1995

An extraordinary day in India

   11.46pm. The whole of Solapur was plunged into darkness for some hours this evening. The meeting was held in total darkness apart from 2 or 3 lamps. An emergency generator was brought in so I finished my message, on Psalm 103:1–5, with amplification.

   Six engagements today: with the girls (and a few men) at the hall, photographs afterwards; a meeting with Pricilla and family [spelling is correct; from Repalle] to discuss the Crusade there; at the Parsonage a deep discussion on demon-possession etc; a brief return to the [Pratham] hotel, then to the meeting as last week in Michael’s home [Professor Michael Shrisunder], at least 200 there, I preached on Matthew [ ], then a late lunch (omelette and fried rice and chapattis and Pepsi), a few minutes’ sleep then to Hamekar Hall again [Mary Harding Teachers Training College] for more counselling sessions with individual girls —so much pain in their lives and one girl heart-broken because the boy she loves has fallen for her best friend, who cares nothing for him, and now the two girls have fallen out over something quite separate. The girls brought me a bouquet of flowers when we arrived for tonight’s meeting.

   As we arrived at Hamekar Hall in the morning, a lady asked Michael if the maharaj would pray for her, which I did. The girls wore their saris (pink over white) again today. I answered three questions on why sick people were not always healed, and went deeply into this along the line of broken relationships. Some of what I gave out was new to me, as was the message I gave to the 200 or more people jammed into Michael’s home and in the alley outside — an invaluable meeting. I found myself speaking about the net that Jesus threw out, which we do now.

   Pricilla and party appeared only briefly at tonight’s meeting in the dark. They were catching a bus back to Vijayawada at 8pm. Pricilla is very sophisticated and flatters her eyelids at me. She has called me uncle & [ ] for years. I sang in tonight’s service: “Living, He loved me ...”. Another extraordinary and wonderful day. Thank you, Lord.

Sadhu Sundar Singh

   11.15pm. A wonderful day. I was awakened during the night by the Lord giving me a funny story. I told it in the meeting tonight — hundreds present again. It went on and on and had the audience in stitches; there were gales of laughter. The odd thing is that I had a vivid dream two or three mornings ago in which Ken Dodd was working me. After all the fun tonight I preached on Luke [ ].

   We had breakfast on the terrace at 7.30. Two young brethren came by appointment to see me at 8.30. I found myself giving a Bible Study on Esther, linking “India” in the first verse with the unmentioned God who is [revealed in Esther 7:10 as] Lord of Karma. They left when Michael called to take us to the Christian bookshop [Noor Library and Book Shop] where I was to speak. I was asked why I had mentioned Lord Krishna and Lord Buddha the other night. We had a tremendous meeting, Michael, interpreting for me, was excited and said afterwards it was “perfect”. There were 21 of us: The brethren were Hindus and secret followers of Christ. I was presented with a gift, a Sadhu Sundar Singh book [Sundar Singh — A Biography by A.J. Appasamy]; earlier the two young brothers had each given me a lotus flower. From the bookshop, where we had coffee, Michael took us to a well-to-do home where we had coffee and I prayed for them all. We got back just before 1pm and had omelette and chips for lunch; read and rested in the afternoon. I had a shower. Later we had a pot of tea.

   The girls gave me a bouquet on the platform yesterday. The accompanying card says it is for “St William”.