ALL THE VILLAGERS WERE SPEECHLESS
LIBERIA: WAR AND “PEACE OF CHRIST”
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT OUR MISSION TO LIBERIA
All the Villagers were Speechless
Her name is Kumbharuni. She lives in Odisha, formerly Orissa, an Indian state in Eastern India where almost 94% of the people are Hindu. She was a powerful and influential priestess for 40 years until recently, when she heard about Jesus.
Kumbharuni began worshiping a house goddess name Budian and regularly communicated with an evil spirit soon after she was married. Her mysterious powers drew the neighbors to her, and they came to her for healing. She offered sacrifices on their behalf. It wasn’t long before she became the head priestess of her village. Then a strange series of events led to incredible changes in her life.
When two of her sons became extremely sick, her powers could not save them. They both died.
A surviving son married and gave Kumbharuni a granddaughter. But when the girl was 12 years of age, demonic forces gained control of her. Kumbharuni was well acquainted with her disorder and sacrificed a goat, a pig and a hen to heal the girl, but her condition did not change. So Kumbharuni sought the help of a pagan priest at another village who also proved powerless to help.
Kumbharuni’s son, Suratha, wanted to invite “the Lord’s people” to pray for his daughter, but he was strongly resisted by his mother and father. He finally left his family and rented a house. One day, Suratha visited a Christian pastor, Debananda Malik, one of Meridian University’s Master Trainers and asked him to help his daughter. Debananda took several believers with him and prayed over the young girl for three days, rebuking the evil spirit that bound her. As the believers pled for her deliverance, the evil spirit fled from her in Jesus’ Name, and the girl was wonderfully healed.
The entire family — except for the grandmother priestess and her husband — believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and all were baptized in August 2020. Days later, in October, Kumbharuni became very sick, her body shaking uncontrollably. She followed all the rituals of her gods but continued to suffer greatly. Her husband took her to a different priest, but he had no power to help. She was taken to a hospital where they spent much money, but there was no answer for her illness. Finally, her husband desperately asked for help from his son Suratha.
Kumbharuni was brought to Suratha’s house in April 2021. He invited Pastor Debananda to see his mother. Debananda and other believers began to meet in Suratha’s house every day for worship and prayer. During each session, they shared stories about Jesus, His greatness and power to do only things that God could do. After five days of prayer, Kumbharuni began to feel better. By the third week, she was completely cured! Kumbharuni came to the wonderful realization that the Lord Jesus Christ was the true God, and she believed on Him strongly.
Kumbharuni went back to her house to share with her husband her decision to follow Jesus. But he strongly resisted her. Nevertheless, she took all of her idols out of the house and destroyed them with fire. The villagers also opposed her. But she told them that she had prayed to her idols and followed all the rituals the day she got sick, but none healed her. Instead, her condition got worse. She said the priests could not help her and the doctors could not cure her. She told them how she suffered for six months but “when the true Lord Jesus Christ’s people prayed for me I felt healing and peace in my heart.” She continued, “After all these years of my life, I came to know the true God who saves. I do believe in Him and will follow Him until my last breath.” All the villagers were speechless.
It was at a great price when Kumbharuni surrendered her life to follow Jesus. Her husband abandoned her for another woman. Now, she lives with her son. Kumbharuni is burdened for her villagers and prays earnestly that they, too, will realize that Jesus is the true God.
Kumbharuni is a transformed lady. Every Sunday she walks 10 kilometers (6 miles) to church where she joins others in worship, prayer, fellowship and the study of God’s Word. “She is so happy,” said Pastor Debananda Malik. What a difference Jesus can make in a life!
Written by Ralph Speas, president of Meridian University
Liberia: War and “Peace of Christ”
For 19 years, Liberia experienced an unrelenting war resulting in a gruesome bloodbath. Thousands upon thousands were slaughtered on the beaches and in the jungles.
In 1990, soldiers bolted the doors of a church in the capital city of Monrovia and gunned down 600 worshipers. Not one person survived.
When the civil war came to an end, ex-combatants roamed the streets with no skills. The old army only knew how to kill, rape and steal. Through the new government, a new army was formed under the leadership and training of the U.S. Marines.
Meridian University was invited to train the chaplains of this new army. The chaplains were excited to learn how to tell Bible stories for the purpose of evangelism and now conduct weekly Bible studies using the training they received from Meridian. The army was divided into tribes named after the tribes of Israel, and each chaplain has a tribe over which he cares. We are grateful we were there to help them.
As life was improving and the nation rebuilding, the Ebola outbreak in 2014 shut down the entire country. On May 9, 2015, Liberia was officially declared Ebola free. COVID-19 has had a similar impact over the past year, but life is returning to normal.
Yet, there still remain remote areas dominated by witchcraft and Islam. It is in these areas where our indigenous, trained believers choose to “chase darkness” and bring the Light of Jesus and His enduring peace.
Written by Ralph Speas, president of Meridian University
What You Should Know About Our Mission to Liberia
June 14-June 30, 2021
My wife, Rosene and I (Ralph Speas) will be going to Liberia with several objectives. Ralph will be hearing reports from eight key African leaders, with the intent of encouraging and strengthening them. An emphasis on extraordinary prayer will be the heart of their training. Time will be spent in remote villages of darkness where Master Trainers will be telling God’s stories.
Also accompanying us is Benjamin Burkhart who recently completed military service in the U.S. Navy. He gave his life to Christ and is very interested in using his talents to serve the Lord through missions. He already gained international experience in the Navy, and we are excited he is going. He will be helping with training and using his photography skills.
Meridian University will meet with eight Master Trainers who are reaching Africa and “chasing darkness” from Guinea, Cote d’Voir, Sierra Leone and Liberia. Titus Davis is our Lead Trainer and serves as Team Leader for ReachAfrica, the missions arm of the Evangelical Free Church for all of Africa.
Prayer warriors have told us they like to know everything we are doing on our trips. Click the link below to learn more about the trip and specific things about which to pray. You will find a day-by-day calendar describing what we will be doing each day. You will see what our objectives are and how you can pray. As always, thank you for your prayers, encouragement and support!
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