Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Here's the testimony from Kimberley Thulien:
As for one of the most powerful moments for me, it was probably the last outreach night, with Liz and Sarah Lex. I was able to talk to Sarah privately at first before the movie ended about receiving the Holy Spirit and pray with her to receive. Then we went into the crowd and had Holy Spirit 101. It was awesome to lay hands on the deaf and have them hear and have her understand that nothing she did could cause that to happen and that the Holy Spirit had come, she had received, and now she would never go back to a normal life because she would never want it again. Liz saw us, and soon she prayed, received, and then she joined with us to pray over the next 3 deaf men and watch as all 3 went away hearing, and jumping, and dancing and praising God. Then we prayed over 2 children who were deaf - both were healed and then a baby who was paralyzed down it's right side - eye, arm and leg. Everything was healed. Then I felt the Holy Spirit wanted just to minister to the girls so I pulled them out of the crowd and all the amazing things that were happening and we went behind the second truck and just started praying together. The Holy Spirit came down mightily on them and both were crying, and shaking, and praying in tongues out loud. They had no concept that a crowd of Africans were coming to watch. They had no realization that a crowd of the Holy Given School students were watching; some with prayers on their lips and some with wonder in their eyes. They didn't hear the evening end, they didn't notice people filing past them to get into the truck. Sarah hit the dirt and God kept ministrering to her there, and Liz shot her hands to the heavens and praised God all the more intently. When I thought we had no more time, and we needed to get into the truck so we could leave, I brought their attention out of their worship and to the present moment. They couldn't stop telling people that they had received the Holy Spirit and had seen His power at work. It was a summary of the whole trip. With sincere faith we had all arrived, believing that we were there for a reason, dying to all that was around us, and allowing God to minister to our hearts on individual paths and at different levels. Then we had to walk out that faith and lay hands on people and ask God 8 simple words; "In the name of Jesus, be healed. Amen." More than just deaf heard and blind saw. More than just lame walked and sick recovered. We learned a valuable lesson that God is relevant for any situation today. As we journey back to our homes and try to process the truths that we just walked through, we realize at times we may not have had faith, and the deaf may not have heard and believed, but Jesus had enough faith for all of us, and just wanted us to help show them love in a visable way. I trust Sarah ad Liz are changed forever, just as many of those villagers are changed forever, just as I am changed forever; and that makes the trip all worthwhile. Whether my cat dies, my planes crash, my grandma dies, I lose all my valuables, get ill myself, or have to protect a young boy from the national police through a language barrier. Love and war cannot be separated. If we love, the war is on. And the war is definately on, so we had better start understanding His love. Without the Lord's strength, we cannot go on and our situation looks desparate, but when our strength is on Him, He downloads His joy so we know that strength is there too. When the healings happend, we also know He downloaded His Spirit and the power that comes with it for any situation, in Africa or at home, We cannot lose it or have it fall off us when we sleep. We have to believe we have received His power, His joy, His strength, and His love so we may walk forth in this war, and above all - to stand.
Thank you once again for letting this crazy canadian join you. Blessing multiplied on you both.
Kimberley

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