A team of 5 Canadians and Sukit from Thailand  just returned a couple of weeks ago from a most powerful trip to Thailand, Nepal and India… Here is one story told by Todd Rutkowski.  It took place on February 20^th, 2016.

When desperation is overcome by hope

His name is Mohan and he lives in Siliguri, India.  A bustling city in north east India at the crossroads between Bangladesh to the east, Nepal to the west and China to the north. Mohan’s wife Asha had connected to the Vineyard community in Siliguri for support and courage. There she encountered Jesus. Recently in a drunken rage Mohan burned his home to the ground.  A father of 5, he was caught in the cycle of addiction. Feeling guilt and shame for his actions, while in the rage, he sold his possessions for his addiction to further silence his pain. The cycle continued until he sold almost all their possessions and eventually their two oldest daughters, who were about 7 and 9 years old.

Mohan’s wife

The Vineyard community came around this family in their despair and desperation and instead of condemning Mohan they fought for hope and freedom for this family. The Vineyard Community took to action and rebuilt the home in a new location on squatter land. With the help of some friends they purchased a Rickshaw and hired Mohan as the driver, looking to rebuild his sense of worth as the family provider.  Using various contacts they eventually tracked down the 2 daughters, who were sold as slaves, and purchased them back for the family. The daughters had returned a week before we arrived on the scene.

Mohan’s two daughters…

As we connected, we too tried to support what God was doing in this family and the gracious efforts being made by the community.  That night the Vineyard community was holding a prayer and worship night.  It was a Saturday night.  After some time Sukit, a Vineyard leader in Thailand, was sharing up front and leading the group in prayer.  He asked several people to lay their hands on Mohan, who had come to the meeting.  Mohan was raised in a Hindu family and had not encountered Jesus to date. At first they prayed and saw little or no visible signs of God’s working… but God was very much at work.  After some time they asked Mohan if he wanted to meet Jesus and he said, yes. However, Mohan had already been encountering Jesus, we just didn’t know he was.  The prayers continued and after some time Mohan started to experience some freedom in his heart, soul and body.

Mohan sharing his encounter

Mohan later that evening stood up to share what had happened to him that night as people prayed for him. Through a translator he told us that a wind came rushing into the room at one point as people were praying for him. That wind went right through the middle of his being and he heard a “bang” on the inside, he said to us. Mohan then started to experience the sensation of spikes being pulled out of his stomach and abdomen. He was encountering the power of God in a most profound way and in a way he had never known. Animated and with a big smile on his face he told us of the great work of the Holy Spirit in his life that night.

May God continue to meet this family, heal this family and restore this family!  It is just the beginning for them.

Mohan driving his rickshaw