Operation Decapolis – Zambia
30 hours by canoe to hear the Gospel!
Can you imagine being so hungry for the Gospel that you would travel THIRTY HOURS to get to a Gospel Campaign meeting?!
“During the last Decapolis, in September 2022, I was interviewed at a local radio station. While I was in the waiting room at the studio, I examined a map of Zambia and prayed about it. While I was praying, God drew my attention to Mongu, the most western town in the country, situated as far as you can get from Lusaka (the capital).
When it was time for my interview, I sat down in the chair, and right in front of my eyes was a sticker that said “Mongu”. This was the second time God had drawn my attention to Mongu, so I began to wonder what was happening there. After the interview there were dial-ins, with people asking for prayers, and a caller asked, “When are you coming to Mongu?” I was immediately interested, as God had brought Mongu to my attention three times in a single hour. So a few months later, we sent a scouting team to Mongu. They came back and reported that that city hadn’t had a Gospel Campaign since 1994. I said, “Praise God! Let’s go!”
The rest is history. It was one of the biggest Gospel Campaigns we had this last Decapolis. It was absolutely phenomenal! Evangelists Gary Smith and Alejandro were stationed there for the five nights, with Evangelist Daniel Kolenda joining them on the third day of the Gospel Campaign.
When I flew in to see the Gospel Campaign, we walked into the ground around noon and it was packed with hundreds of people, sitting on their mats under the trees. We started talking to them. Most of them were suffering from all kinds of ailments, and Evangelist Gary Smith and I started praying over them.
I said to one woman, “Mama. Tell me what’s wrong with you?” She answered, “I have problems with my legs.” I asked, “Where did you come from?” She named a village in the middle of nowhere, and I asked, “How far is that? How long did it take you to get here?” She explained that it took thirty hours to get there. Thirty hours! So I asked, “How did you get here? Did you take a bus? Did you walk?” She answered, “No, I came here by canoe - it took me thirty hours by canoe.” She explained that she had heard about the Gospel Campaign on the radio: “I heard the announcement and I knew I had to come and get healed.”
Hundreds of people were camped in the grounds, stretched out on their mats, cooking their nshima (corn meal) under the trees. It was absolutely amazing. And Mongu turned out to be an extraordinary Gospel Campaign. The people were so keen, so desperate to meet God, so ready to receive Him. I’m so glad He told me, three times in one hour, to go to that place. It really was the appointed time for Mongu.”
Jana Bielava (Decapolis Director)
Testimonies
There were so many miracle testimonies recorded! This 23-year-old man, Humphrey Style, was in constant back pain, could not walk properly, and certainly not work out. God healed him while he was on his way to the Gospel Campaign! Overflowing with joy, he did push-ups onstage to show his newfound strength and freedom.
Emanuel had been in pain for a year and had to use crutches for two months. But during the prayer for the sick, he “felt something go through his feet”. Suddenly all pain was gone!
This young man lost his sight at a young age and couldn’t see for 21 years. Jesus healed him and he could see how many fingers the evangelist was holding up. He declared that Jesus is the healer!
Thank you for standing with us so that people so hungry for God could encounter the living Jesus!
Together with you for the Gospel,
Evangelist Daniel Kolenda
(here with the worldwide CfaN Team)
