Malki Presbyterian Church, home of the “miracle,” sits quietly and unimposing in the middle of a residential Khasi neighborhood, bright orange flowers growing on the metal chain link fence, yellow flowers carpeting the grassy courtyard. As we approach, I marvel at the stacked houses, low-strung power lines, posted plants and washlines. Colorful rugs hang over moldy balcony walls, herb gardens grow next to open windows.
Ten years ago, the churches in the West Khasi Hills District were celebrating the centennial of the 1906 revival – a movement brought to the continent by Welsh missionaries, two years after their own revival. A few weeks after the centennial ceremony, a curious thing happened – local children began experiencing the Holy Spirit. It was the children, in fact, who are credited to starting the actual revival; many reported having visions and seeing angels. In one Jainita Hills schoolroom, activities were disrupted when one student began singing and suddenly, “the whole classroom was anointed” witnesses say, 30-40 students, some lying in a trance, some prophesying, some taken outside to recover from visions.
Many churches reported a strange, glowing dust that would fall upon the congregations while worshipping. Children reported visions of heaven in which they were dancing with the angels and saw the Lord face to face. The children gave similarly amazing descriptions of beautiful gardens, varieties of fruit trees, assorted birds and angels. Some claim to have seen Christ; others to have seen younger siblings or family members they have never met, who recognized them immediately. Some awoke from the vision still waving to whomever they had been conversing with. One child claims to have returned on the back of a horse; two more, on the back of a lion.
