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Congo Report Ffm Missions Team
April 2, 2003
Congo Report
FFM Missions Team
Revival in the Land
Over 15,000 souls saved in days, Visit the website for pictures and other reports of this crusade http;//www.freshfire.ca
Also info below on how you can help us change the world and come on a missions trip!!
Isaiah 61:1,3b
The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on us, because the Lord has anointed us to bestow on 'Goma' a crown of beauty instead of ashes.
As I sit here, I wonder if it's really possible to give an accurate description of the devastation that we saw while in Goma, a city of about 450,000 situated near the Rwanda border. This city was once a tourist hot spot for people from all over the world, but due to a massive volcanic explosion that occurred over a year ago, Goma now lies in ashes. For approximately three days during the eruption of Mount Nyirracongo, tons and tons of volcanic lava spread like a black blanket covering a huge section of the city and brought it to an absolute stand still. Our African co-ordinator, Gerald Mwebe, wept when he first came into the city in order to prepare for the Fresh Fire crusade.
I now have a bit of an understanding how Nehemiah felt when he was told the wall of Jerusalem was broken down and that the gates were burned. The evidence of destruction brought about by this volcanic eruption could still be seen everywhere. Entire downtown sections were completely wiped out; 20' steel telephone poles were wading in 6' of hard lava rock; churches, homes and schools were completely demolished. Understandably, because of the magnitude of this catastrophic event, thousands and thousands were left homeless, and many, even to this day, are living in some of the most deplorable conditions imaginable.
Todd & Shonnah Bentley knew that the Holy Spirit had brought them to Goma for such a time as this and the entire Fresh Fire Ministries team, consisting of 17 from US and Canada, were ready to roll up their sleeves and begin the long process of restoring beauty from the ashes of total devastation. One of the team members had felt an impression from the Holy Spirit that God was going to give us this city and that it was ours for the taking. This and other impressions from the Lord, gave us, as a team, a high level of faith and expectancy that God was going to do something supernatural during the crusade. Soon after entering the city, Todd sensed a strong impression from the Lord that a war was raging in the heavenly atmosphere over the region, and it was only toward the end of the crusade that we discerned the reason for the spiritual oppression.
Another area of great need, due to the physical, economical and psychological impact of the recent civil war and continuing tensions was the desperate need for encouragement on the part of the Congolese pastors and Christian leaders.
We crossed the Rwanda/Congo border on March 3, and afterdriving for four to five hours we arrived in Goma, Congo. What a sight greeted us as we entered the city. There were multitudes of people cheering, whistling and singing as they waited for Todd & Shonnah and the Fresh Fire Ministries team to arrive. We were escorted through the downtown with a first class parade and then rushed into a building where the media was waiting to interview Todd, asking numerous questions about our intentions and promises. Up to this point, Todd was unwilling to commit to any projects until we had plenty of opportunity to spy out the land and get a sense of where the Holy Spirit would have us focus our physical, and spiritual resources. There was, however, opportunity for Todd to give a brief synopsis of his testimony, and invite everyone to come to the evening crusades.
Right from the get-go, Todd and Shonnah wanted to visit some of the most devastated areas and help out in humanitarian efforts. Contacts were made immediately and in short order 7 truckloads of food items were purchased, filled and ready for distribution. The Congolese pastors took us to a camp of 12,000 displaced individuals living in conditions that the average American would consider inadequate even for animals.
A convoy consisting of pastors, military personnel and the media was formed with the 7 trucks loaded with beans, corn, soap and other necessary staples in the lead. Upon arrival, children everywhere were shouting and raising their hands, ecstatic that the trucks had finally arrived to fill their empty tummies. The interpreters were telling us that the kids were screaming, "now we don't have to go hungry anymore". Enough food was given to this camp to feed them all for approximately 2 months. If there was ever a time that I've seen the fulfillment of James 1:27 where it says that, 'pure and undefiled religion is to visit the orphans and the fatherless,' this was the day.
During the week Todd & Shonnah were inundated with interviews with governors, colonels, presidents, pastors, etc. Talk about favour! In most places we went, there was total security protection guaranteed, and what a relief this was as tensions between governments and the different military factions were still at an all time high. The morning meetings were scheduled for pastors and Christian leaders, with over 2,000 registered for the sessions. Partly due to the unusual anointing and style in which Todd ministers, we sensed a stiff resistance in the beginning from many of the registrants. But the Holy Spirit was at work, and a message Todd delivered with great fervor on the final morning entitled, "The Fear of God, The Ministry to the Poor and God's Mercy" had the pastors riveted to their seats. Hearts were deeply touched and the place was blown wide open.
The final morning was concluded by lining up all of the registrants outside the church building in two rows (which stretche!
d for over a city block) to receive Holy Ghost impartation from Todd and the Fresh Fire Ministry staff.
On the first evening of the crusade we saw crowds of up to 25,000 eager to hear "the man of God from Canada" share about his past background. A bizarre and humorous rumour that circulated for a short time was that Todd was a professional wrestler. Many of the team got a kick out of this and for a while Todd was subjected to some good natured ribbing from
the team. As is common in many cities in Africa, the people are steeped in magic and witchcraft is widely practiced. The city of Goma was no exception. Word reached us through the interpreters that the people of Goma that the "man of God from Canada" was a challenge to the Witchdoctors and that a war was brewing.
WITCHCRAFT BROKEN
The witch doctors, desperately wanted to shut down the meetings and attempted to do so both by sending forth curses and also by subtly planting some of their order in the crowds. For a brief time it appeared that they were succeeding as rains fell on two different nights causing somewhat of a damper on the attendance, but Glory to God, during the Saturday evening crusade, Todd began to operate under what I call a "breaker anointing" and after the altar call was given, hundreds responded. It was then that Todd went after the spirits of witchcraft and oppression. We were now in the pouring rain which had held off until after the altar call and seemingly out of nowhere five women were thrown onto the platform and began to exhibit demonic manifestations, twisting and turning in directions and ways not possible by a normal person free from demonic influence. Oh thank God for the blood of Jesus! One by one their bodies and minds were set free from the demonic strongholds and they were gloriously filled with the Holy Spirit. We found out that up to this point these witches were hiding in the crowds every night, but the Holy Ghost exposed them and set them free. Truly this was like an 'Elijah and the prophets of Baal' confrontation.
The final evening of the crusade was a shock and a surprise to everyone. Estimates from the pastors present indicated that there were 60-70,000 people crammed into the soccer stadium ready to hear the Word of God. As a result of these five nights of crusades, over 15,000 souls were committed to Jesus, and this figure did not include those making decisions by listening to the radio. An awesome harvest! As well, hundreds received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and again we experienced Matthew 10 where the lame began to walk and the blind received their sight.
On Sunday morning many of the team members preached in the churches, and reports came back to us once again of numerous salvations and healings. One testimony in particular that was brought to our attention was concerning a Fresh Fire team that preached in a Methodist church, and prayed for the pastor and his wife. They were gloriously baptized in the Holy Spirit!
Revival Among the Pygmies
Another one of the highlights for this trip was a visit the Fresh Fire Team received from a precious African woman and a van load of 2 dozen Pygmies. The woman was called 'Mother Mary' by the Pygmy tribes she had adopted and in which she had been working for a number of years. Mary told us that in many of the African tribes, Pygmies are considered to be the lowest of the low in their society, and in fact there is even a common belief among some Africans that the Pygmies don't even have souls. Mother Mary has been spreading the Good News to this people group travelling as many as 50 kilometres one way to reach their villages with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When they arrived at our hotel, they sang a special song to the Fresh Fire Team called "Jesus is My Winner-Man". Up to this point, Mother Mary has led more than 900 of these Pygmies to Jesus, and she believes that this is just the beginning of what God wants to do among the Pygmy peoples. Hallelujah!
People from every tribe, tongue and nation will be found in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. At the conclusion of their song, Jim Drown invited them to pray for the Fresh Fire team. There was not a dry eye among us as these precious Pigmies laid hands on each Fresh Fire participant blessing us with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Miracles in the Open Air Market - Rwanda
A concluding event that had a major impact on us all happened during the last leg of the journey as we left Goma and came into Kigali, Rwanda. Todd spontaneously decided to have an open air crusade in a busy section of the city. We connected with one of the local churches in Kigali, and after a sound system and speakers were set up, Todd blasted away with his testimony. In no time at all, hundreds began to crowd in to hear Todd's story about how Jesus set him free from drugs and a wild lifestyle, and when the altar call was given, dozens came forward to receive Jesus.
Miracles began to take place all around us as the Fresh Fire team prayed for people in the crowd. The harvest was so ripe, it was like the fish were literally flying into the boat. Altogether between the cities of Goma and Kigali we recorded 15,277 souls coming into the Kingdom of God. What we experienced in this open air market was just the first fruits of a much bigger harvest that Fresh Fire is believing to re-ap as we go back in September 2003 to hold a crusade in Kigali, Rwanda and Kisingani, Congo.
REMEMBERING THE POOR
Last but not least, Todd & Shonnah along with the Fresh Fire team were taken to a very special place that brought tears to everyone's eyes. An African lady by the name of Jane along with her husband, both ex-government employees, have answered an amazing call to feed and disciple 125 orphans, permanently residing in some makeshift shelters (how's that for a contradiction in terms?) As well, as many as 200 more orphans are fed daily by their ministry, and all of this is being provided with no government aid.
As many as six to eight children are sleeping in one bed. I had never seen so many children with hands and fingers chopped off by machetes. Huge scars could be seen on dozens of children criss-crossing their faces and bodies. These children are the victims of a brutal civil war in which over a million people were killed. Shonnah was overwhelmed and in tears - totally speechless. She absolutely fell in love with this couple and with the orphans. We thank God that we were able to quickly gather together a small truckload of food and goods for this precious orphanage. Todd pledged in his heart to go back to the Fresh Fire partners in US and Canada, and to share the vision of providing another building for this orphanage and to assist in the establishment of a regular feeding program. Todd also felt impressed by the Holy Spirit to raise funds in order to put some roofs on some of the churches in Goma, and to build a school in order to facilitate the education of underprivileged children.
Plans have already begun in conjunction with other ministries to send a 40' container loaded with cranberry sauce, and school supplies to help with the children's education and physical well-being. What a massive project! We serve a mighty big God!
Many of the Fresh Fire team members shared with us that they had never experienced miracles of this calibre in their entire life as a Christian. It was almost as if we were living 'smack-dab' in the middle of the book of Acts. Who says God doesn't perform miracles today? Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. If you need convincing, plan to come on a trip with Todd & Shonnah for a future crusade and watch and see with your very own eyes. To God be the glory!
Pastor Ken Greter
ANNOUNCING NEW TRIP
Rwanda Congo, Africa Healing crusades and Africa Safari, September 1-14, 2003
Will you come on a life changing Fresh Fire Ministries trip?
Has your dream been to visit Africa?
Will God use you?
Come on an Africa safari.
Preach the gospel, heal the sick, and pray for the lepers, cast out demons, pray for the dead and more. This Sept 1-14 join us in Rwanda and Congo, Africa healing crusades and safari tour. Apply online now missions@freshfire.ca or contact Jeanette Willard at 816-761-0033.
Location: Congo Africa, Congo
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