Is seeing believing?
It is no surprise to discover that wherever we find people,
we also find merchants. Such was the case when a large crowd
of tradesmen was swarming at the SSPMS (Shri Shivaji Preparatory
Military School) grounds where the crusade was held.  Some
people sold food while others sold miscellaneous items and books.
Most of the merchants were selling religious items. However,
most of the religious items were different kinds of sacred pictures
depicting Jesus. Some merchants sat on the road selling various
colored sacred pictures that they had hung on boards, while
others built booths where they displayed their pictures. In
response to being told, "As Christians, we don't have any
need of that," they replied, "Seeing is believing." |
You cannot sit on the chair like you are
This was the amazing scene we saw when the crusade began. Looking
at the crusade grounds, we could see a fence made from bamboo
as the boundary line around the area. On one side the people
sat on chairs, while on the other side they sat on something
like a rug spread on the ground.  For
10 rupees, (150 Korean won or US 20 cents), one could rent a
chair. However, some people could not use a chair even if they
had the money. In Indian society, because the caste system controls
and maintains the basic societal order, lower class people never
can sit on a chair because it is for "the seat of the master."
Unless Hinduism and the caste system which rules the minds of
Indians is completely broken down through the love of Jesus
Christ, people who belong to the lowest class may never sit
on "the seat of the master." |
People who dream are considered sinful
 The
lowest class of people is not considered as part of the caste
system in India. Called dalits (downtrodden), this group is
not even given the opportunity to become educated nor are they
able to have a normal job. They just traditionally do the most
undesirable jobs, such as cleaning toilets or disposing of garbage.
Many of these people live from hand-to-mouth, begging for what
they need daily. For them there is no such thing as planning
for tomorrow. They are not allowed to have dreams for their
future. The people ruling Indian society count them as being
very insignificant. They consider them no more precious than
dogs, goats, or cows. The people who are born on the streets
end up wandering around and dying on the streets. They acknowledge
themselves to be insignificant, never desiring or dreaming about
the possibility of a better life. However, they smile even while
they are begging, because even to face their harsh realities
and dream is considered sinful. |
Cricket
 There
was a fence made from bamboo in the center of the SSPMS (Shri
Shivaji Preparatory Military School) grounds. People were standing
around the square- shaped fence in order to prevent anyone from
attempting to hurdle over the fence. The people who came late
to the crusade sat behind the grounds, escaping the fence. When
asked, "Who are these seats for?" wondering if maybe
they were specially prepared for higher-level people, someone
responded with a smile, "This place? This is the place
to play cricket." Cricket is a ball game originating in
England and is similar to baseball. There are two teams, 11
players on each, and it sometimes takes two to three days to
finish playing a drawn out game. |
Ironclad offering boxes
Before Dr. Cho preached, a lot of people gathered on the crusade
grounds. Fervent prayer and praise made the people feel extra
warm in the scorching heat. Many people helped with the offering.
In South Korea, people generally use red offering bags or red
baskets. However, the offering bags in India were different
from ours. Red ironclad boxes were used for collecting the offering.
Each box was locked with a big padlock. |
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The people did not want to leave the crusade grounds
 After
the crusade was finished, many people stayed to enjoy the
grace of God received during the meeting. Some prayed together
in twos and threes while others praised God at the top of
their lungs with the worship leaders on the stage. Some people
gathered where one man was healed, and they listened to his
testimony. Some prayed for others with the laying on of hands.
Even though a long time had passed after the crusade had finished,
the fervor at the SSPMS (Shri Shivaji Preparatory Military
School) grounds did not easily cease. Rather, the vision they
had gained through Dr. Cho's preaching spread throughout the
evening sky in India.
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The crusade venue was abruptly changed
 There
were many difficulties before the opening of the crusade.
Just a few days before it began, the SSPMS college gave an
abrupt notice. They said that they had to use the grounds
to hold an exhibition, so they could not let us use their
grounds for the crusade. It all happened so suddenly. All
we could do was pray and continually appeal to the authorities
of the college. Finally, they answered, "We will lend
you the main grounds." They had decided to postpone their
exhibition. The host organizers gave thanks to God because
now they had crusade grounds even more suitable and better
prepared than the original grounds that had been reserved!
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