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You are here: Home -> Current Fields -> Papua New Guinea -> "Notable Miracles" at Lufa

"Notable Miracles" at Lufa, EHP

Uploaded 21 January 2008

Be sure to also read of Richard & Andrea's visit to Lufa, just two weeks after these events
View more photos and video clips of Lufa

Left: Elaija, who was raised from the dead
Right: Sabu, healed from chronic illness

28-31 December 2007

From Friday, Dec 28th 2007, to Jan 1st 2008, the church in Lufa, Eastern Highlands Province, held special evening services in the leadup to New Year's Day. These four days of services began with spiritual opposition, but ended in glorious victory! The Pastor, Abraham Kotogopa, writes:

On Friday night, December 28th, somewhere between 9-10pm, two "men of poison" (witchdoctors) lay in wait on the road outside our church. My eldest son, Elaija, who is 18 years old, left the church building after the service was finished. The two men of poison siezed him and beat him with a large timber over the neck bone, colar bone and all over his body, knocking him unconcious. Before being knock out, he heard them lay a curse upon him, that on Saturday, 12am (midnight), he would die.

Saturday evening came, and I started the service at 9:55pm, and we ended the service at 11:55pm. After the service was finished, we all sat down to eat inside the church. One of the men of poison was also with us in the church service and ate with us also. During this time, he had secretly put some poison in Elaija's food, which Elaija ate.

Okani, the blind woman who received her sight

Immediately upon eating the food, Elaija felt a strong pain in the stomach. Within 2 minutes, he was rolling in agony on the floor, clutching at the walls and nashing in pain, and we all gathered around him, wondering what was going on.

We lifted him off the floor to pray for him, but at this point he died. His breathing and heartbeat stopped totally, and he became motionless. This happened at 12:30am. We all (about 120 people), gathered around and started to pray for him. We prayed until daybreak, around 6:00am Sunday morning, but there was absolutely no signs of life. By this time, his stomach was starting to swell, and rigor mortis had set in. He was so stiff that we were unable to bend his arms or legs, and no heartbeat or breathing.

At this point we carried him from the church to my house. Word had spread all over the village that my son had died, and the old women were already starting to gather outside my door, wailing and crying. I forbade them to cry and sent them home, telling them that I did not believe that it was over yet.

Myself and the church leaders by this time were very tired, so we took an hour break from praying. At 8:00am Sunday morning we started to pray again, and I told my leaders that we would pray once more; and if Elaija did not rise again that must be God's will to take him, and we would proceed with Sunday Service as usual. We prayed one more time, from 8:00-9:30, and at 9:30am the power of God swept through the house and we prayed with a very vivid prescence of the Holy Spirit.

His eyes started to blink and hands move. A few moments later, he sat upright and burst out speaking in other tongues! I looked him in the eye and asked him who I was, and he recognised me and the other leaders, so I knew he was fully concious and alert.

I asked him to name the two men of poison, and we took their names to the village court (Lufa is a Government Station, with jurisdicition over the surrounding area). The District Officer presided, and called in the National Police and village Magistrates and representatives from all the surrounding villages. Over 1000 people gathered to hear the courtcase. My son gave testimony of what had happened to him up to the point he died, after which I then proceeded to tell what had happened from that point on.

Pastor Abraham Kotogopa & Family. His wife is on the right, father on the left, and Elaija is second from the left.

After we had testified, all the Officials and public who had gathered rose up and expressed wonder and amazement at what had happened. The said, "We have never in our life heard of a dead person rising again, and this God of the Pentecostals must be the true and living God, and has done this as a sign to confirm the word they preach. Many other denominations have been here many years, but never have we seen evidence of God's power like this".

After the court finished, my relatives gathered all their weapons: spears, bows and knives, to "pay back" the village of the men of poison (New Guinea is a very retalatory society). Their village knew what to expect, so had also readied their weapons. However, I stood up between them and said "there will be no retaliation or pay back. God has done this for a sign". My relatives then asked the opposing village for compensation for the death of my son ("sorry money"), but again I forbade them and said "there is no need for compensation, because my son is alive again".

I then looked at the two men of poison in the face and said "You Pastors of Satan, you thought that your god's powers were unmatched and undefeatable, but I want to tell you that he is not fit to compete in such a contest against the Only True God. You thought you could kill my son, but God has raised him up to demonstrate to this whole community who really has the power".

About 120 people were eye-witnesses to the death and resurrection of my son.

During the next two days of services, God continued to move in a miraculous way. 14 people received INSTANT healing. This included Okani, a 57 year old blind woman who was unable to see. Her family had taken her to Goroka Hospital for operations, which were unsuccessful. Her family had to lead her by hand to the toilet and back to the house, and wherever she wanted to go. During our New Years Services, some Brothers invited her to church, and God healed her! She now can see clearly, and can walk around by herself wherever she wants to go! (P.S. from Richard: I met this lady, and her eyes are crystal-clear, no hint of cloudiness whatsoever).

The people who were baptised in Jesus name during the New Year's services

Sabu, a 42 year old man was also healed. He had similarly been marked by men of poison to die, and had eaten food laced with their potions. He had become very ill, and tried many kinds of medicine from the Hospital, and many natural remedies and herbs, but nothing had worked. He came very close to death, but during our New Years services we prayed for him and he was made completely whole and was baptised in Jesus' name.

Four rastafarian 'stealmen', who performed armed holdups on the highway, gave their lives and sins to the Lord. 17 were filled with the Holy Spirit, and 17 were baptised in Jesus name, and the whole district of Lufa now knows that Jesus is the One True God, and in His Name is power. Praise God!

- Abraham Kotogopa

Be sure to also read of Richard & Andrea's visit to Lufa, just two weeks after these events
View more photos and video clips of Lufa