A team of evangelists witnessed residents make a new commitment to Jesus Christ at the famous Kitagata Hot Springs located on the Ishaka–Kagamba Road, in Sheema District, Western Uganda.
This ‘unexpected and miraculous’ moment happened when evangelists and Pastors from Canada’s Harvest City Church invaded the springs traditionally believed to have healing powers – and attract over 1000 visitors per week of which some are tourists.
The preachers included Joel Wells, team leader and associate Pastor of Harvest City Church and LIFT Evangelistic Ministries. Others were Jeff Barnhardt (Evangelist), and Ron Swan who serves as an elder at Harvest City Church.
They visited the grounds casually during their ‘day off’ from mission in the district.
“When we arrived we were not prepared to see what we saw. The pool was literally formed just by water coming out of the ground and there was about 150 to 200 people sitting in the waters,” Pr. Joel Wells recounted his experience at Kitagata Hot Springs in an update.
“Almost all of them had some kind of sickness, deformity or disease and were not wearing much for clothes if any at all. It was a very primitive situation and I immediately felt very uncomfortable. My first reaction was that we didn’t belong there and I told our interpreter how I felt. I felt like we were intruding on something very personal and it didn’t seem right to show up with our cameras and take pictures of this situation. We certainly stood out,” Pr. Joel Wells continued.
“I agreed to stay, but I wanted to leave as soon as possible. I felt very awkward. However, Jeff Barnhardt kept saying to me that we should preach the gospel to these people and pray for the sick. I was not wanting to do this. I just wanted to leave because I didn’t feel comfortable, but Jeff kept insisting so finally I turned to him and said, “well if you are so passionate about it, why don’t you preach the gospel?” To which he replied, “I will!” The next thing I knew, Jeff was standing on a rock overlooking the pool and with the help of the interpreter he preached a short gospel message,” Pr Joel said.
This hot spring locally known as Ekitagata is said to be having its sources from the invisible banks of Nile waters sources that flows through Semuliki in the mountains of the Rwenzori. Traditional healers also visit the venue claiming it has ceasing powers.
Jeff Barnhardt’s decision to share God’s word saw many locals turn to God.
They were desperate, evangelists say of the local residents.
“When he led [them through] a prayer of salvation, almost everyone in the pool responded and joined in prayer. Then he invited them out of the pool to receive prayer for healing. I was thinking, “we can’t invite a bunch of half-naked people out of the pool for prayer” and so I yelled at Jeff, “Just pray for them as a group while they sit in the pool.” But it was too late, the people were already coming out for prayer,” Pr Joel explained.
“They were desperate. I stood on the side and watched as Jeff and other members of our team began to pray. Blind eyes were being opened, spines were being straightened and miracles were exploding. I couldn’t stay on the side lines any longer. One woman approached me and two other team members dragging her leg behind her. It wouldn’t work properly and she was totally lame. As we prayed for her, the power of God hit her and she began to shake violently.
“My fellow team member (Ron Swan) had his hand on her withered leg. He said there was no muscle on it. He just felt bone. But as the power of God hit her, she began to tremble, and the muscle literally grew under his hand! We were so excited to see her walk away on two strong legs. If it had been up to me, we would have left and missed what God wanted us to do. We thought we were going to have a day off, but God had a mission for us to accomplish. I’m so thankful for team members who are persistent in their boldness,” Pr Joel said.
In his concluding remarks, Joel noted that God uses anyone who is available and willing. He cautioned that sometimes one’s “out of season” is “God’s season.”
All images are courtesy of Lift Evangelistic Ministries.
