I had many worries leading up to this year’s Arise. Not only was I going through a hard time personally, hearing many tragic news recently had dried up my heart. Nonetheless I had joined only thinking I could be of help to other team members as I had experienced door-to-door evangelism in previous Arise events. Despite all this, God healed me in ways beyond my imagination. We witnessed 7 people accept Jesus into their hearts but above that God filled my heart with his great love and comfort through other church members, evangelists and the children who were with us.
During our time with Flowing Rivers church, I could feel the Holy Spirit with us. Everyone praised the Lord and worshipped Him with all their hearts and soul. Through this, I was not only comforted by our church members but everyone I met through evangelism. One lady who’s mother recently passed away, one elder lady who had lost her whole family, one lady who was caring for her partially paralysed husband and a mother who was distanced from her children after the passing of the husband. Although they were the ones who needed healing, every single one welcomed me to prayer and through my prayers I could feel God’s heart reach out to them which in turn actually filled my heart.
The highlight for me though was the children. Our youngest and cutest member Yuel and Jessica who gave people joy with her singing and guitar playing. On Music night, I was at the entrance when I saw three kids. One of them from afar asked me “ Is that place Music night?”. As I answered yes, the children shouted with joy “We made it!”. They had come for the music without telling their parents properly and later the worried mother came to the event snd and allowed them to stay. After Music night and a barbecue, I took the kids home and the conversations I had with them still gives me laughter.
14 year old Summa told me the day after we first met that she was autistic and found it difficult to get along with people. However, she was overwhelmed by the love shown by the church members and she gave us big hugs crying on the last day. Summa’s younger brother Max witnessed his sister accept Jesus and thereafter told Pastor Sam that he also wanted to become a Christian. On his way home, the little boy asked me what he needed to do to become a good Christian. On the day of Music night, a boy named Jack took posters and joyfully ran around the streets promoting the event.
Watching these loving children, I knew I could not hate the world anymore. God showed me His great love through all the people I met on this year’s Arise event and now I want to share the love to more people that God allows me to meet.
