Hello Friends! In the the last episode, Tam Ki managed to stand firm when faced with real spiritual warfare, surrendering himself completely to the Lord’s protection. In this episode, we will see the spiritual attacks in the form of disasters that happened to Tam Ki and his neighbours. Tam Ki’s faith was once again tested beyond his limits. But the good Lord turned these disasters into great opportunities for Tam Ki to reach out to his non-believing neighbours.

Before long that Tam Ki gave warnings to his neighbor about the demonic attacks, a fire broke out in their village. The source of the fire came from none other than their neighbour’s hut – the hut which the Demons had planned to return to.

It was two or three weeks after his experience with the demonic attacks. Tam Ki and his wife were two miles away from home, chopping down trees to prepare the land for the next season. When they heard cries of fire, they threw down their farm tools and hurried back to the village.

When they arrived home, the fire had already reduced their next door neighbour’s hut to a smouldering heap of charred remains. Surprisingly, their own family hut escaped undamaged. A dozen believers had doused the grass roof and wooden walls of their hut with water so that it would not catch fire. The wind direction was also in Tam Ki’s favour, blowing the fire away. But in a few hours, the fire had not only destroyed their neighbour’s hut – where it had started – but it had also spread to one other hut and 16 storage barns, including Tam Ki’s.  Curious villagers stood awestruck, staring at Tam Ki’s hut, the only building left standing among the charred remains of so many properties.

Ngai Ling, a distant uncle whose hut was the other one destroyed by the fire was angry with Tam Ki. He blamed Tam Ki for the fire as he had been preaching about Hell fire. And now this preaching had brought fire to their village. He demanded Tam Ki to compensate him. Ngai Ling pranced around Tam Ki’s hut, threatening to kill him with his arrow. But eventually, frustrated, he went away to drink wine. The commotion had attracted the attention of some of the believers, who kept vigil outside Tam Ki’s hut just in case Ngai Ling returned.

In fact, members of Tam Ki’s church had been prophesying about an impending fire for months. Kee Mana, believing the prophecies, had warned all the villagers to be careful, especially when using their traditional firewood stoves during meal preparation and when they carried torches of burning pine to light the paths in the evenings.

Now the fire had happened. Many people were resentful that Tam Ki’s hut had not caught fire even though it was next to the one where the fire started. That evening, the death threats were making Tam Ki feel very low. Suddenly, a bright ray of light coming from the sky lit his face. Somewhat stunned, he prayed, “Lord, please take this light from me if it is from the devil.”

As the light continued to shine on, Tam Ki realised that it was indeed from the Lord. He sobbed like a child, suddenly aware that the Lord’s presence and protection had always been with him.

Leaving the others, he walked to the church near his hut. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he cried out to the Lord in despair. Why did the Lord send the fire? People were blaming Tam Ki for it. How are innocent families going to survive the cold winter, with all their food supplies and possessions destroyed?

The Lord comforted Tam Ki.  The Lord reminded him of the plentiful harvests in the past two years. Indeed, the food supplies that were stored in his hut alone would be enough to feed his family for an entire year. The Lord told him to share his food supplies with all those who had been affected by the fire.

The Lord had spoken to Tam Ki’s wife about this too. Without hesitation, they shared food with those who had suffered because of the fire. Interestingly, it was crops harvested from the five acre “cursed” land that fed those people. Crops from this plot and donations from generous believers sustained his family and seventeen other families affected by the fire through the cold winter months till the next harvest. Tam Ki’s family also distributed used clothes to those who had lost their possessions in the fire. His family was left with only one set of clothes on their backs. But more warm clothing arrived just in time for the winter, thanks to believers far and near who heard of their predicament.

The Demon and his gang had warned that they would return to the neighbour’s house. Tam Ki knew little that this would be with fire. It struck him that the vision of the iron net falling from Heaven to cover his hut was actually a picture of the Lord’s protection from the fire.

Although the demons had caused the fire, the Lord used it for good. By sharing food and clothing, Tam Ki’s family won the villagers’ trust and respect. They were able to share the Good News with those with open hearts. Some received the Lord and turned away from spirit worship.

Three years after the fire, believers were conducting an evangelistic rally in Mindat. A villager who had just come from Machung broke the news that Htung Ngai’s two-year-old daughter had died suddenly of dysentery. Htung Ngai, an ardent spirit-worshipper, was one of those caught up in the persecution against the believers.

By the time they returned home, dysentery had spread rapidly throughout the entire village and claimed the lives of three children. Immediately, Tam Ki made a report to the government healthcare centre at Ro. Some saline drips and medicine were provided.

A cousin who had some medical training went with Tam Ki tending the sick, and his own home became a temporary sickbay. He had to send for more drips and medicines from Mindat, Ro’s supplies being completely used up.

The entire village of about 450 people was sick with dysentery, leaving only a handful of people relatively unaffected. Those not so seriously ill worked tirelessly tending the sick.

The believers prayed, pleading with the Lord to spare them.

For two long desperate months, the stench of sickness and human waste was everywhere. More than 40 lives, mainly children, were lost. Tam Ki’s eldest daughter almost died. By God’s grace, her life was spared, as were his four other children. Sadly, they buried two of Cho Kee Thang’s children.

With grief, Tam Ki recalled battles with the spirits and in particular the demon masquerading as his wife who brought a basket filled with children’s body parts. And he wondered if this experience had been a terrible warning of demonic attack through this epidemic. Htung Ngai’s daughter was buried in green clothes – which brought back to his mind the shred of green cloth in that gruesome basket.

During the outbreak, the Lord prompted Tam Ki to visit a relative, Ling Tam, and his wife. Two of their sons, aged six and three years, were dying of dysentery. The couple had already lost their three-month-old baby to the dreadful disease. Tam Ki’s soul was filled with deep sadness for them.

Tam Ki plucked up courage and shared the Good News with Ling Tam and his family, “… if we repent of our sins and surrender our lives to the Lord Jesus, when we die, we will surely go to Heaven where there is no more sickness, no more pain and no more sorrow … your souls will find peace there.”  He prayed for the two boys, committing them to the Lord’s mercy. After the prayer, their gaunt faces lit up, and their eyes filled with hope.

An hour after the visit, the older boy told his father he wanted to be baptised. “I am now going up there. Don’t bury me according to the traditional customs.” He closed his eyes, and breathed his last.

Shortly after, the younger boy spoke of his father, “Pa, Thang (the name of his older brother) has gone into the room. Two men wearing white are coming to take me.” He too died. The grief-stricken father fired three shots into the air as a signal to announce the death of his two boys. Hearing the shots, Tam Ki rushed back, finding husband and wife weeping uncontrollably over the bodies of their precious boys. He felt compelled to remind Ling Tam and his wife, “If you do not trust in God, you will never see your boys again.”

Ling Tam fell to his knees and asked Tam Ki to perform their funeral rites according to his faith. At the funeral Ling Tam and his wife opened their hearts to the Good News and accepted the Lord as their Saviour. The Lord, in His good timing, blessed this family with more children.

Although the villagers had suffered tremendous losses through fire and sickness, God made provisions for them and showed His mercy of salvation. What further challenges would await the believers, as they continue to stand firm their faith in God? Do tune in to our program on next Thursday. Goodbye!

Song: When Answers Aren’t Enough

Composer: Greg Nelson and Scott Wesley Brown

Arrangement by Phil Perkins

Choir: Dawnbreakers, Wesley Methodist Church, Singa