India: May, '08 - Day One

I arrived safely in India early on Saturday morning after a 31 hour journey. The best part... my luggage was lost! So here I am, coming to minister in a foriegn country with only the clothes I am wearing, my laptop, and my tiny New Testament. But I remembered when Jesus told the seventy-two not to take anything with them as they went out. So don't worry about me!

As usually happens on trips like these, plans change and ministry opportunities become new and unexpected. Instead of ministering in Hyderabad as anticipated, we began with a revival meeting on Saturday afternoon here at the campus run by Pastor Daniel.

The Spirit of God was strong while I spoke on the blessing of the Lord, and as we prayed for the 1000 or so assembled, God began to show me specific physical needs (elbow pain, chest pain, headache, and knee pain) which I spoke to and prayed for publically. Pastor Daniel asked for those who received a touch from the Lord to come up and testify.

Over 25 people lined up on the stage and testified of pain leaving as I prayed, in the specific areas where I mentioned. Then we began to pray individually for people as they came and presented their needs. I was moved by one man who had a baseball-sized tumor on his back. As I prayed for him with my hand on the tumor, I felt it physically began to shrink! He later testified that he felt it shrinkng in his body.

I think what touched me the most was when four different women at various junctures during the ministry time, brought up their less than one-year-old infants and asked for prayer for various needs (fevers, continual crying, holes in the heart). I was moved to take each child in my arms and hold them while I prayed for them. Each time, the child would "fall asleep" as held him, resting in the presence of the Lord. I felt the two with fevers become cool, and the crying baby stopped. I believe that the one with the whole in it's heart is healed also. The Lord is a mighty God.

A big day tomorrow with the Sunday worship service here at Pastor Daniel's church, and then we travel to Jangaon for a crusade meeting tomorrow evening. Keep praying and checking the Blog!