The Naivety of a
Ugandan Evangelical Christian in First Person
Benny Hinn coming
to town
Weekly Observer
August 3, 2006
LIFE IN THE MIRACLE WORLD
By Malita Wamala
WEEKLY OBSERVER
http://www.ugandaobserver.com/new/archives/2006arch/easy/family/aug/fam200608035.php
Finally, the phenomenal evangelist is coming to Kampala this
November and I don’t know how I am getting into Namboole, but I
am.
After years of many of us wishing and others praying, the man of
God is actually headed to town come November 17 and 18.
I remember years ago, as a Catholic, I would see this
grey-haired man on TV and say, “But why do these balokole push
people and then say they fall by themselves!”
Of all the people I criticised, Benny Hinn received the harshest
of my criticism. Not that it mattered to him…
I would never allow myself to listen to a thing he said during
those international crusades aired on TV. All I knew; these
people go pick goons from the streets and pay them to later jump
out of wheelchairs claiming to be healed by God.
I
had no idea I would witness that same God healing leukaemia!
It was not until I tasted His great healing and delivering power
in my life and family that I went back and switched on that
Benny Hinn show (This Is Your Day) and started listening.
It was not until I found myself rolling around a church floor,
weeping and feeling ‘things’ fleeing my body, that I finally
understood: Nobody pushes anyone. The Holy Spirit can slay you
during a deliverance service.
When you are not born-again, this is one big point of
contention. Why do balokole fall!?
I had never even paid attention to the documented fact that
these are things that also happened during the apostles’ times
when Jesus had ascended to heaven. The apostles used to cast out
demons and heal the sick in Jesus’ name (read the Acts of
Apostles).
And oftentimes, people would fall down as demons screamed and
fled; the lame would jump up and walk and the blind would see.
And these apostles used to speak in spiritual tongues. The Bible
says, the latter church will do even greater things in Jesus’
name, than the first church.
And to think that I had the Bible all that time but preferred to
believe otherwise about God’s healing power! The Jesus in whose
name the apostles prayed hundreds of years ago is the same Jesus
we profess today. So why do we expect things to be calm, routine
and predictable today, contrary to what the Bible says?
I
never waste too much breath on these arguments on which religion
is right, which faith is wrong. God knows all His people, for
the Bible says, those He knew, He predestined.
So when your time comes, you will understand.
In the meantime, try to get to Namboole for that Benny Hinn
crusade. I am praying that nobody tries to complicate this by
putting us through what State House put us through two years
ago, when Alvin Slaughter came for an overnight national prayer,
which the First Lady attended.
We queued at 8p.m and got into the stadium at 2a.m and promptly
fell asleep after that tiresome battle at the gates!
malita@ugandaobserver.com
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