The Revival Tent-Mpumalanga

Young people singing and dancing during a heavy storm.

We arrived in a heavy rain storm that made driving almost impossible. The rain was driving like a torrent of wind. I thought to myself, would anyone be here in this heavy storm? When I cracked my window the music was extremely prominent.

Feeling completely inadequate I stepped toward the tent as water rushed over my sandals and ran through my toes. The mud reminded me of the red clay in Walthall County, Mississippi where my grandfather had a farm. The tent for the meeting resembled a small tent I saw in the movie Elmer Gantry. Stepping inside I saw a string of three single light bulbs hanging across the high part of the tent to give a dim glow to the interior. Young people filled the tent and danced while they were singing.

I stood in the back as the rain became so heavy that the tent began to fold on the left side. Young men were rushing to hold it up as others went outside to secure the lines anchored to large metal stakes. I am thinking, Can God really use me here in this setting? Nothing was comfortable as we desire in America for Church. Water rushed through the tent and made a small mud river at the front.

It amazed me to watch God work in such a setting.I had not planned to be the speaker for this activity but the missionaries insisted. These young people had never experienced a youth rally in their village. Very few had heard the Gospel. I spoke through an interpreter. Nearly 40 accepted Christ during the two night event. Pastors took names and contact information to follow-up in the coming weeks.

My sandals were stained with the red mud for weeks and took two washings before they came clean. But what a joy to watch the Holy Spirit move among such a remote village in Mpumalanga, South Africa.

Please pray for  he continued spiritual growth of these young people. Pastors took names to do followup in the future.

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I arrived at the back of the tent wet from the storm.

The dim tent where dozens of young people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.