The Demon Named Hana -- Update

I was back in Manokwari for training 55 lay people how to give Bible Studies in preparation for our Evangelism Meetings this May.   At the end of the Sabbath we went and prayed for Balinda.   If you read my blog from a few weeks ago called A Demon Named Hana you will remember she was the girl I had been called to pray for because she was possessed by a demon.   But this Sabbath evening I was headed now to see Balinda.  She is the real girl who had been healed of the possession.  No longer was Hana yelling obscene things through Balinda’s body but now it’s Jesus.

Dogs barked, bristling their hair along their spines at the sight of my white skin.  We were riding on the back of Pastor Arthurs motor bike this time.  Pastor Arthur is more scared of dogs than I and he stayed in my shadow.   I “bravely” told them to “Chuuuu!” as I tossed a stone near them in the Asian style that dogs respect with tremendous reverence.  Most Asians don’t treat barking dogs with bared teeth any nicer than we Americans would.   You’d have thought I actually mortally wounded the dog even though I didn’t even touch it with the stone.   Three dogs yowled and Pastor Arthur gave me the approving look.   Even the owner of the dogs said in effect, “Wow, the American has become native.   He knows how to handle my dogs as good as anyone.”   It is not considered rude to send dogs packing if they are being a nuisance here in Papua.

After the dog fiasco we made it to the door and they asked us to go around back to the “nicer” entrance.  As we neared the front door I heard the song “You raised Me” up playing softly from a sound system worth more than the value of the entire house.  At last we caught sight of the family through the windows.   We came to the door and were greeted by a shy Papuan girl.   I couldn’t believe my eyes.   A beautiful 15 year old girl met Pastor Arthur and myself at the door her bible in hand.   I knew this had to be Balinda but she was not the wild eyed girl with even more wild hair from a few weeks ago.   I asked to make sure this wasn’t someone else.   “Siapa nama Anda?”  She assured me it was really her.   

I learned that Balinda was now sharing her faith wherever she goes.    She tells young people. . .  “Cut out the bad music.   Don’t mess with magic.   Let every moment be filled with Jesus.”   There are times when she says she still senses Satan trying to enter her mind again but she asks people to pray for her when ever that comes and she finds reading the Bible works powerfully.   What about her now ex-boy friend who was the one who cursed Balinda?  He has left her now that she is Christian.   Praise God!!!!!

And the jumping boy who seemed possessed himself it was latter discovered that he too was into magic.  He’s moved to another city – thank the Lord!

I asked Balinda what she is going to do when she graduates from High School.   She said, “Go to the government Agriculture school so that I can tell people about Jesus’ power when I’m in the field teaching them about plants.”

Balinda has shared her faith at her school Christian School in front of 1,500+ Students.   Her parents said many of students confessed after her testimony that they too had struggled with playing with the Devil.   Please, pray that Balinda and her family will come to our evangelism meeting in May when I go back to Manokwari.

I showed Balinda how to use my Ipod Camera but didn’t realize I had the camera direction turned around and we ended up taking a picture of us.   But it shows her beaming face.