Shillong Revival



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01/Sept/2006, 10:48 p.m., Shillong, India 

He has done mighty things yet again...

It has been a couple of months now that people in the Khasi and the Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya are experiencing a wave of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Almost every now and then the local TV news channel reports of such occurrences in this region not to mention of the local daily which carries the news headline every single day.

In the year 2003, the Khasi Jaintia Presbyterian Synod (West) had their first gathering in a village called Mawkyrwat in the West Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. In this meeting it was decided to hold an ongoing chain-prayer movement for God to bring revival in the land once again as it happened a hundred years ago during 1905-06. As such it was also decided that the doors of the chapels would remain open every morning for believers to gather for prayers. It was acknowledged by all that there was a major spiritual decline in the church and in the moral lifestyle of the people in general. This made the church to turn to the Lord in expectancy that He would send a fresh wave of renewal and transformation once again.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit actually started with the centenary celebration of the hundred years of revival that had hit this very land. Some months back the Presbyterian Church was preparing to commemorate this revival and people were enthuse with great excitement and anticipation, especially among the Presbyterian Christians and also others churches in general. Lots of fervent prayers and intercessions were being made for it to happen once again. And this indeed did happen. First it started right on the ground where the celebration meeting was going on – in Mairang area in the Khasi Hills. We watched on  a local TV news how the people drenched in the rain were crying out to God and repenting of their sins, while many were shaking with the power of God. The heavy downpour seemed to symbolize the outpouring of the promised Latter Rain. This place where the meeting was going on was also the place where revival actually took place a hundred years ago. Then in the days that followed news began to pour in that it was happening in different places but largely amongst the Presbyterians and that especially among the younger generation. Then we heard that students in a school in Silchar in Assam were experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The school authorities not being able to rule out the fact actually had those students taken to a hospital. Some people and pastors from Shillong visited that place while some learned about it when they were watching a national cable news channel based in Delhi. Not being able to ascertain this strange phenomenon the channel carried the news headline calling it a "Mass Hysteria". Of late such occurrences is happening not only among Christians gathered in church buildings but also spreading among students in schools.

Allow me to share some of the events I personally had a chance to witness besides other which my close friends and pastors have shared with me.

Reuben Pradhan

01/Sept/2006, 10:48 p.m., Shillong, India

Schools under the Power of God

During daytime today, I got the news that revival had hit the students of All Saints School which is located right in the middle of our city, Shillong. This school is run by the Church of North India, formerly known as the Church of England. We went to witness what was going on.  

I met the Bishop of the church and on inquiring I was told that today in the morning just before the starting of the class the students of the higher secondary classes were hit by the power of God. So instead of taking them to their classrooms they were taken to the chapel which is just above their school building. It was already late in the afternoon when I and those with me went inside that chapel. There were people, largely students, their parents, school teachers and some onlookers and there were singings, worships and some noise of shouting and praying going on.  

On closer observation I found two young female students lying on the ground. Some people were hovering around them praying for them. I missed what had gone right from the morning but with these two girls it apparently appeared to me as if they had gone through some experiences earlier. After some time those girls regain consciousness and sat on the benches as the rest of the students continued singing and leading songs of worship. I and those with me went and sat down on one of those old big benches. On the bench in front of us were some people bending on one side and praying. Actually there was another girl there lying down and they were praying over her. She seemed to be totally without strength with hardly any movement, her eyes soaked with tears. After some time they helped raised her up to make her sit down. And although her parents and others were there trying to help her she never uttered a single word. She couldn't. Only stream of tears would swell around her eyes and roll down her cheeks. She seemed totally lost in another world.  

After some songs one of their prominent church members stood up and made an announcement that those who would want to continue to stay could stay otherwise they were free to leave since the parents of some students were waiting for them. As we left the chapel the students were still singing. But even while we were in that chapel and worshipping the Lord there was a phone call on my cell phone from Ladrymbai in Jaintia Hills, a coal-mining region. A brother from a church where I occasionally visit was on the line but before he could say anything he heard the songs in the background and inquired if I was in a meeting. When I told him what was happening, he remarked by saying that the schools there in Ladrymbai were also experiencing similar move of God.

This is spreading wider and wider now. 

As you rejoice in reading this news please continue to pray for the work of God here, especially that the church leaders and those of older generations would also come under the power of God and that this would spread to every Christians, churches of all denominations, families, every institutions, governments and everywhere else.  

4th Sept '06, 7:00 p.m., Shillong, India 

Revival in Non-Christian Schools

Today at early noon, at about 12:30 p.m., I received a call from a young sister from our church. She goes to a school run by the Bengali Buddhists community. She sounded both excited and urgent as she told me that some children (although only four of them) in her school had come under the power of God. She also told me that the school was declared holiday for the day. This caught my attention because this wasn't a Christian school like the others where students basically from Christian background were experiencing similar things. This was a Buddhist school and now it wasn't just students from Christian background but also Hindus and others who were having a direct encounter with God.  

As soon as I put down my phone, I told my wife about it, changed my dress, hopped onto my motor-scooter and rushed toward the school. When I reached there at about 1:00 in the afternoon I saw a young man carrying a young girl of about 13/14 yrs old outside the school. Her relatives and neighbors were there too. I quickly recognized that she was from my community – Nepali. They were taking her home. The girl was crying and groaning and seems to be without any strength in her body. At first I thought to speak to them but felt I should see what was happening with the others in the classroom. But all that I saw in one room were some Christians trying to explain to the authorities and teachers of the school what was actually happening. Almost all the students had left the school. I felt no use to be there and felt the prompting to follow those people with that young girl. I ran towards the road and joined them. Her aunty and a young man were carrying her. I approached them and talked to them and helped carry the girl to her house which was not far from that school. There were lots of houses where she lived and as soon as we reached there some crowd gathered to find out what had happened to her since someone from the school had gone there earlier to inform them what had happened to this girl and to come to pick her up. There was panic in the house and in that compound. Of course, they had been hearing the news everywhere and had actually watched it in the local news channel also that such occurrences were happening with Christians in the churches and schools. Now they were seeing this with their own eyes happening to one of the kids from their own block and that to someone who wasn't a Christian at all. The small room was packed with some people and the rest simply flocked at the door. A little boy, about 10 yrs old scurried to the room with a Bible in his hand. The adults began to ask him to read the Bible. At that moment I told them that I was a Christian and that they need not be afraid or panicky and as such offered to read the Bible too. I came to learn later that the little boy wasn't a Christian at all but had been given a Bible by someone. Their idea was that since this is a Christian "phenomenon" reading the Bible would bring the girl or anyone else for that matter going through this manifestation, back to consciousness.  

"What's this happening?" asked a lady. Then I opened the Bible and started preaching the Gospel to them. I got a rapt audience. Over and over again I shared to them about the Savior, Jesus Christ and their need of believing and receiving Him into their lives.  

During some moments of pause I tried talking to that girl whose name was Pratima, but she was crying continuously and seemed to be totally unaffected by her surroundings. Later after over an hour in that house she slowly began to move her eyes which indicated that she had come to her senses. Just to check I asked her if she wanted to drink some water to which she nodded her head. She drank the water and lied on the bed again. I asked her what had happened. She softly answered, "He's calling me". I asked her again who the person was who was calling her. "Jesus" she said. At that moment I turned back to her people and reiterated that the Lord had indeed specially chosen her and that probably through her the rest of them. They just kept quiet and simply nodded their head. Her mother who probably was a widow seemed familiar to me. On inquiring I came to realize that she was a staff of State Bank where my father had also served (though in another Branch in town). On inquiring further I came to realize that she and her family actually knows my father very well and calls him "uncle". And also that her old father was actually serving at the same time in the same Branch office with my father. And soon I also came to learn that the other lady who asked me earlier, "What's this happening?" was actually a distant relative of mine. This made things all the more easier. And as some more other people were inquiring about the whole event I affirmed to them that this was God's divine plan to come and meet with Pratima in such a sovereign way that people would gather in that house, I would, out of nowhere reach there and get the opportunity to share the Gospel to all of them. I assured them that this was God's love for them and His divine plan for their salvation. It seemed to me that they were beginning to see the truth.  

In the meantime Pratima was hungry and was served lunch. Soon she began to talk with her mother and others. When I asked her how it all began, she told me that she suddenly fainted in her classroom and after that all she remembered were some teachers trying to pick her up. She remembers nothing after that till the time she regained consciousness at home. During that whole time she was only crying and crying in a very deeply emotional manner.  

Later in that house tea and biscuits were served to the rest of us. And after some more conversation I finally left them but not without offering to visit them again.  

The surprising thing was those non-Christian crowds that had gathered in that house were also making an uproar about a similar incident in another school not far from that area. This was also a non-Christian, Girl's High school. In fact, it was in a much larger scale here. And so after leaving that house I rushed toward this school hoping to catch a glimpse of what was happening there too. But when I reached there all the students had already left. I only saw a young girl on the road outside the school alongwith her relative trying to make some effort to walk. Her face too was wet with tears.

In the evening I went to visit my Dad and Mom in their house eagerly looking forward to share all this, seeing that those people were actually my Dad's close acquaintances too. Monalisa, a sister from our church was also there alongwith one of her daughters. When I began to share my story of the day my Mother told me that they actually had also visited the school and had also spotted my motor-scooter parked outside the school premises. But since all the students had left by then, and I wasn't there either, they however had the opportunity to speak to some of the school authorities about Jesus and also handed some gospel tracts to them and left.  

On the other hand, Monalisa had another interesting story to share. In the afternoon she was actually passing by that same Girl's High school when she heard and saw all the commotion. She noted a girl who also had been touched by the power of God and inquired what had happened to her. She said she actually saw an inferno and Satan was trying to pull her towards the fire. But suddenly in the middle between them a tall man clothed in white appeared and she knew it was Jesus. His face was shining with glory. She saw Him calling her to Himself, "come with me and I'll take you to Heaven." This girl was an Assamese Hindu girl. Before leaving her, Monalisa asked for her contact address and also gave an invitation to come to our fellowship on Sundays.  

Another, somewhat staunch Hindu school also came under similar experience today. Some students who came under the power of God began to prophesy, "Jesus is coming soon, repent!" Sadly, some of the teachers/authorities (of course, non-Christians) of the school allegedly didn't like what was happening and in fact rebuked and discouraged them by making snide remarks that they should go home and do all the pretensions and dramas. Yes, there'll be those who'll try to oppose or even attempt to thwart the move of God and yet we confidently know for sure that in the end His love and power will prevail over and above everything else.  

The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come".

6th Sept ‘06, 11:48 a.m., Shillong, India

News From Pastors/Friends

Yesterday some pastors and I on our way to a meeting in Jowai (Jaintia Hills) were chatting about the revival here and a pastor of a large charismatic church here in town told us that yesterday itself during daytime one of his sons called him up from his school. The news was the same. Children were coming under the power of God and even Muslim kids were seeing a clear vision of Jesus. One non-Christian girl was choking and couldn’t speak. She was holding on to her neck struggling to utter a word but she couldn’t. Some believers noticed an amulet on her neck and the moment they broke that off her neck she suddenly burst out and was able to speak once more.  

This revival seems to be spreading further and wider still. Local newspapers are reporting that even non-Christians and those among the Khasis and Jaintias who are animists are also coming under the power of God. Many villages in Jaintia Hills are experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Last Sunday, reported Mahip, Raju’s son (a member of our church), who goes to another English-speaking church in Police Bazaar, their hall was jam-packed to the overflowing with Hindus and other Non-Christian people attending the meeting even without anyone sending out invitations to them.

Sept '06, Shillong, India

Revival Continues

Everyday the revival fire is spreading and now even students from colleges and a university here are coming under the power of God. A pastor friend of mine called up yesterday asking me to pray for him as he was going to be interviewed today by another national cable news channel regarding the move of God here. And today’s Khasi daily, Mawphor reported of children from Laitlyngkot seeing visions of Jesus and of Heaven. Three children in particular saw similar visions in which the gates of Heaven were opened. Then the Lord ordered the keeper of the keys to shut down the gates. As he was about to do that there were lots of prayers and intercessions going up so that some more time would be given for people to repent. At this the key was returned back and was kept in a box.  

The gates of Heaven are still open but until when we don’t know. But there’s one thing we know what God says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation…today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion….” (2nd Cor 6:2, Heb 3:15).

13th Sept ‘06, 12:50 p.m., Shillong, India          

Deep Sense of Conviction

Local newspapers continue to report of believers in different places seeing visions of Jesus and angels, and as such spontaneous prayers and repentances taking place. One thing which is becoming evident among believers as I meet and talk with them is a deep sense of conviction, repentance and transformation taking place. Even people who are known to be walking regularly with the Lord and doing well spiritually are experiencing a sense of hunger for more of God and changes in their lives. Petty sins, shortcomings and weaknesses are no longer being overlooked but dealt with in solemnity and seriousness before the Purifier. Believers are also receiving a new boldness in declaring the Gospel of Salvation to the lost. Non-Christians are beginning to ask questions about Jesus, why He was crucified et al.

We’re not hearing much about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in schools and students these days as much as we do about it in villages. But His work continues especially among those who’ve been touched by Him besides others too. Many church groups in Shillong are experiencing the powerful move of God in almost all their meetings. There is repentance among believers, deliverance, healings and a deeper level of commitment to the Lord and His Kingdom.  

I have a feeling that this was the first wave of the outpouring for us here and that it was and still is especially for the younger generations although many adults have been deeply and powerfully touched as well. But now the second wave awaits and I feel that this would have to do with the adult and the other older generations who'll then join in with those young people and children who've already been ignited by the fire of revival (Joel 2:28,29; Acts 2:16-18). Families and homes from one locality to the other will begin to experience what those students did in their schools. When this happens the impact would multiply manifold compare to what’s happening now. In fact, it could probably be worldwide. May it be so! Amen! 

Towards that end let us unitedly pray and intercede before our Father.

23rd Sept 2006, 9:00 p.m., Shillong, India

Tangible Presence of God

Many signs and wonders were taking place among His people.  (Acts 5:12)

2nd/Oct/2006, 4:31 p.m. Shillong, India

Seasons of Encounter with God 

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in this current phase of revival is birthing a great hunger for God and His presence. The gathering of believers in most of the meetings of various church groups is experiencing transformation as men and women continue to "make straight their path" before the Refiner's Fire. One common word believers tend to receive while under the anointing is the return of Jesus for His people and hence the need to be prepared for that glorious day.

These days the presence of God is so strong whenever believers gather together, whether it be in large or small numbers. In the church where I pastor, for e.g., for a couple of Sundays we haven't been able to do the usual thing we'd normally do. Rather, it's several people sharing one after another of either the vision they saw, or the word they received or the burden and the leading of God they felt. Some people under the power of God tends to feel the pain and suffering of Christ on the cross. In one of our weekly gathering where we gather without any agenda but simply to seek the face of the Lord, a brother was on the ground for two hours or so, struck with the vision of Christ with the crown of thorn on His head and dark thick blood dripping on His face. Throughout that time all he sensed was the excruciating pain that Christ went through on the cross. Another lady on a Sunday went through similar experience although she wasn't on the ground for that long. They both realized and shared with us of the Savior's love for us and the sacrifice He made in order to make us His own. So heavy is the presence of God at times in our gatherings that people literally stagger to get up and get back to their seats. We're reminded of Solomon's temple on the day of it's dedication when the Shekinah glory descended and filled the house so that even the priest could no longer minister (2nd Chron 7:1-3). It's the Holy Spirit now ministering to us and through us to the Father.

In the meantime, churches and believers in different parts of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills continue to experience wave after wave of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Churches and church leaders which once spoke and acted against the baptism and the manifestation of the Spirit are laying down carpets on the floor of their chapels with the sure expectations of people falling down under the power of God. And when they get up from the ground then it's not uncommon to hear of them sharing about the vision they saw or the word they heard and the message they needed to convey to the congregation.

4th/Oct/2006, 11:35 p.m., Shillong, India

Intense Warfare

We are not fighting against humans. We are fighting against forces and authorities and against rulers of darkness and powers in the spiritual world. (Eph 6:12, CEV)
 

The revival in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills of Meghalaya (India) which continues to spread from one place to another, is however, not without the spate of backlash from the enemy of our soul. There has been criticism from some circles of both Christian and Non-Christian individuals and media against this move of God. Sometimes, journalists while reporting about the revival account tends to conclude with a negative note as was evident on the website of an internationally renown media.

In some schools the authorities threatened the students experiencing revival to be expelled, apparently, disruption of the class and school lessons being the reason alleged. But probably there would be other reasons too viz., prejudice, anti-charismata or even anti-Christian sentiments and the like.

And yet the intensity of the warfare is not with human individuals or any other organization for that matter whether they be Christian or Non-Christian, although as the apostle Paul said, we aren't ignorant of the wiles of Satan (2nd Cor 2:11). It has however, to do with demonic spirits appearing to some in vision or even in person thwarting and threatening them from pursuing after God. Needless to say, there have been cases where such evil spirits have tried to fake the anointing. At first, people under the possessions of such demonic spirits seem to fall to the ground just like those believers under the genuine anointing. However, soon they'll become very violent, at times trying to tear the Bible and some will even call themselves, "Lucifer" or "666". When this happens, believers will normally rally themselves around such person and in Jesus' name cast the demons out. In fact, such moments turns into a time of celebration of the glorious victory in the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Apparently, most of these churches experiencing revival have hardly been exposed to the teaching of spiritual warfare and the Charisma probably with the exception of some. As such, at times there are the possibilities of things getting out of hands. But perhaps this would have been a perfect timing for the Body of Christ here to come together as one in trying to help each other in containing and as someone said, in "pastoring the revival" in our land. To that end, please pray in particular for the leadership in every churches, especially those which are experiencing  revival, that they would have godly wisdom and anointing to encourage and lead people into the presence of God instead of discouraging them. Also, that the revival here wouldn't be short-lived but would actually grow in intensity and continue to spread in every single village and city.

Let's pray like Moses, "Show me, I pray thee, thy glory" (Ex 33:18).

4th/Oct/2006, 4:31 p.m. Shillong, India

Latyrki, Jaintia Hills

Yesterday, our landlady's grandchildren who goes to college here in town returned back from their village and I was thrilled to hear from them first-hand that revival broke out in their village too. They told me that it actually started with the Christian families who were praying in their homes. Soon it spread all around and now every evening they gather in their chapel where God is using small children to bring adults to repentance. "Their prayers sounds like the noise of a rushing water", I was told. The church leaders have taken out the benches and spread carpet instead inside the hall.

The dialect spoken in this region is different from the Khasi language of Shillong (East Khasi Hills District). And yet, these children would be heard praying in fluent Khasi although the villagers knows well that they actually don't know that language. I can agree to this without doubts because I recall being in one of these villages long time ago for a meeting where I actually found out that even the adults there (who most likely would've been in constant touch with the Khasis and the city of Shillong) would at times struggle to speak in the language that these kids were now using to pray with ease and fluency.

Again, it's mostly children and young people who are experiencing this revival. And although, the adults and older generations have not been touched the way these children are with all the supernatural manifestations, the good news is that there's repentance and transformation taking place in their lives. Drunkards are giving up their habits of drinking and are sobering up in the Lord. And others of immoral character could be seen attending the meeting every evening. Hallelujah!

This indeed is a season of a powerful encounter with the Living God.

17/Oct/2006, 11:24 a.m., Shillong, India

Suffer Little Children to Come unto Me

A certain missionary gifted in the prophetic who had visited Shillong and attended the Global Day of Prayer (on the 4th June '06) was given the last slot to release the crowd that had gathered on the Malki Ground with a prayer. But as prophets are sometimes used to do stuff beyond and at times against our imaginations, he didn't pray at all, but simply said (and I quote, although not verbatim), "When revival comes will you be ready to give your children for the Lord?". The chairman leading the meeting and the rest of us were left bewildered as to what that actually meant. That question posed to us, before the revival hit us, did actually come from God. Today, parents, church leaders, teachers and schools authorities are more concern about their children's studies than their encounter with the Living God. As such schools have discouraged children from coming into any contact with the 'revival' experience and church leaders closes down the 'revival' meetings early (without being sensitive to the Lord's work and leading), so much so that my co-brother who's also a pastor and has a ministry in one village reported the children and young people experiencing revival not being allowed to enter the chapel (both mainline churches) to hold meetings. They knew that the church pastored by my co-brother was the only one in the village that believed in the work and the manifestations of the Spirit (Charismata). So on Sunday when some people from Shillong who are working with this pastor reached there, these kids and young people rushed to them to the place where they have their meeting with excitement, joy and tears. They had been eagerly waiting and anticipating their arrival. There was no space to accommodate all of them. 

Indeed, our priorities are revealed during such times when God not only sends revival but also tests the heart of parents if they are ready to give their children for the Lord at such a time as this. 

18th/Oct/2006, 10:45 a.m., Shillong, India

Seven Angels

Last night during a meeting with my church folks I got to hear some amazing things. A young brother whom I know personally and who's a close friend of one of our church family member shared with them what happened to some people living in his locality in Pynthorumkhrah.  

First, there's this girl, probably in her early teen, Khasi and from a nominal Christian background. She has two siblings from her step-father's side. Sadly, she used to be  ill-treated at home and expected to carry out the household chores most of the time. Just recently, one evening she was outside her house in the dark when suddenly she was possessed by some demonic spirit. Her hands were tight closed toward her chest in a cross position as if she was bound with a rope. She was brought in the house and some believers living in the surrounding came to pray for her. But they were faced with strong resistance from the evil spirit and the hands wouldn't be loosened at all. Later, still some more believers poured in and this time there were some pastors too. The pastors anointed her hands with oil and prayed for her. This time she was delivered. She actually saw the demonic spirit leaving her body. But at that time as soon as she was released she fell down on the floor and became unconscious for some time. Later when she came to her senses she had some amazing story to tell. Actually, when she fell down unconscious on the floor her spirit left her body and she went to heaven. She saw many angels there. And as she approached towards them one of the angel told her that it was not yet time for her to be there and that she needed to return back to earth. At this, she reiterated and pleaded not to be sent back to the world by saying to the angels that the world is filled with so much wickedness and that she would prefer not to return back. But the angel told her that she needed to go back and tell the world that the time for Jesus to return is more than ever imminent. It'll be soon and very soon that He would return for His Bride and that She needs to be ready for His return. Beside that, the angel also told her that the revival here would pick up greater momentum and that a much greater revival is on the threshold. This came to me as a confirmation to what I had written in one of my reports on revival. And that is exactly the reason why that as a church we gather every Tuesday evening without any agenda but only to seek the face of the Lord for more of the outpouring of His Spirit in our land.

The girl's parents are now turning to the Lord and attending meetings regularly. 

Secondly, another incident took place in the same location i.e. Pynthorumkhrah. Just a couple of days ago two ladies, one Khasi (probably a Christian) and another a Hindu, witness an event at the same time one evening. What they saw was a group of seven illuminating stars in the dark sky. These stars became brighter and brighter and suddenly transformed into seven angels. Then immediately these seven angels took off to seven different directions. That was it, but what a profound message for us to unravel. Once again, it seems, that the Lord is sending His seven stars which are actually seven angels of the seven churches, to speak to His Bride (Rev 1:20). And I believe that the message the angel gave to the girl I mentioned above is the primary message for us to hear - to prepare ourselves for the Lord's imminent return. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the first-born who are written in Heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect  (Heb 12:22-23)
 

(The Hindu lady who saw this vision exclaimed to the Christian around, "your God is a true God!" and is now expressing her desire to follow Christ).

HEAVENS OPEN

(Barkos Warjri) 

The call came at 2208hrs on 20 October 2006. The message was short and curt. I was asked to call an old college mate in about twenty minutes. His name was K… I knew he was involved with a lot of Bible Studies and counselling and praying for people during the current revival. It could only mean one thing. There was some important news. An SMS from my sister came. ‘Any news?’ she asked, as if she was also sensing something. There was nothing yet, I told her. I called up K… after twenty-two minutes. The mobile phone was switched off. I waited thinking that he must be talking or praying with people. His phone was still in that position even after 45 minutes. I decided to call another number where I knew I could catch him. He had just left. 

My wife’s cousin decided not to keep me on tenterhooks any longer. ‘Angels,’ she said. ‘Angels appeared in Smit, but please get the full details from K… who was there. I called up K… this morning and got the story. 

On Thursday, 19 October 2006, he had gone to Smit to give a Bible Study. A young girl from Sohra area who had been seeing miraculous visions had come to meet him that day. She went along with him to the Bible study. Bible studies are no longer small group meetings in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills these days. They are more like crusades. The church building was full and so were the church lawns. The young girl with visions had given her testimony, and had said that God would do wonderful things that night. God had been doing so many wonderful things that people half expected what would happen. That night, however, it was something a bit beyond the ordinarily wonderful things they had been used to. It was not simply a response to God’s word or miraculous visions (which are usually poured out to dozens of children nowadays). Heavens would open.

Towards the end of the meeting at about 9 pm, the congregation was singing a song, which had become very popular during this revival, ‘The Angels Sing.’ Suddenly there was a noise and commotion outside. The young girl with many visions said, “Let’s go out, God is going to show something to you.” The people outside had seen a bright light like lightning. The heavens towards the north seem to part and some saw what looked like hills, and then a rainbow (it is 9 pm at night). Then there were screams and shouts like, ‘Here, here,’ ‘There, on the right,’ ‘look there on the left.’ There were angels all around! Some fell down in fear or in shock. Some walking on the road dropped to their knees (some bottles of liquor were reportedly found the next morning). 

K…, who had come out of the church building, took out his mobile phone and switched on the video camera. A big angel flashed right in the path of the lens. My cousins who saw the picture on the screen last night were still shaken even two hours later. They said they could see the wings and the vague shape of a body. Angels are something we read about and hear of. Not beings we actually expect to see. Some people stunned by the appearance could only scream, bow down or cry, while those inside continued singing. The background sounds were captured on K’s mobile phone video. 

There was only one big angel, the one who was caught on K’s camera. There were however, a host of small angels flashing in and out of view. All the angels appeared only in flashes. It sounded, to me, like the story of the herald angels announcing to the shepherds, the coming of Jesus.  

In the meantime the northern sky continued to play like the side stage. A bright sword was seen by some, and some others a bright cross. A senior pastor married to my aunt, came out of the church building. He had been sceptical during the initial periods of the revival. “What do you think of this?” I ventured. “Think of what?” he asked, “I saw it with my own eyes! I saw the northern sky towards the Himalayas, and there was this bright cross, clear and bright up there. I was not alone! Several of us saw. Then I saw another cross, closer.”  

I had recently had a long conversation with him when I visited Shillong. I sensed now he was speaking with the excitement of one who was a part of something big happening, and I could no longer trace the scepticism in his words. However I could not resist probing a little more. Knowing him to be a thinking pastor, an intelligent and bright student, I asked how this fitted in to his theology. “Do you remember what Joel said? What is written there is happening. These are miracles,” he said, “When God does miracles how can we explain? These are beyond human explanations. I have seen and I believe.” I remembered those who do not see and yet believe. I had spoken to three eyewitnesses. They were excited, but how much can they be excited when God seems to be literally pouring out his Spirit all around?  

Two weeks ago the same pastor had met a young boy of seven in a remote village. He had become unconscious one day, and had a vision. When he woke up the pastor asked him what happened. He said he had been to heaven, and as with many children who had visions of heaven or Jesus, he said that he did not want to return. Jesus had told him that he had to return for now and the boy had reluctantly found himself in the company of ordinary humans like this pastor. When asked if he had anything to say to anyone, he simply said, “Read Matthew 3.2.” Children of seven do not normally think of such verses, and certainly not someone who could hardly read. 

Another story was telling in its simplicity. National Highway 44 connects the states of Mizoram, Tripura, and the plains of Cachar to the rest of the country, through the Jaintia Hills and Khasi Hills of Meghalaya. An empty refrigerated truck was returning after delivering its load of fish from Andhra Pradesh, in Silchar. The driver, also from Andhra, stopped at Bapung, in Jaintia Hills, that evening and heard singing from the Bapung Presbyterian Church. Something about the singing drew him to the church. He went and even took part in the singing even though he did not know the language. He left after praying with some of the counsellors from the church. 

Yet another impresses the listener with the same message, which God seems to be drumming into our ears – the time is near. A deacon from the Iewrynghep Presbyterian Church (near Mawlyngngot), in East Khasi Hills, in a vision in his bedroom one night, saw a big angel about to blow the trumpet, but something made him pause and he dropped his arm. Almost all the children having visions repeat this same message, the door is about to be locked, or the book is about to be closed.

...............................

24th/Oct/2006, 9 a.m., Shillong, India

Post Script

My dear friend Barkos was kind enough to send me the news and clip of video taken by his friend on his mobile/cell-phone. The video wasn't clear enough as could be expected with the quality of most of the mobile phone videos. However, bright objects flapping their wings is visible. And as described above, one of the angel swoops up right at the path of the camera. The screams and noise of the crowd, "there, over there", "wow! so many", "over here", "oh, it's shining" etc.,  could be heard. I watched the clip repeatedly and was shaken for quite some time.

We know God's angels are around us. It's just that they're not visible to us, of course, with the exception of some as in the case above. So this is not something for us to be either confounded or sceptic about. And as long as whether angels or even God Himself is invisible to us, we've to remind ourselves what Jesus so emphatically stated to Thomas, "blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

...............................................A FATHER REPENTS

Iba Warjri studies in Class 2 even though she is already 8 years old. I first heard of her in October 2006 when I was told of a little girl who had a vision and when she woke up from her unconscious state she recounted her vision of the rapture, Jesus’ return, the judgement and so on as if she had read the book of Daniel. That story perplexed me. She could hardly read. I checked it out. It was right. I met her along with my wife, on 26th December 2006 at her village, Nongrim Sadew, about 25 kilometres from Shillong and spoke to her and many others.

The last few days of August 2006 and the month of September run like a movie on perennial fast forward. The events moved so fast that normal life was thrown out of gear. School attendances were disrupted and churches were working overtime, many of them open 24 hours. The Presbyterian Church in the Khasi and Jaintia hills observed a ‘Youth Week’ during the week ending 2nd September 2006 with the final day falling on Sunday 3rd September 2006. On 2nd September the Youth Week services were special. There was a tremendous outpouring of God’s Spirit. Young men and women and children fell like ninepins as they were overcome by the sheer presence of God. Iba saw a vision of the end times and after that one of the women in the church called out “Jesus, Jesus”. Iba rushed out of the church building along with many others. When she looked at the moon, it looked like a cloud very near her. She saw an image of Jesus in the cloud and then it disappeared. The stars looked as if they were following the moon, which seemed to move very fast. She saw a crown and angels dressed in white and she saw God’s glory but could not see His face, nor could she describe His majesty. She also saw her parents wearing crowns. She was so happy, she praised God and danced, in her own words, “like mad woman. I called all the men and children but I was scolded. I thought it was the last day, and that we would all be saved.”

An elderly lady, Kong Wello, who was present at the church that night, told us that when Iba woke up she said that this was the last great revival and asked to speak to the four church elders. She told them that Jesus was coming soon and that he would first take up the dead and then the living and then 666 would rule. (My wife asked Iba where she had heard such a thing before and Iba said she had known of no such thing. Iba being only in class 2 could hardly read well.)

Iba’s mother told us that when she had the revelations that night her face was transformed. She is the least pretty of all the siblings but on that night she was radiant and bright and her voice was sure and clear. She normally cannot speak the standard Khasi language well, usually using her local dialect, and speaks with a lisp, but when she has a revelation she speaks fluent Khasi. It is evident that it is the Lord who gives her the words.

But on that night it was not only Iba. Several others had visions and most of them prayed for, and called, their loved ones to come to the church. Iba called for her father. Iba’s father was from a Roman Catholic background and her mother was Presbyterian, but after they got married they had stopped attending church services. Their children had no Christian teaching at home. Iba’s father is not ashamed to speak of his past life. He said, “I have been a man who has been in the kingdom of the king of this earth. Why should I not tell the truth, frankly? I have been a notorious man. I liked to drink, yes; I usually take up to 7 half bottles of my favourite whisky. I was not afraid of the police. I think they were afraid, they did not want to have a scrap with me. I am not a trouble maker but if someone starts making trouble, I do not hesitate to make the fire hotter.

“On the night of 2nd September I came back home drunk, and when one of the boys from the church came to tell me that my daughter was calling me, I was too drunk to comprehend what was happening. The next day, Sunday, I was about to have my bath when I heard my daughter’s voice over the public address system of the church. It was about 11 am. Something strange happened. I felt as if my heart was stabbed. I could no longer have my bath. I put on my clothes again, slipped into a pair of slippers and rushed off to the church. I do not know what drove me there, but I could no longer remain still. As I entered the gate of the church I heard my daughter saying that her father was coming to church. I lurched to the main door and overcome by some kind of power I almost crawled towards the front of the church and knelt there. I saw my daughter there, her face radiant, and I just wanted to kneel down. I knew I was a sinner and I asked God for forgiveness. Believe me sir,” he said, “from that day onwards I have not taken a single drop of alcohol.”

A few Sundays earlier the whole family had been baptised and become full members of the church.

On that night as we were in the evening service we saw several children having visions. Iba also fell asleep. When she woke up she said that she had seen Jesus and as well Satan with four horns, and then another demon with seven horns, and than another big one with 10 horns, and he then turned into a serpent. “I then saw angels singing and was led to heaven where I danced and sang. It was a beautiful place. There were brass and wind instruments. Then Jesus sent me to the pulpit to pray. He asked me to take off my shoes. I saw only his feet and his wounded hands.” We saw her going to the pulpit and taking off her shoes in a semi-conscious state. She went to the pulpit twice and prayed there after which she woke up.

Another girl, Phibakyntiew Lyngdoh Nongbri, aged 10, also fell unconscious. We heard her speak in her trance and say, “ I have reached, I have reached… The angels and trumpets.. You must repent, you cannot go back again and again to the same things, it is no use.” When she woke up she told us that Jesus had come to the church and when he came the church shone brightly and that he asked all to repent. There were lots of angels and they looked at the people and they sang and blew their trumpets, and birds were standing on the lectern and dancing.

“They are very lovely birds,” she said in her sleep, “I really like that, I really like that. I will stay here with Jesus. I will not go home. I will not stay in a world full of troubles.” She smiled sweetly in her sleep and giggled as if she was playing, saying, “I will pluck that… I will take that (as if she was gathering fish in a net)… Oh the flowers are so lovely! I am so happy with Jesus…I have no worries..(she chuckles here).. Oh this pond is so beautiful and clean, the water is so sweet.”

Another girl prayed for herself in her trance, for her parents and her five siblings (3 girls and 2 boys). Others in the church were identifying them for us as the girl prayed.

What had touched me deeply was the evident enthusiasm in the singing of many young boys and girls and the intensity of their prayers. I could see tears streaming on their faces as they cried to God. When they sang it was as if they were seeing something else as they raised their voices. There was no hesitation, they shouted out their praises.

Barkos Warjri - Posted: 02/16/2007


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