Remote places means little or no internet and hence the delay in this report having hoped to have already sent it once already!
We left early to make a long drive deep into the rural districts North East of Madurai to visit the Christian influenced school we had been to before. We passed some amazing places along the way which included driving over rice in the road and had a toilet stop in a small bank in the middle of nowhere guard outside with an Indian man carrying a double barrel shotgun!?
Eventually we arrived at the school were many children were patiently waiting to greet us in the full sun, the entrance of the school was decked out with a huge welcome banner that only Indians do. So many people lined the entrance and onwards into the grounds of the school complete with drums and some kind of trumpets.
We were greeted with garlands and shawls and asked to open a new school building after prayer . This involved unveiling an engraved plaque and then cutting a ribbon of a door way, on the floor lay several hand made pictures made out of various flowers and seeds surrounded by candles. We then had to each in turn light a individual wick on a large brass candle stick.
The day was packed with children's cultural programs, speaking to children and a smaller pastors meeting. After lunch we had more activities and then I had to speak to the parents of the children who had expressed an interest in hearing more about the bible, around 160 came. I preached the gospel and at the end 44 parents came forward and accepted Jesus, some with tears down their face. The Lord was present in a powerful way, one retired army officer came forward with tears asking for prayer relating to his addiction re alcohol. Later he was outside asking for prayer again this time from roger relating to his ankle or foot. 10 mins later he apparently came running up to Roger and threw his arms around him saying he had been healed, this was quite obvious by his leaping about! PTL. Well it did not stop there as other team members reported of other events happening after praying with people, myself included.
A mother and a very small child came forward asking for prayer as her little boy was receiving speech therapy as he was dumb and nothing was working! I knelt down and grasped his face and prayed like I never had done before, I heard the Lord say ask him to speak but was anxious to follow that thru. I spoke to his mother and said ask him who I am, he then muttered the words 'Uncle' his second word was Jesus. I called Layla over to witness this and he spoke again. I guess I don't have to tell you what impact this had upon me and the team, we were blown away to see such an outpouring of the HS.
Just to end the day the Principal asked me to baptise her eldest son in a cement water tank. What a day of celebration, truly awesome we kept talking all the way home!
