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Wesley's Pakistan-india Report I
April 29, 2004
Report 1
April 27th, Greetings from somewhere in between Pakistan and India!
I am on a night train to heading towards Pakistan. My flight plans were thwarted today due to election in India. The road towards the airport was closed due the elections and we had to change plans. By air I would have reached my destination in less than 3 hours. If all goes well I will finally reach my destination in 14 hours. (I ended up spending 24 hours travelling to Sialkot). I am very thankful to Dr. Lal’s able assistant Dr. Stephen Das who worked so tirelessly to arrange my travel plans. I am trusting God will even work this frustration in our travel plans for his glory.
I arrived in India late 23rd, Friday night and checked into the YMCA hostel. Early, the next day, I left for Varnasi and from there was picked by Dr. Lal’s staff. (Dr. Lal is the Vice Chancellor of Allahabad Agricultural University). I arrived in time at Allahabad to join a prayer meeting of Jesu Darbar. Here I was asked to speak. God gave me a word to speak to them from Ezekiel 37 and 47. A few year ago God had given the same scripture to Dr. Lal as he started Yeshu Darbar. So what I spoke on was a confirmation and affirmation to him and the church. After I concluded, Dr. Lal commented to the congregation, “now we are ‘atomized’, meaning, we are in motion. We are energized and bouncing around as atoms. We are fired up to evangelize the lost. Let’s go do it!”
I should tell you a little bit about Dr. Lal. God has raised up this man in India to lead the masses to Christ. About three years ago God gave him and his church a vision to reach the masses in India. He holds a couple of doctorates from Kansas State University in soil and botany science. Though he was offered a chair of agriculture at the Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, he turned it down and returned to India. Upon his return to India, he was given the position of Vice Chancellor at Allahabad Agricultural Insititute. An institute started by a Presbyterian missionary by the name of Botthams. In just a few years he has turned this place from an institute to an University where 6,000 students attend. It is partially funded by the Indian government. A few years ago several leader and he discovered the purpose of missionary Botttham; to serve the land and feed the hungry-in the process tell people about Jesus. A small group began to pray about this purpose along with Dr. Lal and within a short period of three years God answered that prayer. These days when the church meets for Sunday worship, 45,000 seekers attend the church. Most of the attendees are farmers and poor people from nearby towns and villages.
Dr. Lal came under the conviction that people of India needed Jesus and he couldn’t do it without the power of God. As he waited on God, God filled him with the Holy Spirit and blessed him with the gift of healing and several other gifts. When he prayed people got healed, and other miracles began to happen. Soon the word spread to the villages, towns and near and far. People started coming by the hundreds and then by the thousands. The little chapel where the met couldn’t hold them, they put a tent outside to contain them, that too couldn’t hold them any longer. Eventually a temporary structure was built on the campus’s football field. Currently this where more than 45,000 people gather every Sunday to meet Jesus. They call this place Yeshu Darbar, meaning, the court of Jesus. It give me great hope that God will do the same in many parts of India and use people like Dr. Lal. May God raise up such people to reach the masses of India!
Saturday, after the prayer Dr.lal and I took a stroll under the cloak of darkness by the football field. Many had already come and camped out. Families with children, old and young, grandfathers, grand mothers, they were there eagerly anticipating Sunday. As soon as people took notice of Dr. Lal they rushed to him and pleaded with him to lay their hands on them, to pray and to heal to them. It was hard for him to refuse. I forgot to mention…Dr. Lal has come under great threats and opposition for what he is doing on a public University campus. The government has provided constant protection. Two armed police men give him 24/7 protection. One carries a 9mm gun and the other a mean looking rifle. Both are quite impressive, I felt very safe walking with these men around us. These men reminded me of the disciples who rebuked Blind Bartimeaus. Dr. Lal had to chastise them a few times to not stop the people from coming to him. It was quite moving to watch him pray with people. He would stop and pray for them and sincerely seek their welfare, I should say it was like walking with Jesus.
As we walked along I asked him, what he felt and when he say the multitudes. His reply was, “I pray for them, I see how helpless they are and how much they need Jesus.” The multitudes of people reminded me of what Jesus said, “ they are like sheep without a shepherd.” My heart was tenderized and moved with great compassion as I saw the masses of people.
Early Sunday morning I proceeded to the grounds armed with video camera and still camera. I couldn’t believe my eyes at the vast multitude of people present. They just kept coming like a never ending river. Many brought their sick, blind and lame. They came as families, mom and dads, children and grandparents. They simply came to Yeshu Darbar (Court of Jesus) to present their case and seek the favor of Jesus.
I was asked to preach that morning and it was simply powerful to stand before a sea of people and preach the word of God. Dr. Lal spoke for a few minutes after me and he invited me to pray with him for the sick and needy. Many prayed to trust Christ as their savior and came forward to receive prayer for healing. Several shared their testimonies of healing they received.
Sialkot, Pakistan Harvest Festival
Minutes after I arrived in Sialkot, I was rushed off to a reception, where I was accorded a royal welcome which included tossing rose petals at the guest of honor. For the last two days I have been preaching and teaching at the pastors conference in Sialkot. More than 230 people have been attending the conference everyday. God has been pouring out his blessings and favor.
Our Festival begins tommorow, Friday the 30th and will go on till Sunday the 2nd of May. Pray for souls to be saved and the church to be revived. Pray also for the Evangelist Anwar Younas and the fifty some churches and leaders who have joined hands with us in this area to host this festival.
Your servant,
Wesley Paul
wesleypaul1@hotmail.com
Location: India & Pakistan, India
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