Madagascar has shown me a lot, I’ve felt more emotions in one day than I’ve felt the entire time I’ve been on the race. With the people, living situations, and the beautiful scenery everything about Madagascar has opened my eyes to a new lifestyle and to new feelings of simplicity. We spent the first couple weeks in the capital city and after that, we ventured out into the hills of the country side. That is where I realized that Madagascar has more than meets the eye.
As a squad we all had the opportunity to pick which ministry we would enjoy being apart of for the week. Our choices went from painting a school, working with the village kids, doing crafts with the local ladies, and any other activities that blend with our individual talents (milking a cow). I saw that their was evangelism available for three people, not being one to usually jump the gun to evangelize, I felt a sense to sign up, and sure enough I was the third person to write my name on the list. Going around door to door can be hard at times, and has not been my cup of tea through out life but The Lord has been pushing me towards new things on this journey so I went for it. Sometimes, the people you meet door to door don’t want your company or they are already Jesus loving people who just want some encouragement or they don’t have a sense about who Jesus is at all. I was kinda nervous and not really super excited to go door to door but I was signed up with two girls who are on different teams and I was really excited to be working with them and to get to know them on a deeper level.
We were warmly greeted at the first house we went to, we walked up to the house where three kids and their Mother, Margret, came out and greeted us. Our translators started doing their magic and asked if we wanted to go and sit with the mother and talk about the prayers she needed. As we sat down around a picnic table Margret’s story started to unfold. She has battled with seizure for years now, when she gets close to water and fire she has an episode. Over the years, her seizures have lessen and only happen every now and then. Her seizures have made it difficult for her to do the daily chores of cooking, washing laundry, and catching fish in the lake below her house. As we learn more about her story we find out she believes she is cursed and there is some type of evil spirit that is causing her seizures. We start to talk with her and share with her some stories of Jesus from the bible. I shared with her my past experiences of living with terrifying nightmares for over two years and how I let the enemy take control over my dreams, but with the authority given to us, I have the power to cast those fears, anxiety, and nightmares out in the name of Jesus. We prayed for her own dreams and any evil spirits causing her to experience seizures. While we were praying, I felt a sense to ask her if she would feel comfortable walking down to the water with us, and I kept seeing a baptism in my mind. When we got to the water she seemed calm, so we continued conversing with her and one of the girls in the group asked if she would like to be Baptized. We explain what Baptism symbolizes and we asked is she understood, she was lost in thought, and said that she would like to be but she needed to talk with her family first. Her family had a Catholic background, and she felt like she had already been Baptized. We agreed to her speaking to her family and told her we would come back the next day to see what her family had said.
The next day, I felt a heavy sense over me; I was tired and in a weird funk. I stayed at the compound and enjoyed a morning filled with crafts rather than going out into the village. As I was sitting there making my christmas ornaments and I felt the need to go to the restroom, I didn’t want to get up but felt like I was being led to. I got up and couldn’t decided if I should stay up the hill or go down the hill to the nicer squatty potty. I ended up staying up the hill and as I walked past the dinning area, there was Margret, the lady we spoke to the day before. She was with her sister-in-law seeking prayer, for some reason, I thought to myself, there are plenty of people here, they got her covered. I went back to my crafts and all of a sudden I was hit with a voice in my head, a voice from the Lord asking me “what are you doing in here? You know this lady, I brought you to her and now I’m bringing her to you, get out there” I got out of my seat and walked to her. I sat in the chair beside her as the translator informed my other squad-mates of her condition. At the end I asked if she has spoken with her family, she nodded yes and showed me the dress she brought to be Baptized in. I was thrilled with the step she decided to take. I was advised by our Host to seek her understanding, ask if she knows what Baptism really means and make sure she fully understood the choice she was making. I told her its a symbol of cleansing your past life and being raised to walk in a new life with the Father, she said she understood and we agreed to wait until the following Sunday, which so happened to be Easter.
And this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also—not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand—with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3:21-22
When Sunday came, she showed up a few hours later than what we had originally planed. I started to worry and wonder, but then I saw her face, she came! We went down to the water, we prayed and spoke truth to her and we prepare to take her into the water. My squad leader, Tina was Baptizing her but I put my feet in the water to help her. As I started to reach my hands out to grab her hands, she started to fall, she melted to the ground, her eyes hollowed, her arms reached out for us and her hands were gripping our hands. We prayed, we prayed HARD. We prayed with faith and authority. We prayed to the Lord God almighty to come down and wrap his heavenly arms around her and to calm whatever was causing her outbreak. After minutes of being in battle she started to calm down and we took her away from the water. She was completely unconscious and didn’t remember what happened. My heart was crushed, and my face was covered in tears. I wanted to help her but there was nothing I could do but ask the Lord to comfort her and to heal her in his name.
Margret left us that day not completely healed but she left loved. Loved by us and more importantly loved by our Heavenly Father. She wasn’t ready to give her life to the Lord, she was ready to be healed. The Lord wanted an intimate relationship with her first, He wanted her to come to Him so He can take away her burdens. The Lord has been fighting for Margret and he will continue to fight for her. Even though we wont see her after that day we know something happened in her and the the Lord has her in the shadow of his wings. The lord might not have completely healed her, but I believe he did something to the demons tugging over her that day. We were at the right place for Holy Spirit to come and lead us to her. The Holy Spirit is dwelling in us, if we allow It to move, Holy Spirit can take us to a place we’ve never been to. The enemy did not win that battle. The Spirit was with us, within us and with her. His power was made known down by the lake, and that was just the beginning of a beautiful relationship. The Lord put his hands on Margret that day. I have seen that spiritual warfare is real, and is in full action everyday of our lives. What happened is more powerful than any witch craft from a witch doctor. More powerful than any ashes from her ancestors and more powerful than any actions made by the enemy. I leave Madagascar in peace knowing Margret is in the arms of the Savior and knowing that the Lord has more power than anything else in this world, and His power is ALIVE.
(Name changed for respect and honor)
