The Dennis Life

Saturday. Day 6.

We truly had a day off today and everyone sort of decided to do their own thing. Buddy, Cheri, Alison, and I met for a late breakfast at the hotel and shared some wonderful conversation. Buddy was going to hang out with the guys and hopefully Matt would feel well enough to join them. Matt suffered from a very severe case of Deli Beli and luckily, with some medication he’d brought with him and a day of complete bed rest, he was starting to come around. We all suffered a little but not like Matt. He bore the brunt of it for the group.

Diana from Shannon’s church was making a trek across town to spend some time with Cheri, so Alison and I, with one of the cars at our disposal, decided to make another trip over to the Bandhra shopping district to pick up a few more things. Of course, when everyone heard we were going, a few items got added to our lists!! We didn’t mind. Before we left, I had a chance to spend some quality time with Reverend Buddy and was on the receiving end of his wise and caring counsel. We talked about leadership, what God expects of us and about looking ahead in Christ. We talked about leading worship, worship teams, church leadership, and all that goes with that.

I listened intently as he shared his sage experience and something in our sharing moved deeply within me and freed me to go home and address some unfinished spiritual business. He prophesied over what God would do for me personally in the future, and I hold it dear to my heart. If anyone’s interested, I’ll be glad to share it one-one-one. God definitely multi-tasks; all of my experiences were so rich and so deep and happened on so many levels, it seems impossible to convey it all here. Let’s just say that with a few dreams and visions God blessed me with during my stay in India and talking with my new friends, I came home a changed person and resolute in my efforts to walk a higher path and endeavor to live in the Throne Room. I have a new and revelatory understanding of the command that Christ gave us when He said we must love our neighbors. He didn’t say it would be nice if we did, or would we please, He commands us.

Buddy shared with us that he, Dwayne, Pastor Jobe and a few others had decided it was important to attend the New Life Fellowship teen challenge church over in another Mumbai district. It’s delicate subject matter, but let’s suffice it to say that this church is dedicated to rescuing teens off of some of Mumbai’s roughest streets, including the “red light” district. Cheri, Alison, and I decided we needed to go since a majority of the church attendees are women, and young women at that; who come to the service and then go back out on the steets! We delighted in the opportunity to minister to and pray with our sisters in Christ!!

So late breakfasts, and wonderful talks over with, Alison and I set off to Bandhra. Let me take a minute here to speak about our wonderful driver, Aazoo (pronounced ahzoo, never was sure if there was an ‘l’ on the end of his name). He spoke English very well and when he spoke slowly enough, we were able to understand him. Throughout the week, we had many wonderful talks about his spiritual beliefs and ours and their similarities. Aazoo is Muslim. We got to know that he has a wife, a two-year old daughter, and a baby on the way. He shared info about everywhere we went and when Alison and I were shopping alone, he even followed along for awhile. We felt very protected and cared for. At one point, he and one of the street vendors got into a bit of a tussle and their arms were waving and their voices were raised. We waited until our quiet trip back to the hotel to find out what happened. Apparently, when we asked Aazoo a question about some of the goods, the vendor thought he was teaching us how to haggle-down the price and they had words over it. Phew! Sure glad I didn’t understand what they were saying. It was a little tense, but he definitely held his own!!

Alison met up with Dwayne and Pastor Jobe at Amar Gems and Crafts in Bandhra and decided to go with them straight to the church for the evening meeting, and I decided to head back to the hotel to freshen up before our evening event. Aazoo took me over to the church where New Life Fellowship rents the hall on Saturday nights for their weekly meeting from CNI, the Church of Northern India which from what I understand is an offshoot of the Church of England (Episcopalian). The church was over 200 years old, still standing and in very good shape. It seemed odd to see such a “traditional” structure amidst the usual Indian architecture, but evidence of British influence was seen in various structures throughout the city. Mumbai, or Bombay as it was called until recently, was built by the British.

As always, with my experience of worshipping with our Hindi brothers and sisters, the place was jumping. I took mostly video clips of the young people at this church because of their enthusiasm and joy in worship (I have put in stills of the shots, but hope to have the videos up soon). I would say they ranged from five to twenty-five, with some more mature members. But mostly, it was a young people’s church. The pastor is one of the most joyful people I think I’ve ever met, and fearless too (I’ll share why in a minute). He was right there worshipping with the rest of them, jumping up and down, and leading the choruses. I knew I was hearing another voice leading the worship but couldn’t quite see who it was. I finally noticed that the worship leader at this church led worship from a wheelchair. I have such respect and reverence for these very sincere people, and yet everywhere we went, we were treated like royalty and with the utmost respect, reverence, and appreciation. It was humbling.

More humbling still, at the end of the service, a little girl of five prophesied over the church first as a prayer to God in Spirit language, then in Hindu, and then she turned toward the congregation and spoke in the first person as though God were answering the prayer she’d just prayed. The ever-present interpreter shared what she was saying. What impressed me the most about this child of God, is that during the entire worship time, she stood mostly still with her left hand over her heart, her right hand raised in the air, and a countenance that bore peace and tranquility and love. How many five year old children do you see in the stillness of God’s Presence? Very humbling…

Still more humbling, and I would like to share a story with you here… I felt the great privilege of being part of a spiritual moment in time. I share it with you now because there is no question that God is real and that He’s bigger and more All-knowing than we are or could ever hope to be. At the end of the service, we were invited to pray with and over the congregation. We all kind of stood there looking at each other, those of us up front, facing the people, and the people facing us. We were all shy at first, and then gained courage. God kept pointing out a lovely Indian woman to me sitting about two-thirds of the way back on the left side of the hall. I kept hearing Him say to go to her. Of course I argued with Him, giving Him all the reasons why that was ridiculous and what use could I possibly be. I stood there defiant for a few heavenly conversations and He kept saying to just go to her. And I kept saying what should I say and He’d tell me to go. Finally, I heard the words so loudly in my heart that I could not disobey, “NOW!” was what I heard.

So I went…

I went all the way around the outside of the hall, around to the back, and snuck up the row until I was standing next to her. I hesitated, wondering how to do this, and then simply asked her if I might pray with her. She leaned against me and began to weep and asked if I would pray for her baby, and then I could see that she was very pregnant. You have to understand that most of the women in India come up to my chest and I feel like the Jolly Green Giant next to them! Well, being the tremendous sop that I am, I began to weep too, and through our shared tears, I heard myself praying a blessing of peace and health over her son, and that he was a Child of God and that He would go out in God’s name and gather His People, and other words I simply don’t remember now. So we just rocked there companionably for a little while and then I went back up front. Yes, I was shaken, didn’t completely understand it all, but at peace all the same, and feeling somewhat useful just in maybe sharing a moment where girl-tears could be released. It doesn’t matter what continent you’re on, girls have this unspoken comradeship through shared tears__aaahhh yes, a little cry always does wonders for the soul.

So once the ice was broken, each of us had streams of these lovely people waiting in line to be prayed for and over. We must have been there for an hour ministering. They are loving and open and affectionate and it was disarming. I don’t remember everything that was said, but it was definitely a ‘happening’ and something I’ve never experienced before in connecting with humanity on that vulnerable a level. It changes something deep inside your DNA…

Toward the end, I walked over to the worship leader to thank him for the praise and worship he’d led us in and how much I enjoyed his sensitivity in worship. To my complete surprise and shock, he thanked me for praying over his wife and pointed out who she was. Yes, it was the lovely pregnant lady. He shared with me that she’d come and told him afterwards about what we’d prayed about. He let me know that he felt the prayer was a confirmation from God. He’d been in a wheelchair all of his life and his legs were withered from about mid-thigh to his feet. His heart’s desire had always been to walk out among the people and gather his nation for Christ. He said that God had spoken in his heart and revealed that he would give him a son who would be his legs in this land. I kept my composure while I spoke with him, but later that night, I wept with tears of joy, wonder, and awe…

So as if all of this weren’t enough, those of us going back to the hotel piled into Aazoo’s car with the church pastor and Pastor Jobe from LaMar’s Gateway church in Fort Worth. We were informed that the pastor wanted to drive us through the ‘red light’ district. More contrasts, from the heights of prayer and peace, to the darkness of the streets! He informed us that he’d be getting out of the car at one point and that some of the young men from the church go out into the district ahead of him and act as body guards. And sure enough, he got out of the car; the young men surrounded him, and he went into one of the buildings to do whatever it is he does there. Fearless. He jumped back into the car and carried on conversation with his usual bounce, enthusiasm, and joy, as though this were just another everyday occurrence, and for him, it is…amazing!!!

You can imagine why I’d return to the hotel every night, overwhelmed, and exhausted in a strange kind of way. There’s only so much of this you can take in and then you just have to veg it out…!!

As if all of this weren’t enough, Aazoo struck up a conversation (at this point, he was the one bringing up the discussion about Christianity and Islam) and Pastor Jobe was sitting in the front seat. Well I witnessed true witnessing, bolder than I had ever dared to go… We all listened very quietly and intensely as they conversed. In the end, as we pulled up to the hotel, Alison reached up to Aazoo and asked if there was anything we could pray for him about as a group. He answered immediately and without hesitation. He asked if we would pray for his wife and daughter as they’d been sick all week. He shared that his wife was pregnant and feeling very sick. So we all put our hands on him and prayed sincerely and earnestly with the love of our hearts for his and their blessings and health for everyone. Amen. So be it…