Sunday, March 15

As I am writing this I know I may not be able to send it, we will send it out when we next have an internet connection. Today was an emotionally draining day. After a very light breakfast at the hotel we were split into three teams, each one to go to a different church. Sam and I went with Martin and Peggy from New Life Community church and Rev. Mike and Jan from Agape Church along with Salini, the wife of Billy. She was our interpreter. The service was very well attended with at least 100 people there. Mike preached a very good sermon. But, that was not what made the service different. The service started out with a prayer time of a hundred voices lifting up to heaven. At the same time the worship leader was using a microphone as loud as it would go. The speakers were right above our heads! Had a cow walk up to the door but he was tied up so couldn't come in! The dog did though. We had to take our shoes off at the door and everybody but us sat on mats on the floor. We had some plastic chairs and a bench. Then the worship leader started singing. There was a drum being beat and some type of metal shaker for the instruments. The worship leader worked the crowd well with an increasing tempo and loudness. At times during the songs women would dance and become trance-like. You could hear occasional glossalalia. During the singing I kept praying for God to surround our team. Talking with the rest of the team later I understand several of us were praying the same thing. At one time during the singing a young lady in purple, sitting right at the front, jumped up with a wild look in her eyes and started flinging her arms coming toward the platform. A couple of women grabbed her and maneuvered her to the back to the room where she stayed quiet for most of the service. After Mike's preaching he offered a prayer. During this time the pastor and congregation also started praying very loudly. Then a lady came to kneel at the foot of the platform. The pastor directed Mike to pray with her. Suddenly this same girl in purple did the same thing. She was wrestled to the ground. Then the lady Mike was praying with did the same thing and before you knew it there were about five or six women writhing on the ground or yelling out or making gestures toward the front. Wild, evil looks in their eyes. Mike stood up and walked away from the area. The people around them tried to make light of it by taunting them or hitting at them to stop. Suddenly a man in the back stood up yelling and ripping his shirt. Then he sat down. By this time the girl in purple was calm and crying quietly. When the rest of the ladies had finished and were quiet the pastor asked if anybody wanted us to pray with them. The entire congregation sat down in four long rows from front to back. We split up in pairs and walked down the rows praying for each person one on one giving a blessing to each. When I was finished I looked up and there was the girl in purple. Quietly she motioned for me to pray for her. I laid my hands on her head and started praying out loud. Nearly as soon as I started praying the name of Jesus her head started twisting from side to side and her body started quivering. I wasn't quite sure what to do, whether to stop and pull away or to continue holding on to her and praying but God didn't release me from prayer. We both soon ended up on the floor with me kneeling over her as she twisted and squirmed, praying the name of Jesus. She didn't move away from me but kept spouting out words and sounds, all the while making motions with her hands as if to be cursing me. I kept praying out loud. The look in her eyes was unbelievably evil. Everytime I spoke the name of Jesus she shook her head and muttered. She finally quieted down and sat up but still was wide-eyed and mumbling. At that time I felt I needed to stand and leave but I told her I would go back to America and continue to pray for her. I can't explain it but this girl, or at least the demon inside her knew exactly what I was saying. Her reaction to the words I spoke made me know that despite the language barrier she knew. During this same time the man from earlier again started yelling and ripping his clothes. Mike prayed out for the demons to leave this man. A few minutes later I looked over at the girl in purple who was standing nearby and saw a totally different person in her face. She looked at me and came toward me, calmly letting me hug her and tell her I loved her. The demons are still there. Pray for her. By this time our bus had arrived and we left the church.
On the bus back to the hotel we talked about what had happened. Even though Mike had seen demon-possession on other trips he has been on none of us had experienced anything like this before. Continue to keep us in your prayers as we travel.
Returning to the hotel we met for lunch. I'm still hesitant to try any of the truly south Indian dishes so am staying fairly safe right now with chicken fried rice. Sam ate the same today. One of the couples with our group, Martin and Peggy, celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary today, so a cake was provided for them and we all shared in eating it. The rest of the day is rest and relaxation. Naz nap time!! We'll have a light supper in a few hours before the day is over. The next few days are to be busy.