Karachi Friendship Festival 2012, Taras Mekeda
DEAR FRIENDS,
It is hard to believe that it is been already two weeks since I’ve arrived at Alama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It is hard to believe because the time passed by so fast. I truly believe that unless you love the place and enjoy it, the time is going slowly. But for me time just flying in Pakistan.
This is my second trip to Pakistan, last time I came first to Lahore as well. Then I traveled to Islamabad. And this time I’m going to Karachi just in few days. As you probably know that the weather is extremely hot during this season here, but it is bearable. The food is a bit spicy same as in India. I’ve been to many places in the world in Africa, India and Pakistan, but for many reasons Pakistan is my favorite place. Some time ago I read an article of one pastor who had a trip to Pakistan and if I believed in everything he said I would have not come here. But I understood it was his subjective opinion and I decided to see Pakistan with my own eyes. I just loved it being here right from the beginning. Now I came here again and not the last time for sure. Many people today don’t even know that people are open for the Gospel in Pakistan and spiritually hungry and God does many miracles confirming His Gospel. As you know Pakistan is Islamic state and beside secular law there is “sharia Allah” (Islamic law of God). There is only 1.6 % Christians today in Pakistan and the rest predominant Muslim religion; there are some Hindu and others as well. Something not everybody knows that secular law doesn’t allow any discrimination towards Christians or any other religions. But there is a group of people called Taliban, who wants to make “sharia Allah” as predominant law in country, put many restrictions towards minorities. Due to activities of Taliban Christians experiencing lots of persecutions in rural areas where it is not easy for the government to control the situation. It is very important to remember that it is not allowed to convert people to Christianity from other religion. But this is very thing I don’t do here! I don’t convert people from one religion to other; there are so many religions in this world, why do people need one more? I came to reveal the love of God through Jesus to Pakistan and to Muslim world!
In airport I was met by Isaac TV team and its president pastor Anwar Fazal. As usually I was met with flowers and great unprecedented Pakistani hospitality. I gave a short interview for their channel “That I came to Pakistan again with the message of God’s love for all religions, tribes and nationalities without discrimination.” Then we went right to the ministry place. You can see on the pictures that we took a look at Isaac TV and ministry activities. I can definitely say this ministry is one of a kind in Pakistan, the church is 2.000 people members, and TV is broadcasting to 72 countries and the ministry reaching thousands through Gospel Festivals. This is an amazing thing God is doing here in Islamic state through this ministry; I just can say that Jesus is alive in Pakistan. During my two weeks of being here we recorded about 8 TV show programs. I preached 4 times in church on different occasions, it is important to know that Easter taking place here in the same time with Western world, a week earlier than in Russian speaking countries. Then I had 2 tremendous 5.000 people miracle meetings where declared Gospel with power. And without question God confirmed His Gospel with mighty signs, wonders and miracles.
The same day I came, we had a service in church where Women ministry distributed gifts to its members. It was a great opportunity to participate in giving gifts to women and see them being happy. Since it was right before Ester I had to record an Easter message in studio for TV show. Then I preached the same message on Sunday service. I just gave a brief story on “Pesah” – Passover. Israel was in bondage in Egypt. So God wanted to send a plague to destroy gods and kill first born in Egypt and set Israel free. So God commanded to slain a lamb without spot and blemish and apply blood on the door posts. So when God came through the land of Egypt with the plague of death He passed over the children of Israel. There is written in John 1:29 that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Passover lamb is beautiful picture of Jesus taking our sins and setting us free from the bondage of sin. But then I put emphasis on the resurrection of Jesus! That Jesus was crucified and we were crucified with Him Gal. 2:20, so we no longer live, but Christ lives through us. Then Jesus was buried and our old man with sins was buried. But because Jesus was without sin, He died, but was raised from the dead! So we were raised with Jesus! People were very happy in church, there were many Muslim friends present at the meeting, and there were many people who responded to the call to receive forgiveness of sins in Jesus. The church was packed and it was no place to sit, it was about 1.300 people inside of the church and 800 people sitting on the chairs outside. So it was more than 2.000 people present. Name of Jesus was lifted up at that place and people were happy.
I still feel the moment when hundreds of people were responding to the salvation call at the miracle Gospel meetings where 5.000 people were present at each night. I declared to people the message of love. There are many people in the world are trying to love God through their religious activities: prayer, fasting and ceremonies. But not many know how much they loved by God and the love was revealed in Jesus! I promised people that Jesus is not dead, but He is alive! And that He will confirm His love with mighty signs and wonders. That is exactly what happened during those two nights of miracles. Due to security reasons we had to finish meetings earlier so I asked only for few testimonies each night. There was one woman who received double miracle; she was blind on one eye and deaf on one ear, but Jesus done a double miracle. You can see her happy face on the picture. Then another woman received a double miracle as well, she was healed of a back problem and deaf ear was opened at the same time. One young lady had a bad eye sight, could see only images on the platform, but after prayer in the name of Jesus she could count all fingers on hand from about 20 meters distance. Then another testimony is touching my heart, sister brought a deaf brother, who started to hear that night, imagine. And she was also healed of the back problem. Thank you Jesus! Then I asked people to bring blind and deaf to next miracle meeting. That is exactly what happened. Another night of miracles one lady brought a man on the platform, I asked her who is he and she said that last time I asked to bring blind so that is exactly what she did, she brought a blind Muslim man to the meeting, but Jesus has opened blind eyes. Then one woman was deaf on one ear and Jesus healed her. It was a great testimony of one Pakistani soldier who was crying being happy that Jesus healed him of a bad back problem and showed a corset which he doesn’t need any more. One more story touching my heart, happy father brought deaf and mute daughter to the meeting, but when she came to the platform she was hearing and speaking! Thank you Jesus!!!!!! Unless you believe you can’t see the glory of God. That is what I understood during those nights of miracles in Lahore, Pakistan. With man it is impossible, with doctors it might be impossible, with money it is impossible, but with those who believe in Jesus all things are possible!!!
I’m leaving in few days for Karachi, where we are having 4 days of Friendship Festival. We called all religions to attend, because with God’s love there is no discrimination. International evangelist Dmitry Makarenko will join me in Karachi. We will hold 2 days pastors seminar as well, we are expecting 700 pastors at the seminar and 15.000 people at the festival each night. Please pray for us. We want glory of Jesus!
In Him, evangelist Taras Mekeda.
WE NEED YOUR HELP TO REACH 50.000 PEOPLE IN KARACHI, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF PAKISTAN !!!
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