Miracles abound in Rajasthan as Jesus’ living water cleanses souls

By Mark Ellis

Christians make up less than one percent of the population in Rajasthan, the largest state in India, which borders Pakistan to the west. There are few Christians amid the oldest civilization on the Indian subcontinent, but God is moving in powerful ways that sometimes resemble the Book of Acts.

“Through miracles people are flocking to Christ,” says Pastor Promod Patel. “The church here is growing day by day.”

Pastor Patel is the grandson of one of the first Indian believers in Rajasthan. His life is like one of the early church fathers—he plants churches, travels and encourages the church, at times taking great risks to his own safety.

Not long ago, Pastor Patel was in the region of Kushalgarh, where he met a sick couple, Kalu and Nirmala. “Both were sick but after praying for them in Jesus name they were healed,” he recounts. “Then they started a church to serve the Lord.”

When the couple began to minister they encountered a slightly built, middle-aged man named Waloo, who had been bedridden for two years, suffering from throat cancer. “They prayed in Jesus’ name and he was healed,” Pastor Patel reports. Waloo’s neck reveals a long stretch mark where God touched him and “surgically”removed the large tumor.

Today Waloo sells ice cream from a bicycle-mounted ice chest. His new career gives him a chance to share the gospel with children.

In a neighboring town, Pastor Patel met a demon-possessed girl named Romila. For

two months, the young girl suffered with the oppression and her family was desperate for relief. “After prayer and fasting she was delivered in Jesus’ name and is growing in His Word.” Pastor Patel reports.

A 12-year-old deaf and mute boy named Patrus in another town was also healed at a prayer meeting. When his healing came, he shouted “Alleluia” and then “Praise the Lord!” After this miracle, he was able to start attending school for the first time.

“As the gospel was being preached and miracles were

happening we also encountered opposition,” Pastor Patel reports. “As believers came to Christ there was persecution from the village.”

Pastor Patel partnered with Living Water International to bring clean water into Todi Village. “Since bringing the clean water, the opposition has melted away,” Pastor Patel says. “We are now not only giving people an opportunity to drink clean water, but also giving people an opportunity to hear the gospel and drink the living water.”

http://vimeo.com/51711726

Living Water International exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water, and to experience “living water”—the gospel of Jesus Christ—which alone satisfies the deepest thirst.