“We travel approximately three hours from the tropical area of Kottayam into the high mountains of Vagamon. We passed rubber plantations, along with coconut, bananas, cashew, vanilla, coffee and the beautiful tea plantations as we climb into various atmospheres in altitude.
It was a wonderful journey with Pastor Rajeeve as he was taking us to a high mountain church where the roads are treacherous especially with the respective driving behavior in India.
Worship had started when we arrived and it appeared the church was full with approximately 50 people. Shoes are not worn inside and they are left outside. The women sit on one side and the men on the other. There are only a few chairs mostly for the elderly. Many sit on the floor.
Worship was probably the most beautiful and rememberable I have ever experienced. They clap with all their might to the point it is deafening. They have no projection, pretty stages or lighting. Definitely no fog machine. They come with a pure heart of worship. Many weep as they come before the presence of God. It made me feel as if I had fallen short in my own worship. Thank God for them to teach me a lesson.
Many have Bibles but many are missing the covers and the Bibles are worn beyond repair. However, they brought what they had.
Few spoke English most spoke Malayalam a native language of Kerala so Pastor Rajeeve interpreted for me.
Later in the worship the crowds kept arriving and the pulpit lectern had to be removed because the floor was overflowing with people up to where I was standing. The count may have been 60 or 70 people at that point.
Some had travel two to three hours by bus. Some walked up the mountainous road in the dark. The church was far away from any population centers so some may have walked for hours to be there.
The Word was delivered and many came for prayer. I know of only two salvations and three healings.
I was asked to perform a mass deliverance against curses and there were several manifestations and deliverance was performed.
One teenage girl who attends a boarding school was home for Christmas and had injured feet. There was a deep cut one of her heals and she had pain in both. She is involved in track and was not able to run because of the pain. We prayed for her and she was healed from all pain.
A man with severe back pain could not bend over was healed instantly and he demonstrated bending to all who knew of his condition.
These people love the Lord and put my sacrifice to shame. What a humbling experience to share the Gospel to so many with so little. Whose only desire is to know and love Him.
I hope one day to return with new Bibles in their native language.”
The Colonel
December 2015