FROM THE ARCHIVES... BACK TO MAY 1966 

 GUNTUR, A.P. INDIA

Max Solbrekken & Sadhu Vandenam, May 1966

Cry of His Coming Magazine, July 1966

Multitudes gathered nightly for the Historic Crusade that 
shook Guntur, Andrah Pradesh, India in May, 1966

      

Hello Dear Friends in Christ,

I went into the archives, to  share with you a little of the historic 1966 Crusade God gave us in Guntur, Andrah Pradesh in southern India. A small Evangelical group led by Pastor Sadhu N. Vandenum and Canadian Missionary Lawson Barbour invited our team to conduct the crusade. Dr. Serala Elisha, leading Physician at the Kugler Lutheran Hospital was a great help also. The majority of the people attending (about 95 %) were Hindus!

BY A MIRACLE OF GOD we were granted permission to conduct the crusade in the Gandhi Park, known as the Freedom Park, as it was used only for Politcal Rallies! In their war for INDEPENDANCE, eight British soldiers were killed in that Park. Due to that fact, nearly a hundred Government Leaders and other VIPs sat on the platform nightly.

 A staggering miracle of deliverance occurred during the opening exercises of the first meeting! While a small group of  little children from the Lutheran Church were singing, a demon possessed woman began screaming, flailing and pulling her hair. She sceamed,"We don't like this man from Canada. We don't like this Jesus he is preaching."

She had not heard me preach. The woman who had been sleeping in the PARK was considered mad (insane) for about ten years made a demonic demonstration and fell  to the earth near the front of the platform. As four men came to carry her to the back of the crowd, God spoke to me to stop them and to cast the demons out of the woman in Jesus' name. 

The four men held her down as I ministered to her. While I was casting out the demons she screamed as they tore her, and a spray of blood struck my white shirt.  She fell like dead. I commanded her to open her eyes, and she took my hand and rose to her feet. She looked all around at the 2,000 people gathered. 

She squared her shoulders and looking directly at me, asked: "WHERE AM I?  WHO ARE YOU? WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN?" 

I answered: "You are in the Freedom Park. I am a man of God preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You had been bound by Satan for many years, but I have liberated you by the power of Jesus Christ's shed blood. I do not know where your children are."

She began to sob, saying: "Oh, now I remember. It was so dark. It was so awful. Where are my children? Where are my children?" The woman had not seen her children for ten years. Many people knew her condition. There were many Government officials and VIPs on the platform and when they saw that miracle, they were awestruck by the immenseness of God's power. Word spread like fire and many more thousands came every evening and Jesus met their needs! 

It grew into an amazing Gospel crusade that stirred that city. A 13 year-old-boy who earlier had an eye removed by surgery, came for prayer with infection in that eye socket. Three days later, Dr. Serala Elisha reported that the infection was gone and he could see out of that empty eye socket. The day following a small eye ball appeared and it continued growing. On the tenth day of the Crusade, Dr. Serala Elisha brought the young lad to the podium and reported before about 15,000 persons that God had indeed performed a creative miracle for that boy.

We were invited back by the City Officials for a second crusade in December, 1966. Again in 1972, God used us tremendously in Guntur, A.P. for His honour and glory! To God be the praise in Jesus' name!  -  Pastor Max Solbrekken

CHAIRMEN'S SPEECHES IN GHANDI PARK, GUNTUR, A.P, INDIA 

(May, 1966)

Translated from Telegu to English

1. Mr. Chebrolu Hanumaiah, Member, Legislative Assembly & Chairman, Guntur Municipality.

This is a great day for Guntur Town. Many of you people have come to hear Rev. Max Solbrekken speak of Jesus Christ and to witness miracles performed by him in the name of Jesus Christ in curing diseases. Many have witnessed his belief in the Lord and the prayers he offered to cure various diseases of the people.

Mr. Punniah Sastry a prominent citizen of Guntur, and Mr. Chavala Suryanarayana, another VIP of Guntur, both have witnessed that they have been cured and are feeling healthy after the hands of Rev. Max were laid in them, in the name of Jesus Christ. We are very happy for their witness, because they had faith in the healing power of Rev. Max, irrespective of the religions to which they belong.

In the world today about 70 % of the people are Christians – black, jet black or white. Christians all over the world are one nation, just as the Hindus in India are one, and the Muslims and others are one in their respective faiths. However, Christians are more in the world.

There must be something great in Christianity. All Christians have faith in Jesus Christ, as we have seen and witnessed this. I am now standing on this platform not to convert people to Christianity, but I want to tell you what great things faith does in the life of a man. Whoever stands firm on faith in God, God will help such a man.

We see people worshipping stones, wooden images, but theses stones and images, but one accomplishes little or nothing in worshipping them. When a man is stung by a scorpion, sometimes he goes to a man  performing magic; he has faith in the magician and, therefore, perhaps he will be cured.
Prayers to God are offered by Rev. Max in faith in Jesus' name and people are healed.

There are missionaries in this country. There are missionaries in Guntur town serving in different aspects of human life: religious, educational, medical and social. However, we have before us these great men from Canada. They come here not that they have nothing to do there, but they come here because they are consecrated to God and they have love for God's children on this earth.

With this love in them, they are touring all over the world: Japan, Korea, Hong Kong and other countries. Rev. Max has done wonderful service to humanity in all these countries, curing diseases and healing the lame and restoring sight and hearing to hundreds of people.

His visit has been a boon to India, and to Guntur town in particular, and we must all thank him as he does the work of God with great inspiration. Being led of God, they came here on God's work.

If we believe in JESUS CHRIST we will be healed. I therefore, am welcoming him. People go to Tirupathi to see god, because they have faith in that god, they are satisfied.

But, we are here today to hear Rev. Max Solbrekken and see how through faith in Jesus Christ, he is able to heal the sick, the blind, the deaf and dumb, and all other diseases that afflict mankind.

I am happy that these meetings are going on for some days and I trust that all people of Guntur town will attend these meetings and receive the benefit of healing from him.

On the behalf of the citizens of Guntur and on my own behalf I thank him. His prayer with faith in Jesus Christ has healed many people, and I am grateful to him for coming to Guntur.

2. Mr. Nadimpalle Lakshmi Narasimham, Bar-at-Law, Guntur:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am glad to say that we are all very happy to be here in the midst of these missionaries doing God's work, healing people by prayer.

We have many Christians living in Guntur town. For many years American Lutheran missionaries, and then Baptist missionaries ad also Roman Catholic people are living in Guntur, working in educational, medical and other departments.

There are missionaries all over India doing this good work. These missionaries did such wonderful work that they have been elevated to a high position in life and are even working as heads of many institutions and Departments.

We are all brothers. They came to India to help the people of India, and we cannot forget their help. We have actually seen and witnessed miracles. Jesus Christ is a Great Man. When He was living on earth, He performed many miracles and led people from darkness to light.

There is NO MAGIC in what we have seen in Rev. Max healing people in the hundreds. It is not for their personal gain that they came to Guntur.

Their faith in JESUS CHRIST led them here and with this power they are able to heal the sick, the blind, the lame and the suffering humanity. We are really fortunate to have them and are grateful to them for coming to Guntur to do this wonderful service and to witness about Jesus Christ.

3. Mr. Meduri Nageswara Rao, Chairman, Zilla Pasishead, Guntur

The coming of Rev. Max to Guntur is a great boon, not only to Guntur town, but to the district as well, but to the district as well. We must avail ourselves of the opportunity that has been given to us by the visit of these men from Canada.

They came here just yesterday. They are people of faith. They have come to tell us that faith does wonderful things in one's life. These people have great faith and are able to heal people of their sicknesses by prayer and faith. The prayer of Mr. Max has great power. I have seen and witnessed some meetings before where people in faith received the blessing of healing.

People have come here to hear Rev. Max I am sure everyone has come here with a definite purpose, perhaps to get his blessing and to get relief from the ailments he is suffering.

When he is able to heal the sick and the blind, we see in him the image of God, for if he blesses in Jesus name, many diseases are cured. We must receive God's blessing and get diseases cured by faith in Jesus Christ and his prayers.

4. Mr Punniah Pantulu, distinguished citizen of Guntur:

Guntur town has some particular importance these days because of the visit of these missionaries. For some time we have in Guntur, Lutheran missionaries, Baptist, Roman Catholics and others, all of whom gave education, medical help, and social uplift to the people in Guntur.

We have seen these people helping hundreds in healing their sicknesses and infirmities and we cannot forget them and their power of healing. Jesus Christ in His death did this kind of Ministry. He sacrificed His life for the sake of mankind. And it is for this love of Jesus for human beings, Christianity is now spread all over the world, those in darkness have been brought to the light.

Ordinarily, we do not believe in miracles. JESUS CHRIST did miracles, and we read of people being healed. Jesus Christ enlightened people in darkness. These missionaries believe in Jesus Christ and in His Name are doing these marvellous things.

This is not magic, but this is the result of the piety of Rev. Max Solbrekken, as diseases beyond the abilities of doctors are cured by Rev. Max, because of his FAITH in Jesus Christ.

It is for their love for Jesus Christ and for us that they came to Guntur, and we are very fortunate to have them. I hope all of you will be inspired by his faith and by the power of prayer, and that all of you will be benefited by their visit and service.

4. Mr. Punniah Sastri, prominent citizen of Guntur:

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have here Rev. Max and the other missionaries. This is a good opportunity for people in Guntur. Rev. Max came here to pray and heal men and women, and it is our good fortune that he came to Guntur. He came all the way from Canada and Andrah Pradesh and Guntur in particular are very fortunate that he came here. On behalf of the people of Guntur and on my own behalf I thank him for coming to Guntur.

Prayer has great power. Jesus was a great man. The other gods worshipped are Siva, Vishnu and others, and they are also great men. In all these castes and creeds the greatest thing is belief in God.
To Christians, Jesus Christ is God. All people have come here with faith in JESUS CHRIST and witness the wonderful healing power given to Rev. Max by God.

We must all have faith, otherwise our prayers will not be answered. Rev. Max is a great man with great power given him by God to heal the suffering humanity. So this is a prayer meeting where we see FAITH in JESUS, resulting in healing power. I have witnessed this myself.

I saw a young lady we all knew to be MAD (insane) crying and screaming out. When Rev. Max laid his hands on her in Jesus Christ's name she became normal and declared herself to be well and our hearts were thrilled at the wonderful power given unto Rev. Max by Jesus Christ. She had been mad for ten years. So by power of prayer many are healed so we must have faith in Jesus Christ.

Rev. Max comes from Canada, which is a Common Wealth Country like India. So we are all brethren, brethren because his country is sharing in the difficulties and problems of food of our country and is helping us as brethren. Their visit, therefore, has no political significance, but he has come her to tell us about Jesus Christ and the power of FAITH in prayer to Jesus Christ. We should not take him as a stranger. He has great power and he is demonstrating it to us in prayer and faith in Jesus Christ.

On behalf of all of you and on my own behalf, I thank these missionaries, and now Rev. Max will start his program.

                 Pastor Max Solbrekken with some orphans (1966) at the

                            Orphanage in Guntur that MSWM supported for 35 years