Tent Revival

This is a tent revival in a village about a two-hour drive from Vijayawada. We traveled in a car driven by Ravi while Shohba and I rode in the rear seat. The road to the village was desolate with an occasional small town where we would stop for a cold cola break and then were on the road again. Dr. Rao told me that he had prearranged a resting quarters so that we would be able to rest and freshen up before the service. He is a medical doctor and well connected, but I never expected to have a room at a place reserved for diplomats. It was a large beautiful white building, with marble floors and a beautiful garden. It was more like a hotel but not accessible for the general public.

We were escorted up a beautifully ornate staircase to a room with an air conditioner and a bathroom, eastern style. There was a balcony with a magnificent scenic view of the mountains and a garden area. Some parts of India are breathtaking with tropical flowers, coconut trees and lush foliage, a real delight for the traveling kind. I was grateful for the accommodation as it rendered a very good rest and a chance to cool down and I was utterly rejuvenated. Lord knowing what dwell ahead I believe it was a divine reprieve. This photograph does not begin to reflect the number of people who were there. People were shoulder to shoulder, back to back in an area the size of a football field. Those in the tent would be like those with box seats. There was standing room only and the only seats were the ones you see up front for the Rao's and me. Here I stand singing a song I wrote called Living water. After the song and an introduction by Dr. Rao, I was asked to give my testimony, at Dr. Rao's request. We then spoke on John 4:14, for which Living water is written from. It is a country ballad about the woman at the well, and much to my surprise the Indian people seemed to take a liking to my style that had a distinct flair of country music.

After the meeting the village pastor closed with a prayer and announced that I would be staying to pray for people. There were hundreds of people and nearly all of them stayed. The prayer service started off with people eagerly rushing forward to receive Jesus.