YOUTH REVIVAL - SOLOMON IS.
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
From: ExplorerAdmin <explorer@sentinelgroup.org>
Date: 02/16/04 18:17:14
Youth Revival in the Solomons
"The Lord has poured out his Spirit in fresh and surprising
ways in New Georgia, in the Western District of the
Solomon Islands in 2003," says Dr. Geoff Waugh of
Brisbane, Australia.
For several years previously, rising ethnic tension in the
Solomons led to a civil war where armed rebels caused
thousands to flee their homes.Infrastructures were heavily
damaged, to the tune of an estimated US $35 million.
A failing economy led to public servants such as police,
teachers and administrators being unpaid, and out of work.
On the west coast of Guadalcanal one warlord is said to
have killed more than 50 people, including six missionaries.
In the face of rising hostilities, Australia led a 2,000
member peacekeeping force to the area in August.
But, before the peacekeepers arrived, God had begun to
intervene in answer to prayers of desperation as people
sought God for help.
Dr. Waugh, who leads short-term missions teams to the
South Pacific says, "The weekend following Easter 2003,
youth and children in the huge, scenic Marovo Lagoon
area were filled with the Spirit, with many lives transformed.
Revival began with the Spirit moving on youth and children
in village churches with extended worship in revival songs,
many visions and revelations, and lives being changed
with strong love for the Lord. Children and youth began
meeting daily from 5 or 6 p.m. for hours of praise, worship
and testimonies. A police officer observed that the number
of reported crimes has been reduced and that former rebels
are now attending daily worship and prayer meetings."
At the invitation of church leaders, Geoff Waugh visited
Seghe in the scenic southern end of New Georgia in July.
He reports, "My first experience of this revival was near
Munda. Two weeks previously, early in July, revival started
there with the Spirit poured out on children and youth, so
they just want to worship and pray for hours. They meet
every night from around 5:30 pm, and want to go late every night!
"Now many adults are becoming involved, also repenting
and seeking more of the Holy Spirit. Many gifts of the
Spirit have emerged, including visions of Jesus, angels,
hell, with relatives sitting close to a lake of fire, so the
children warned them. Some kids saw Jesus with a foot in
heaven and a foot on earth like Mt 28:18 ('All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me'). One boy
preached (prophesied) for 1 1/2 hours, Spirit-led.
Revelations-especially words of knowledge about hidden
things, including magic artefacts and good luck charms.
Kids show parents where they hid these things. If other
adults did that there would be anger and feuds, but they
accept it from their children. One boy told police that a
man accused of stealing a chainsaw (and threatened with
the sack) was innocent as he had claimed, and gave
them the name of the culprit, by word of knowledge.
"Many youths that the police used to check on because
of alcohol and drug abuse are now sober and on fire for
God attending daily worship and prayer meetings. A man
who rarely went to church is now leading the youth singing
group at Seghe. Adults are publicly reconciling from rifts
or strife that may be many years old."
Waugh reports long worship is the order of the day, often
including prophetic words, or actions and visions. He was
in a meeting in the lagoon where "about 200 youth and
children led worship at both services with 1,000 attending."
For over two hours he prayed individually for over 200
people, mostly adults.
The revival is continuing, especially among the youth,
according to Dr. Waugh who returned to the Solomons
in December 2003. He reports, "That keeps the police
happy as they have less to do. Former rascals now
attend daily afternoon revival meetings and have changed.
Also, the police and army support from Australia has
restored peace. God had intervened with revival even
before the Australians arrived."
________________________________
-Taryn Rux, Explorer Program Administrator-
<explorer@sentinelgroup.org>
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