferdi overheard what I encountered and joined me. Then the three of us began praying for this woman to be delivered. Ferdi began praying the blood of Jesus over her and I knew I needed to pray over her eyes, because of the spirits that were haunting her vision. As soon as I touched her eyes she began convulsing and her face changed immediately. She began opening her mouth and gasping for air and opening her eyes really big and then closing them again and holding her breath. I prayed that she would be set free and that the spirits would leave in Jesus name. Ferdi’s prayers became loud and powerful at the same time that she began gasping for air in a consistent breathing pattern. It was as if she was drowning and just reached the surface, breaking through the darkness into the light. She began taking in as much fresh air as possible. She had no idea what we were praying in her mind, but the power of God in us reacted with her spirit in such a powerful way that her body reacted and she was set free from drowning in the darkness. After she was free we had Solomon translate as I told her that God directed me to pray for her eyes because I felt like evil spirits were torturing her. She told Solomon that she had problems with her eyes recently where she would see complete darkness.
We continued the night by praying for the leadership in the community as well as praying for all of the children, who would become the future leaders of this community.
The next day Lazarus shared with me how this event was buzzing throughout the village. Everyone was talking about it. It was the first time this community had ever experienced unity amongst all the churches and the first time they had ever all come together to worship God. He said that people were saying, “We have seen the face of God shine down on us. We know the power and truth of God’s love to send us these white people to come and unite all the churches together, reminding us that we all worship the same God. We saw God’s power manifest in salvation, healing and deliverance.”
