Special report for Gateway News by Carina Reed on an adventure with the Holy Spirit during her most recent mission trip to India
My past trip to India was met with increased authority from God. On previous trips, my street ministry has always led to healings, but this time the Lord called me into a large state hospital. On my end, it wasn’t in the plan, but He knew it was His plan and He knew that I would obey the call.
I have a partnership with an orphanage in India that houses 20 girls. These girls were rescued out of garbage dumps. Some of them no longer have parents, and some have abusive and neglectful parents. Spending time with these girls is priceless to me and is always a highlight of the trip for those who come with me.
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A bad report
On this particular trip, I was told that one of the girls had been in the hospital for months. Doctor’s were unsure of her diagnosis, but it was serious and it wasn’t good. She had severe swelling in her extremities, pain all over her body, lost the ability to communicate clearly, and only had movement in one arm. At hearing this news, I knew at once that I must go to see her. Just six months prior, I watched her ribbon dance with an infectious smile on her face at the orphanage. I had a hard time understanding how she had gotten so sick, so quickly.
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Myself and a prayer partner arrived at the hospital. At first glance, navigating an Indian hospital is not an easy task. This particular hospital had very little medical staff and zero administration staff. Anyone can come and go as they please, and with many floors and several wards on each floor, it can seem daunting. But when you are walking with Holy Spirit, you can find your way. And within 30 minutes of entering this massive hospital, myself and my prayer partner arrived at this sweet girl’s bedside.
Joy of the Lord
I didn’t recognise her at first. Her skin was darker, her face was swollen, and she had significant hair loss. Her younger sister, only 14, greeted me with a smile and a hug. We knew each other from my previous visits to the orphanage. I sat down on the bed and began to sing worship songs over her. She could move her eyes and squeeze my hand to acknowledge I was there. I felt the joy of the Lord come over me. For the next two hours, we praised God for what He was going to do.
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As I went to readjust how I was sitting, and turned toward the other end of the room, I realised that a line had formed of family members who wanted prayer for their loved ones. They were silent, but their looks of sadness and desperation might as well be screaming. For the next two hours, taking the 14-year-old with me as a translator, I went from bed to bed, praying for healing. In several cases God healed immediately. A large haematoma disappeared, bleeding stopped, severe pain went away, heart palpitations ceased. And at these same bedsides, after healing took place, the patients and their families wanted to know who our God was. They became very hungry to know about this Jesus Who just healed them.
Armed with Bibles
Before I went back to the hospital the next day, I located a Christian book store so I could buy Bibles in the local language. Armed with Bibles, Christian gifts, and our voices, we arrived at the hospital to find that some of the women I prayed for had been discharged! So I asked the Lord to fill the beds with new patients who would need to hear the gospel. Each day I spent two hours singing over the sick orphan, and at least another two hours going from bed to bed, praying for healing, giving away Bibles, and sharing the gospel. And God continued to fill, heal, and discharge women in that ward.
But the most beautiful thing happened on the third day. As I walked into the ward in anticipation of rejoicing over the sick orphan, she wasn’t in her bed. Another woman was in the orphan’s bed. For a split second, the human side of me thought “Oh no, what happened to her?” But one of the patients, who hadn’t yet received her full healing and recognised me, pointed across the room. The beautiful orphan, who wasn’t able to move/communicate/think, was sitting up in her bed (by herself) doing homework! She was moving, talking, singing, reading, eating, and drinking all on her own! I knew in that instant, God used her to be able to touch so many others that He divinely placed in that hospital ward.
He wants to touch others
So many times God will use us, or someone we love, to be placed somewhere where He wants to touch others. Most of the time it really doesn’t have anything to do with the afflicted person. But when we are obedient to the Holy Spirit’s prompting and calling, the Lord uses it for His glory and for the sake of His children.
Carina Reed is first year advisor and family group pastor for SoCal School of Supernatural Ministry. She is also the co-founder of the non-profit, Pink Pixie Inc which mentors, counsels, and teach biblical financial principles to women in crisis both in Los Angeles and around the globe.
This is really a wonderful witness of the work of the Holy Spirit, as we become his hands and his feet. It is so sad to notice that there are so few willing to take our father at his word and to walk in it. Praise be to all those who do so! “The fields are white unto Harvest and yet the workers are few.”
Carina thank God for using you! May you continue to listen and hear his voice!