It was easy to see God at work during our trip, and I can recall so many instances of God's provision. And yet, what had the biggest impact on me was seeing the power of prayer in the midst of spiritual darkness so strong that I could feel it. The first school we visited was in a poor area that was heavily influenced by an anti-Christian government. We could feel this spiritual warfare as we walked down the streets in silence, but as soon as we walked into the school building and were greeted by kind ladies and eager kids, I felt at ease. But it was the prayer during our time there and before leaving the school that comforted me the most. While there is so much hope and light in that city, the presence of darkness can at times feel overwhelming. I learned that the only way to overcome this is to go to the Lord in prayer.
Another time I remember feeling the spiritual warfare in the city was during one of our last days while on the bus, where we saw hundreds of Hindu nationalists on the streets and heard about the persecution of Christians and churches in the area. I felt some of the uneasiness from the spiritual warfare that pastor Vasa, Mrs. Hopper's cousin, feels on a daily basis as the leader of a church in South Asia. But for months before the trip and while on the trip, our team was constantly in prayer, asking God for protection and for Him to move in us and in the lives of the kids we meet. Seeing all the amazing things God did in our lives during the week and hearing about all the people that were praying for us back home made me realize the power of prayer in the face of darkness and how it can have such a powerful effect in places across the world and unite every nation and every tongue. I remember waking up on the morning after coming back from the trip and having a strong urge to pray, and praying an hour straight for God to continue to work in our lives and the lives of those we spent time with in South Asia, which is something I rarely do but desire it so much more after this incredible opportunity.
Another time I remember feeling the spiritual warfare in the city was during one of our last days while on the bus, where we saw hundreds of Hindu nationalists on the streets and heard about the persecution of Christians and churches in the area. I felt some of the uneasiness from the spiritual warfare that pastor Vasa, Mrs. Hopper's cousin, feels on a daily basis as the leader of a church in South Asia. But for months before the trip and while on the trip, our team was constantly in prayer, asking God for protection and for Him to move in us and in the lives of the kids we meet. Seeing all the amazing things God did in our lives during the week and hearing about all the people that were praying for us back home made me realize the power of prayer in the face of darkness and how it can have such a powerful effect in places across the world and unite every nation and every tongue. I remember waking up on the morning after coming back from the trip and having a strong urge to pray, and praying an hour straight for God to continue to work in our lives and the lives of those we spent time with in South Asia, which is something I rarely do but desire it so much more after this incredible opportunity.