Pakistan: Preaching at the cathedral8.42pm. Our first full day here [in Pakistan]. I was awakened at 4.30am by the Muslims’ call to prayer and the loud cawing of crows in the trees outside our window. We had breakfast of corn flakes and milk and toast and marmalade. At 8.30 we were called for and taken to the Cathedral where I preached on Matthew 4:23–25 and prayed for a lot of people. Sunday is a working day here, so I kept the message short in order for the service to be finished by 10.00. The prayer line was not my idea, and at 10.20 we were whisked away back here, leaving numbers of people unprayed for. After we got back I was having a rest when Brother Shad — who met us and garlanded us at the Airport — called. As he speaks very little English it was difficult to communicate. He wants us to go to [indecipherable], but there is a strange spirit about the man. In any case we have no idea what we shall be doing after the Convention here. We still have no idea how this will work out, or whether many will come. I expected few at the Cathedral but it was full, though not packed. Unexpectedly we were taken out to lunch by the two medical sisters whom we met last night; one is from New Zealand. We had another hair-raising ride in a motorised rickshaw to the Silver Spoon restaurant, where we had a basically Chinese meal which we spent two hours over. Afterwards, leaving the restaurant, we were accosted by beggars, and Sister Tia gave her “doggy bag” box of food to a young man who immediately sat down to scoff it, looking as though he had not eaten for some time. After visiting an adjacent dress shop the sisters hailed a rickshaw to bring us back to the Hospital while they continued their shopping. They returned with new plates and glasses for the guest house. One of the sisters was in charge of the examination which the nurses were taking today: I saw them arrive, early on. After we got back we both slept, then while Freda had a meal I spent an hour or two in prayer and worshipping the Lord, with much freedom in the Spirit. |
Encounter with a jinn9.50pm. It was about 8.40 before we awoke this morning. In that particular state of consciousness between sleeping and waking I was visited by some demon, a female of great sexuality, who by what she said and what she was looking for, was fascinating me. Her face was all lines and angles, and only as I came awake did I realise that this so attractive face contained not the slightest hint of beauty. [It seemed also to have no body, only a kind of tail — I learn later that this kind of spirit is a jinn.] We spent the day quietly, uncertain as to when the Convention would start, and awaiting news from Bishop Samuel. During the morning we walked to the gates of this hospital campus, the people who had come for treatment or to bring food for their relatives staring at us in curiosity. We stepped outside the gates to take a couple of photographs looking up and down the street. Later on, Mr Gill, an elderly gentleman, prepared our meal, of roast potatoes and spinach, followed by tea and biscuits as we declined the biscuits [without something to drink]. In both the morning and afternoon we sat outside on the terrace, Freda doing needlework and I re-reading William Branham a Prophet Visits South Africa. About 4.45 Freda came indoors to make us a cup of coffee, then Sister Tia from N.Z. arrived, off duty, to say she was taking us to visit Daisy Naaman, wife of a padre here. The three of us squeezed into a rickshaw which took us to her house. We spent an hour or so there, enjoying good fellowship, then we were led on foot a few minutes’ walk to the Bishop’s House; it was now dark. Samuel wasn’t there. His wife Elvina said he was in Lahore seeing to relief work, but he would be back this evening in time for the first meeting! So we set out on foot for the Convention site, but were met almost immediately by a vehicle which had been sent to the hospital to collect us. On arrival we were met by various brethren including Comfort (who interpreted for me yesterday). He took us to the headmaster’s office where I learned that I was to preach tonight, and that the theme of the Convention — on which I am expected to speak — was “Jonah, Repentance and Restoration”. Comfort took us to his house — we groped our way along an unlit footpath bounded by trees — and we met his wife Parveau. After a few minutes we made our way back to the Convention site, where a few people had gathered. We had a look at the platform, then Samuel arrived. Arthur James would speak tonight; I would speak at 4pm each afternoon. There was nothing for us to stay there for: the driver had already returned to collect us, so we came back to the hospital. The two Sisters were here. During our absence Don McCurry, another invited speaker, had arrived and had gone off to the meeting. We had supper of cheese on toast, and marmalade and an apple, and two cups of tea, then came to bed, where I am writing this. So tomorrow we start the Mission in earnest, D.V., on our fourth day here. We still feel like we are in a dream. |
A visitation of angels8.34pm. A most amazing meeting this afternoon. We were picked up, as yesterday, about 4.45pm. A bigger crowd today, about 2–3,000 (but others estimated twice as many). I stood up to preach — in bare feet again — with Comfort to interpret, on Acts 3:1–16, but there was so much noise and commotion and the greater part of the congregation was not listening. After several attempts to regain their attention I passed on quickly to the end of the passage, reckoning we had done our best and there was nothing more we could do: I had finished. At that moment, the message (which I had felt unsure about all afternoon) ended, the Spirit of God came upon me in the prophetic anointing. I rebuked the people for their disdain for the Word, and prophesied the end of the Sialkot [Annual] Convention, the destruction of churches, imprisonment of leaders etc. if they would not repent. Almost in the same breath I found myself speaking of the conversion of Pakistan. Angels stood by me on the platform. Then, as suddenly, they were covering the entire congregation. I called to prayer. The great congregation stood in perfect reverence, perfect quiet, and the Spirit of God blessed the entire congregation, Muslim and Christian, believer and unbeliever alike, with salvation, forgiveness, healing of every disease and sickness: we were deluged by the love of God. I don’t suppose we shall ever again see anything quite like it. Don has gone off to take tonight’s meeting. We had a good time of prayer together with Ian and Barbara, after breakfast this morning. He was feeling tired though, with 3 or 4 meetings every day, so asked Ian to stand in for him this afternoon; they are lifelong friends. Don felt specially [indecipherable] about tonight’s meeting and did not join us for supper. The meeting apart, it has been our quietest day. We sat on the porch reading and watching the exotic birds in the morning. A crow had a large piece of meat, which he lost when an eagle-like bird swept down and took it from him. We came indoors for a while and rested before lunch. After lunch I rested and prayed for the meeting but could get no “feeling” about it. Over supper we were joined by Professor [space left] and his wife. [The 1992 mission to Pakistan is more fully recorded in Missions & Miracles.]
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