In January this year I flew to India to minister in four different states of this huge country. I was hosted as usual by our ICEJ India Director Pastor ‘Dany’ Meka Padma Rao with whom I have traveled and ministered together many times before. But this time was radically different and very special, since the Lord Jesus had just saved him from death and miraculously healed him.
In early November, Pastor Dany’s life should have ended on earth, but instead God used this tragic incident to display His saving love and miraculous power in His servant for all to see and hear!
Pastor Dany’s miraculous survival and healing
Early one morning, at the beginning of November 2016, Pastor Dany woke up at home in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, to pray and to work on his computer. He quietly went to the kitchen and closed the door behind him. While in the kitchen he suddenly noticed the smell of gas, so he checked for a leak. Everything seemed fine, so he proceeded to switch on his computer. Instantly the gas cylinder exploded in the kitchen, right where he was; the room erupted in flames and the building started to collapse.
Pastor Dany cried out to the Lord with one single prayer: “Jesus, help me get out of here!” Protecting his face with his arms, he somehow stumbled through the raging fire, over rubble and into the street, where many neighbors had gathered, having heard the explosion. He was immediately taken to a clinic, but due to extensive burns on his arms, face and legs, they could not treat him. Thankfully the second clinic received him and he was admitted to the hospital.
In the midst of his suffering from extreme physical pain and also great emotional sense of loss, his one comforting thought was: His family was safe. Had he not closed the kitchen door, that would not have been the case.
For three days Pastor Dany laid in bed with excruciating pain; his arms and legs covered with bandages, his face badly burned by the flames. During those three long days he thought surely his life was over. He feared he would never move his arms again, be able to continue his ministry, or look after his family. He felt completely crushed.
However, after those three days, early in the morning something miraculous and supernatural happened. Pastor Dany had a vision. In his vision a man came to him saying: “Why are you crying? Why are you in pain?” With bewilderment, Pastor Dany answered: “I cannot move my arms, I cannot even move my fingers. Isn’t it obvious? My whole life is over.” And he added: “Who are you?” The man in the vision replied: “I know who you are. I have met you in Jerusalem. Now start moving your fingers.”
In this vision, the man asked Pastor Dany to do exactly the thing he had been unable to do. By faith, Pastor Dany listened, and his fingers started to move! “Now move your arms,” he was told. He did, and his arms started working again! Experiencing this amazing healing in his arms, by his own initiative Pastor Dany proceeded to get up from the bed, and was able to walk on his own to the bathroom! His mother, who had been in his hospital room with him for three days, was awestruck asking him what he was doing. Soon other patients would come around to see how “the Pastor is now walking!”
On the fourth day, Pastor Dany requested his bandages with burnt skin be peeled off, reassuring the hospital staff he was ready to endure the pain. That day they removed two kilos of skin off of his frail body. The doctors had advised it would take two to three months before he would be ready to leave the hospital. But lo and behold, Pastor Dany was able to walk out of the hospital on the ninth day, and was preaching at his local church the very next day! No one could believe it!
His colleagues confessed they had lost all hope for him. And here he was, alive and well! His doctors requested Pastor Dany’s permission to use pictures of his healed arms; his neighbors had been amazed when he walked out from a collapsing building to begin with, and now that he was back with his burns completely healed, they all were giving glory to God for saving his life and healing him! It was so clear that only the one true God could do this.
Ministering together again
This glorious and supernatural healing testimony became our theme as we joyously traveled together with Pastor Dany through his country. We ministered at local churches, led seminars for pastors and leaders, and so much more throughout India: In Mumbai in Maharashtra state; in Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh state; in Bangalore in Karnataka state; and in Chennai in Tamil Nadu state. Hundreds from across the denominations came to the ICEJ seminars, and it was also a great privilege to minister in Chennai at a church of 3000 members.
During this remarkable visit to India, I felt led in my heart to deliver a message to our Indian brothers and sisters of how God used the nation of Israel to bring Jesus into this world. Joyfully we spoke of our Savior Jesus, whom virgin Mary carried in her womb, and who after His resurrection and glorification lives today in our spirits and our hearts! Combined with Pastor Dany’s powerful testimony, the impact of this message was strong and encouraging to all who came to listen.
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