Lusaka, Zambia – September 2012.
The spiritual dimension broke through like an invisible cloud over the crusade grounds. A stream of children who had been filled with the Holy Spirit, healed, delivered, and then succumbed to His power were lifted up onto the stage. It was Sunday evening and the final meeting of PTL’s five day long crusade in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. More than 30,000 hands had been lifted toward heaven, many of them new believers, as well as backsliders who had returned to Jesus. The crusade ground was a marketplace in the middle of the largest slum in Lusaka.
Right now it is 5:10 in the morning and it is still dark outside my hotel window. A bus has just pulled up to drop off the morning shift of hotel personnel. It has been several hours since that final meeting, but the memories from it are still so strong. Many of the visitors come every night, and even though there are so many people there is a strong personal connection with them, especially with all the children.
It is hard for us in the western world to understand that thousands of children, many of them so small that they have just learned to walk, come to the meetings each night and experience and participate in the meeting in a way that you have to witness to truly be able to understand. They sing, lift their hands, close their eyes, open their mouths to receive the Holy Spirit. Yesterday the meeting started at 5 pm and ended at 9 pm. Four hours! And despite such a long meeting, thousands of children rushed forward for the altar call. Many of them were baptized in the Holy Spirit yesterday.
In the midst of this filth, misery and desperation for God, there are such enormous contrasts to most of our churches in Europe. One of the words from Jesus that has resounded even more clearly for me the past few weeks is when Jesus tells of the 10 virgins. Five came along to the wedding, five were left behind. I couldn’t tell you who is who in this comparison. But when a five year-old child from the slums, who only owns one tattered shirt and a single pair of pants that are too big, lifts his hands and with tears running down his cheeks calls out to Jesus for help – then there are many thoughts that go through my head. And then when these children get spontaneously baptized in the Holy Spirit, it becomes – if possible – even more powerful and more tangible: Jesus is there! Right there in the midst of the dust, filth and misery, thousands of children get to experience the biggest thing of all – Jesus touching them at the very deepest part of their lives.
One miracle in particular that sticks out from this crusade happened to a young boy of about 7 or 8, whose legs were paralyzed. He couldn’t walk. I didn’t quite understand why, but they were going to operate on him and he was scheduled for surgery. During the meeting on Thursday night he got healed. On Friday they went to the doctor, who examined him and cancelled the surgery, and that evening the boy and his mother were on stage, testifying of what Jesus had done!
Our team in Zambia, with PTL’s Zambia director Mark in the lead, are doing a fantastic job. He also has the help of some other people who are amazing, too. We have our own band, DMK, who are anointed by the Lord to lead worship. Thank you to all of the churches and everyone who worked so hard for this crusade, and thanks to Mission Press who took care of the stage, sound and filming. But above all, thank you Jesus!
The night has turned into dawn, and breakfast will be served at 6:30. But I can still see them –- the children! How they lift their hands, receive Jesus, and get baptized in the Holy Spirit.
The spiritual dimension broke through like an invisible cloud over the crusade grounds. A stream of children who had been filled with the Holy Spirit, healed, delivered, and then succumbed to His power were lifted up onto the stage. It was Sunday evening and the final meeting of PTL’s five day long crusade in Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia. More than 30,000 hands had been lifted toward heaven, many of them new believers, as well as backsliders who had returned to Jesus. The crusade ground was a marketplace in the middle of the largest slum in Lusaka.
Right now it is 5:10 in the morning and it is still dark outside my hotel window. A bus has just pulled up to drop off the morning shift of hotel personnel. It has been several hours since that final meeting, but the memories from it are still so strong. Many of the visitors come every night, and even though there are so many people there is a strong personal connection with them, especially with all the children.
It is hard for us in the western world to understand that thousands of children, many of them so small that they have just learned to walk, come to the meetings each night and experience and participate in the meeting in a way that you have to witness to truly be able to understand. They sing, lift their hands, close their eyes, open their mouths to receive the Holy Spirit. Yesterday the meeting started at 5 pm and ended at 9 pm. Four hours! And despite such a long meeting, thousands of children rushed forward for the altar call. Many of them were baptized in the Holy Spirit yesterday.
In the midst of this filth, misery and desperation for God, there are such enormous contrasts to most of our churches in Europe. One of the words from Jesus that has resounded even more clearly for me the past few weeks is when Jesus tells of the 10 virgins. Five came along to the wedding, five were left behind. I couldn’t tell you who is who in this comparison. But when a five year-old child from the slums, who only owns one tattered shirt and a single pair of pants that are too big, lifts his hands and with tears running down his cheeks calls out to Jesus for help – then there are many thoughts that go through my head. And then when these children get spontaneously baptized in the Holy Spirit, it becomes – if possible – even more powerful and more tangible: Jesus is there! Right there in the midst of the dust, filth and misery, thousands of children get to experience the biggest thing of all – Jesus touching them at the very deepest part of their lives.
One miracle in particular that sticks out from this crusade happened to a young boy of about 7 or 8, whose legs were paralyzed. He couldn’t walk. I didn’t quite understand why, but they were going to operate on him and he was scheduled for surgery. During the meeting on Thursday night he got healed. On Friday they went to the doctor, who examined him and cancelled the surgery, and that evening the boy and his mother were on stage, testifying of what Jesus had done!
Our team in Zambia, with PTL’s Zambia director Mark in the lead, are doing a fantastic job. He also has the help of some other people who are amazing, too. We have our own band, DMK, who are anointed by the Lord to lead worship. Thank you to all of the churches and everyone who worked so hard for this crusade, and thanks to Mission Press who took care of the stage, sound and filming. But above all, thank you Jesus!
The night has turned into dawn, and breakfast will be served at 6:30. But I can still see them –- the children! How they lift their hands, receive Jesus, and get baptized in the Holy Spirit.
