GOD IS MIGHTY!!
We open the morning session with high praise in Yoruba and English. The main tent is full of people from Imini village and the surrounding areas, praising God with hands raised. The sound of drums and instruments fills the whole tent and the sweet fragrance of praise rises up to heaven as we lift Jesus higher. We worship in Spirit and in Truth with a deep sense of reverence and unity.
“To ri no l’e se je Oluwa,
To ri no l’e se je Oluwa,
E le se, E le wi,
E le wi, E le se,
To ri no l’e se je Oluwa”
A local group give an energetic rendition of praise to God with high energy dancing, acrobatics and passionate song accompanied by fine African drumming on local instruments. This is followed by a beautiful song from the Covenant Women urging people to “Sare wa”.
A man of God reminds the people gathered that our lives are like grass and salvation cannot wait until tomorrow. Our Reverend for the week’s events is invited to the stage. He greets the people with a promise “This is the day of salvation” to which the crowd respond with a shout of “Hallelujah”.
The king of Imini is invited to welcome us. He proceeds to give his sincere blessing to the gathering, acknowledging the will of God and embracing Mummy Kate, not only as a child of Nigeria, but also as a child of Imini. The king confesses that nothing like this has ever happened in the village of Imini before. The king declares many blessings on the people gathered. The crowd applaud and shout “Amen”.
Another speaker is invited to give glory to God. He does this with great enthusiasm. He breaks into song and encourages the crowd to join in “Ti Jesu ma se, ti Jesu ma se” he sings. This is followed by a prayer in Yoruba, reminding the crowd that Jesus said if He be lifted high above the earth He will draw all men onto Him.
A reading is taken from 2Kings 5:1-5
A man and a woman who can read Yoruba very well are asked to read from the scripture. The king of Imini is asked to listen to the reading and the crowd are asked to follow the reading in their bibles. The speaker begins to preach salvation with an analogy to leprosy in the heart of man. Mark 7:18 is used as a reference.
The Lord who cleansed Nehman from leprosy is in Imini today to cleanse kings, wives, children, everyone from leprosy of the heart.
The speaker warns about the perils of trying to bribe God with empty works and vain repetition, as done by muslims and the danger of Christian prayer with candles and incense. The Lord is not asking for religion but for the gospel to be spread with love and patience. We should not fear shame but come to Jesus in the humbleness of our minds.
The sound of clapping can be heard in the distance. I move closer and hear children singing “Come and see the Lord is good.” They begin to sing choruses in Yoruba using their benches as drums. I can feel the love of God among them.
“Come and see the Lord is good,
Come and see the Lord is good.
There is nothing He cannot do,
Come and see the Lord is good”
The counsellors and I group to pray for the harvest of souls. A multitude will be saved today in Jesus Name. When we finish praying for the lives that will be given to Christ we will ask them how they are and establish any other health or spiritual needs that we need to pray with them for. We are expecting great miracles today. We are willing and God is more than able.
I see a pile of firewood stacked to one side. This is the wood that we will use to burn every type of idol in the village later this week, in Jesus Name.
After the message the speaker makes an altar call for everyone who wants their lives to be washed in the river Jordan. The king of Imini is the first to his feet. As he walks towards the altar a crowd rises behind him with hands raised and seeking salvation. They recite the salvation prayer with their right hands on their chests. This is in excess of 80% of the congregation. GOD IS MIGHTY!!!
The band begins to play and there is much rejoicing and dancing in the tent.
The king confesses that he wants salvation and will never worship any other gods again. The king shares with the crowd what the Lord is saying to him. He declares that he is no longer the king of Imini but the king of Imini is now Jesus Christ. The crowd shout for joy, praising God with shouts of “Hallelujah”.
The speaker prays peace into their lives and peace falls on the crowd like a warm blanket. The room is still as the speaker proclaims blessings into the lives of the redeemed. The crowd respond with a shout of “Amen” to every blessing. They speak in unison and are unified in their desire to serve Christ and Christ alone. HALLELUJAH
The glory of the Lord will never leave this village, in Jesus Name.
The crowds are invited to receive medical care and individual prayers. They are divided into small groups and ministered to by the team. There are more than 600 children at today’s meeting and Jesus knows each and every one of them by name.
I witness a family of nine all give their lives to Christ in a small group with a Yoruba interpreter. There are four generations saved including a grandmother, her two daughters, three grand children and three great grand children. What strikes me is that they are all women apart from the two youngest ones. The power of God moves through that family with great urgency. It is like pouring living water onto thirsty soil, they soak it all up until their souls are satisfied. A mighty work has begun in their lives.
I see the elderly and the blind being led in for cataract surgery. The first count was 17 patients at midday. The time is now 15:35 and the count is in excess of 51 patients! May God continue to strengthen the doctors and nurses as they patiently attend to the sick. The blind will see and the lame will walk, in Jesus Name.
Testimony – Healing
“Andrew” – this is the new baptism name given to a lame man who was able to walk again following a healing prayer from Mummy Kate. He was so grateful for the healing that he begged Mummy Kate to give him a Christian name. His former name was Taiwo Durojaye Adepoju. (First of twins, stay and enjoy life, many crowns)
Testimony – The Value of Christ
An elderly man approached the medical van as we were about to leave the village for the day. He was absolutely furious that someone had given him a $5 note which he said was useless. He was so angry at everyone in the medical van as he could not buy anything with the note. He shouted with a loud voice “Why have you given me this useless money!” The team had great compassion for the man although none of them had given him the note.
One of the Nigerian medics offered to change the money for him. When she handed over N750 to him the man stepped back in shock. His facial expression changed completely. He could not believe that the rubbish piece of paper that he was so angry about could give him so much Naira. He was very grateful and portrayed in honour of the woman who had changed the money. He waved enthusiastically and beamed with joy as the medics left the village.
The medics began to reflect on all they had witnessed realising that this is a classic example of how people throw away the message of Christ without fully comprehending its true value.
Testimony – Conversion of the king
After the days event the king of Imini called to Mummy Kate from his car and thanked her for delivering him.