Revival in Nepal and Philippines
Raju Sundas, pastor of Hosanna church in Kathmandu, that has grown to 600 in four years and planted 20 other village churches in the Himalayas, reports in revival there.
In spite of intense opposition, the churches continue to multiply and grow in Nepal. Many healings and powerful touches of the Spirit of God accompany the work. Raju describes some of these events this way:
Eight Australians in a team with Geoff Waugh and Bob Densley and I had a trip to west Nepal and held a three days conference over there in 2000. While driving toward the destination I shared the Word with the driver of the private bus and at the start of the conference he accepted Christ as his personal Saviour. On the same day a Christian brother whose hand was sort of crippled for six years was touched by the Holy Spirit and healed absolutely, shaking in his whole body and raising his hands, even the crippled one already healed, praising the Lord with all his strength he glorified the Lord for His greatness, Hallelujah!
Out of about two hundred participants in the conference by the grace of God a hundred of them were baptized in the Holy Spirit praising the Lord, singing, falling, crying, and many other actions as the Holy Spirit would prompt them to act. About ten of them testified that they had never experienced such a presence of power and love of God. Some other testified being lifted out of body to heavenly realms by the power of the Holy Spirit being surrounded by the angels of the Lord in a great peace, joy, love toward each other and being melted in the power of His presence. Many re-committed their lives to the Lord for ministry or any means through His revelation.
On the second day of the conference the trend continued as the people seemingly would fall down, repent, minister to each other in love of Christ, enjoy the mighty touch of the Holy Spirit, singing, prophesying, weeping, laughing, hugging and all the beauty of the Holy Spirit were manifested throughout the congregation by His grace and love. One woman aged 65 testified that she never had danced in her life in any occasion even in secret but the Lord had told her that she should now dance to Him and she was dancing praising Him with all her strength. For hours this outpouring continued and the pastors of the churches were one by one testifying that they had never experienced such a presence and power of God in their whole Christian life and ministry. Some sixty evangelists from surrounding areas declared that they were renewed in their spirits by the refreshing of the Holy Spirit and they are now going to serve the Lord in the field wherever the Holy Spirit will lead them to be full fledged in His service.
In the last day of the conference while praying together with the congregation and committing them in His hands, many prophesied that the Lord was assuring them of great changes in their ministry, life and the area, while the power of God was at work in our midst three children of 6-7 years old fall down weeping, screaming and testifying about a huge hand coming on them and touching their stomachs and healing them instantly. After the prayer all the participants got into the joy of the Holy Spirit and started dancing to the Lord, singing and praising Him for His goodness.
Before leaving, while we were having snacks in Pastor’s house a woman of high Brahmin caste came by the direction of the Lord to the place claiming that she was prompted by a voice in her ear to go to Christians and ask for prayer for healing of her chronic stomach pain and problems and that is why she was there. We prayed on her and she was instantly healed and we shared the Gospel, yet she stopped us saying, “I need to accept Christ as my Saviour so don’t waste time!” And she accepted Jesus as her personal Saviour being lifted in spirit even the body as she said she wouldn’t feel anymore burden in her body, and spirit, Hallelujah!
Another team from the Kathmandu church returned with Geoff and Bob in 2004, with further anointing and healings for church leaders in West Nepal who now face strong persecution from Maoist rebels. Many church leaders have been killed there.
In East Nepal we honoured a pioneer pastor, D. R. Thurling, who has evangelised in Nepal for 30 years, long before democracy in 1991 made it legal. He has been imprisoned and beaten many times, as has his son who is the pastor of the church were we met there. His grandson, who interpreted for us, works full time for Campus Crusade in Nepal, and most of his family are in full time ministry, amid persecution. Yet in recalling the past he just told amazing stories about the ways God continued to protect and deliver them.
During September 2004 we were protected in a very unstable situation. Now military check points are everywhere. Killings, including pastors who will not support communists, are frequent in the remote areas. As in China, God is moving powerfully. Churches are growing.
We had the opportunity to challenge a few hundred youth about total commitment, and when I asked those who wanted to follow Jesus, no matter what the cost, to just stand up – almost everyone stood. Many were saved and healed in the meetings by God’s grace.
During the past two months in 2001 we have experienced a new wave of outpouring of the Spirit on the congregation. Many instant healings of people suffering from fever, flu, unconsciousness, blood discharge, boils and tumours, stomach problems, chronic headaches. The fame of the healings in the Church has reached to many unbelievers through the congregation and number of unbelievers are coming to seek the healing most of them ending up saved!
The Church is growing rapidly in the Spirit, many standing in faith are experiencing prosperity, good health, spiritual satisfaction, close intimacy with the Lord and moreover a hunger and thirst along with zeal of God to know Jesus intimately and to do His will whatever it may cost. This new wave of revival in the Church is another assurance from the Lord that in the days ahead He has got great and marvellous plans to be revealed and carried out by the people He has called to fulfill His purposes. This revival is quite a new movement of God in the Church and the leadership of the Church patiently is waiting on the Lord to receive revelation if there is anything to be done or just let it grow to maturity as it is growing by the Holy Spirit. Since the start of the year 2001 the leadership of the Church is busy to pray on almost every individual of the Church for receiving the gifts of the Spirit as well as counselling them in the Word and praying with them at the time of need.
Manila, Philippines (where Raju was studying):
The one-day “leadership conference” was held in Jesus Christ the great Shepherd International Church on Thursday, March 28th 2002 just before Easter Sunday. The Lord has done an awesome work to revive the lives of one hundred 173 leaders. It was their annual Leadership conference. The Lord has allowed me to speak three messages on revival. These 173 leaders came from 6 different churches.
After first message, the Lord has touched several people and half of the people responded the voice of the Lord. The tears of the people were flowing all over the grounds. After one hour of prayer and repentance seven people came and testify how the Lord has touched their lives. They said that their hearts were filled with angers, anxieties and fears of many things and they have lost their hope and even stop thinking about prayer and come to the church.
When these people were dancing and rejoicing in the Lord other people were surprised to see them that way. The strong prophecy came from the Lord telling them that He is there to bring healing in their lives. Right after that many girls came and confessed their sins of living with their boy friend with out marriage. The pastors were amazed because they were counselling them from many months but they did see such changes in their lives. The people were hugging each other and asking forgiveness to the Lord for their past sins. Pastors were kneeling down each other foots and praying for fresh anointing. These 7 senior pastors have mentioned that they never saw such humility in the lives of people in the past.
There was a lunch break but among 173 people 75% of the people did not take the lunch. In every corner people were praying and crying God to use them and to revive their areas. After lunch break I asked them to share how the Lord has touched them I praise God all most all people stood up and came forward to share. People suffering from many types of sickness were dancing and as they were seeking God, the Lord has brought great healing in their lives. The guy who had a stroke recently came forward and testified how the Lord has touched his curved hand to be balanced. When people saw this brother testifying in that manner the people started to pray for each other to upgrade their faith and asked God to enable them to love each other with the Love of God. The people those who were offended and hurt by each other’s action in past were crying and embracing each other.
During, the final message I told them that if they would seek God with that burning passion there would be long lasting revival in their churches. After that message 63 people came forward to commit their lives to become a cell leader to lead bible study and prayer meeting in their respective places. All the surrounding people were got surprised to see them crying and praising the Lord for the first time in that church. There was a girl who has accepted Christ during the second sermon’s altar call. When she came to the front all people were astonished because they never saw any body voluntarily coming to accept Christ in their church in the past. She said that her husband was a drug addict and recently he has married with another girl and her husband threatened her many times. So, she was looking for appropriate situation to suicide. But when she heard people crying loudly she was anxious why these people were crying. While she was watching and listening the word of God the Lord has reminded her that she is not alone. When she heard that word, she decided to accept Christ. I praise God she made a decision.
Sammer, Philippines:
The Lord enabled me to go to the place called Sammer in a team with other 12 pastors, congressman, and businessman. This particular place is 35 hours far away from Manila. This place is like Nepal in so many ways. I felt like I was in Nepal. The people were under the bondage of demonic forces and reluctant for the gospel. This is the second evangelistic crusade that was conducted here by Sammer foundation. The president of this foundation was from this place and this is the least evangelized area in the Philippines. When they have conducted first evangelistic crusade in 1985, some prominent people there tried to kill the pastors and leaders of that area. According to them several people come with guns and wounded several people. Fortunately nobody was dead. Praise God.
From that time onward they were planning to have this second evangelistic crusade in that place. Praise God, this summer the Lord has enabled us to have a crusade in the same place where they attempt to kill pastors and leaders. When I came to know that news I started praying and preparing in my spirit and asking God to perform His mightily miracles there. It was the first time in my life that I was prepared in that way.
After long journey the Lord has brought us in that place very safely, with one and a half hour flight, 7 hours by bus, three hours by boat, and a one hour motor bike journey.
The Lord allowed me to start my ministry sharing the Gospel with a doctor and former mayor of that place. He had been living alone for 5 years. His wife had left him and the house looked like a den of devils. First we cleaned his house and shared the gospel. He was the uncle of a team member. He was a chain smoker and alcoholic. He had been not been shaving his beard and hair for two years. He looked like a person staying on a different planet. After 3 hours of sharing and prayer the Lord touched his heart and he accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour Jesus. When that guy had decided to do so several people started crying and praising God. When the Lord moved in a mighty way he showed his interest to shave his beard and hair for the first time after 2 years. I praise God for the power of the Lord. The next day he became an opposite person in that place. We were able to disciple him in a proper way for three days and now one of the church pastor is doing that job.
The next incredible thing for me was that they have broadcast my visit from the local television cable. I did not know all those things until I arrived there. There were 70 pastors from different places who were trained in reaching their places with the power of the Lord. I was teaching on the subject of prayer and revival. The Lord did great miracles in the lives of pastors and lay leaders after the teaching on prayer. They were repenting of their past mistakes to each other and hugging with the love of Christ expecting great revival in that area. It was the first time in the Philippines that all pastor and leaders refrain from taking their dinner and prayed for the following day evangelistic crusade. It was the greatest joyous time I ever had.
The following day we hold the crusade and around three hundred people attended. The Lord did great miracles. After my testimony and preaching 127 people came forward to receive Christ. The first person was a city mayor of that town. All the team members were rejoicing in their heart and the people who were saved in the crusade were followed up by the pastor. The mayor, government officials and some businessman were invited in a dinner where we all had an opportunity to share about the Lord more. It was an incredible meeting for the people who had been praying for the crusade.
On the way to home several people in our team including the congressman became sick. They were vomiting and had within certain period all of them were dehydrated. However, the Lord did great miracles. When this thing has taken place one of our team members were so afraid because he thought that they were attacked by demon. Yes it was but the power of the Lord was there to heal them. I mentioned to them that in Nepal this is a normal thing for us. When we all prayed together God manifested his healing power to them and they were healed within 30 minutes. According to them this was a “faith building” mission trip for them. I praise God for allowing us to accomplish the things in that place. I ask you to continue to pray for that area as follow up and maturing process is going on.
Click on one of the thumbnail pictures below to see a larger picture:
 Pastors Raju & Santos – roadside evangelism |
 Nepal highway traffic |
 Pastors Raju & Samita in West Nepal |
 Leaders & pastors praying in West Nepal |
 Leaders & pastors in West Nepal |
 Santos leads worship in Hosanna Church, Kathmandu |
 3 generations of Thurling pastors in East Nepal |
 United Worship in East Nepal |
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Mission support can be sent or transferred to the Renewal Journal Mission Account, especially for orphans in Nepal and Kenya, or for revival mission teams in the South Pacific. E-mail contact to Geoff Waugh (Renewal Journal editor) is through the Christian Heritage College School of Ministries link on www.renewaljournal.com |
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