“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has annointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclain liberty to the captives, and the openoing of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;” – Isaiah 61:1.
SERUVILA IS JUST 100KM NORTH OF BATTICALOA; ITS NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES, VERUGAL AND MAWADYCHENAI HAVE BEEN AT THE CENTRE OF THE SEPARATIST WAR AND THOSE LIVING THERE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THE BLOODIEST BATTLES BEING FOUGHT ON THEIR HOME SOIL. GOD THRUST US INTO THE RUGGED REALITY OF THESE WAR RAVAGED, GRIEF STRICKEN AND EMOTIONALY SCARRED PEOPLE WHEN WE HAD TWO DAYS OF GOSPEL AND REVIVAL MEETINGS ON GOOD FRIDAY AND THE DAY AFTER. IT WAS SHEER JOY, FOLLOWING IN THE FOOT STEPS OF OUR LORD, WHO WAS NEITHER A RECLUSE NOR AN ACSETIC. HE DID NOT CUT HIMSELF OFF FROM SOCIETY. HE WAS SO MUCH IN THE ORDINARY WORLD THAT THE RELIGEOUS PEOPLE OF HIS DAY, CALLED HIM A GLUTTON AND A WINE-BIBBER. LET US STOP BEING GILT-EDGED SAINTS, ABNORMAL AND UNFIT FOR DAILY LIFE. LET US MINGLE WITH THE MASSES, SHARE THEIR PAIN, WIPE THEIR TEARS AND TELL THEM WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR THEM. GOD BLESS YOU!
– Pastor Dayalan Sanders.
