We have just returned from Madurai, India where we held a mass Gospel Crusade in one of India’s foremost Hindu cities. Madurai is known as the “City of Temples” because of the number, size, and prominence of the Hindu temples there.  We visited one temple that sprawled over several city blocks and contained more than a thousand idols under one roof.  It was in the atmosphere of this idolatry that we set up in the middle of the city to preach Jesus…the one true God.  Over the course of four days of Crusade services, we saw over 24,500 people in attendance. 3,933 of them filled out decision cards and prayed with counselors to receive Christ…most of them for the first time. The majority of people that attended the meetings were Hindu and this was evident from the physical markings painted on their foreheads (a sign indicating the worship of certain Hindu idols).  I witnessed one woman rubbing the paint off her forehead after the service…the old things were passed away.

 

The healing power of God was at work in a special way in Madurai.  I would say that conservatively, more than half of the people who received prayer were instantly healed.  One notable miracle was of a young girl that was deaf in both ears.  Before the service was over, she was brought onto the platform by a friend to receive prayer, but I sent her away because I didn’t want to set a precedent of coming onto the platform uninvited.  After the prayer for salvation, I invited all the sick to come forward.  As I was praying a corporate prayer for those who had come I noticed this same girl with tears streaming down her face, praying in a slurred, muted tone.  It was then that I realized that she was deaf.  After the prayer for the sick I gathered my things and began to leave the platform for the vehicles waiting to take the team back to our hotel.  But the sick people crowded in close to the stairs and would not let me leave…they were desperate for prayer.  I was very tired so I sat down on the stairs and began to pray for each one.  As I was praying, I noticed this same girl again several feet back.  She was small and was being pushed aside by larger people so I reached through the crowd and took her by the hand and pulled her to the front.  As soon as she got close, she dove on the ground, grabbed by ankles with all her strength and began to weep uncontrollably.  I think that in that moment, I got a glimpse of what Jesus felt when the Bible says that He was moved with compassion.  I stood her up, prayed for her ears and then shouted into one to test it.  There was no response…she was as deaf as a stone.  I put my hands over her ears again, looked to heaven and said, “Jesus, please heal this one”.  I shouted into her ears again.  This time she could hear something.  It was only a little, but it was something.  I sent her to the platform to be interviewed by a member of our team and as she was sharing her story, her ears popped open completely…she was totally healed!  Both of the girls Hindu parents, who had come with her to the meeting, received Christ that night…Hallelujah!  The next night she returned and shared her testimony with the crowd.  Another girl, deaf in one ear because of a hole in her eardrum was healed as well.  It was a creative miracle!  A lady with five tumorous growths in her neck was healed instantly.  Backs, legs, shoulders and nearly every part of the body were healed instantly…Praise the Lord.  After each person was healed, I would ask him or her, “do you know who has healed you?” each one would reply, “Jesu” (Jesus).

 

 

In addition to the mass evangelistic meetings our team was reaching out on many fronts to be a blessing.  We ministered in several tribal villages, local churches, vschools, and a Bible School. Cover the Earth also purchased Bibles for the orphans and helped to build the house of a believer that will be used as a church in one of the remote tribal villages.  CTE also sponsored a Women’s Conference and a two-day Leadership Conference to be blessing to the local body of believers, churches and pastors.  In total, our team ministered 24 times in only five grueling days of ministry.

 

For everyone who prayed and gave so generously towards this crusade…THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!  Many lives were touched for all eternity in a variety of ways.  I am sure that this appreciation will be echoed thousands of times in eternity by the multitudes that were blessed by your love.  We do not take your giving lightly and that is why we work so hard in these crusades to maximize every cent for the Kingdom of God.

 

 

 

Together in the Harvest

Evangelist Daniel Kolenda