LIGHT OVERCOMES DARKNESS!
 
Bihar, the north Indian state known as the graveyard of missions... How can I ever forget the summer months I spent there with Operation Mobilization outreach teams! We were driven out of many villages and stoned for preaching the Gospel. That was in 1968. Northern Bihar, made up of primitive villages with 22 million inhabitants, is said to be one of the most unreached regions in the world. In 1993, Gospel for Asia began a missionary training centre in Ranchi, Bihar to train and send out missionaries to this spiritually needy area. Brother Simon Kujur was one of the young people who attended this training centre. In all of our schools we strongly encourage our students to pray and seek God's face as to where He wants them to go when they finish their training. Simon prayed that the Lord would guide him to a place where he could reach the lost and plant at least one local church. The Lord placed a special burden on his heart for a specific group in the state. After graduation, Simon was sent there to serve and reach these souls for whom he had prayed. Three years later, he already established five churches! All this began with the conversion of one lady named Manjula. Over the years Manjula had earned the reputation of a “holy” woman in her village. Many villagers became her followers and came to her for counsel. They would bring gifts and sacrifices since she was a priestess of the goddesses Kali and Durga. She had a reputation for performing many miracles, even causing sickness and death through her powers. When Simon arrived in that area, people told him about Manjula with all her magical powers and the powerful goddesses. She, however, had become ill three years ago and was now totally paralysed from the neck down. Simon realized that this situation was God's appointed opportunity for him to preach the Gospel to her. Despite the danger to his own life, Simon set out to visit Manjula and talk to her about the Lord Jesus Christ. It was only on his way that he learned more about her story. For weeks, many pujas, or ritual prayers with sacrifices, had been carried out for her healing. Hundreds of her followers obeyed her careful instructions to petition her favourite goddesses on her behalf, but nothing had healed her. Recognizing that she must be under attack from evil spirits more powerful than she could handle, she decided to approach even stronger witch doctors to conduct elaborate rituals for her healing. But again, there was no deliverance or hope. When he arrived at her home, he began to witness to her about the Lord Jesus Christ. She listened carefully and told him, "For three years I have tried everything to appease these angry gods. But they don't answer. And now I am confused and terribly frightened." Simon asked Manjula, "If Jesus would heal you and make you well, what would you do?" Without hesitating she replied, "If your Jesus Christ can heal me and make me well, I will serve Him the rest of my life." Simon further explained to her about the reality of God's love and how Jesus Christ, the only Saviour, could set her free from sin and save her from eternal damnation. God in His grace opened Manjula's eyes to see the truth. She decided to call upon Jesus to forgive her sins and save her. Simon knelt beside her and prayed for Jesus to heal her. As he prayed aloud, he also fervently prayed in his heart, "Lord Jesus, this may be my only opportunity to see this entire village come to You. Please, Lord, for Your Kingdom's sake, touch her and heal her. Your Word says that you will work with me, confirming your Word, and that miracles would be a sign for these people to believe in You." As Brother Simon finished praying for Manjula, the power of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God instantly touched her, and she was delivered and healed! Within a few hours she was running around, shouting with joy, "Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! " Hearing the commotion, a large crowd gathered in front of Manjula's house to see what was going on. There she was, a woman who had been paralysed for three years, now completely healed! With tears running down her face, she was praising Jesus and shouting His Name. Manjula became the first individual in her village to believe in Jesus. The following week, more than 20 people gave their lives to Christ and were baptized. Manjula opened her house for these new believers to come regularly and worship the Lord Jesus Christ. As in Acts 19, when the Ephesian church had its beginning, all evil practices and rituals were completely eradicated and there was a whole new beginning for this village! Simon began to preach the Gospel in the neighbouring villages as well, and even more people began to come to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hearing about these events, leaders from the training centre asked Simon if he would visit missionaries in the nearby regions and help them establish churches. He began to travel and as a result of his ministry, 4 more churches have been planted and several new mission stations founded. Simon believes this is only the beginning and that thousands in this area will be turning to the Lord! (Sponsored by S & C)
From: Revolution in World Missions by K.P. Yohannan (www.gfa.org)

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