Singing with the Strength of the Lord!
The Benny Hinn Crusade "Festival Of Blessings" Choir, Bangalore

Day 1, Benny Hinn Crusade, Friday, 21st January, 2005

This is a day to remember for the Choir, not so much for the event, but for the closeness that God in His goodness brought everyone together. Anticipating the resistance from those who did not appreciate that Christians should gather together to Praise and Worship their Lord, the bus we travelled by was covered with prayer and I personally covered us all with Psalm 23, The Lord is My Shepherd. At this point I would like to share our experience of ‘waiting on the Lord’ and ‘in His time’, which theoretically became a reality. Being a stickler for timing, leaving for the venue was scheduled for 1pm from our practice center, the Tamil Wesley Church, and all were forewarned that they would have to be on time or else the bus would leave and they would have to find their own way to Jakkur. The time approached to leave when one of our choir members, Gama, happened to bring his children as they could not get a van to pick them up, and there was much debating on why we shouldn’t leave as we had been instructed by Regi. I held back saying that he, as a father, could not leave the children on the side of the road till arrangements for their safe pick-up be concluded, as we already came to know that there was violence around the city and we did not want to panic the choir members. Finally the arrangement was made, and a mobile phone was given to the children to keep in contact and we were about to set off, and then we got a message (on somebody's mobile phone; yes, at times it does have it's good use) that one more member of the choir was joining us and we paused for a few minutes and set off around 1.15 p.m., with much grumbling from the choir members as to why I did not start on time. We went through the city following a route that took us through Mekri Circle and proceeded on Bellary Road towards the venue (each day we had a different bus driver, and he took his own route to the Festival of Blessings). The roads were crowded and a couple of ambulances could be heard wailing on different roads making some of us apprehensive. In general there was peace all around us, as most of the traffic were heading out of the city towards Jakkur Aerodrome, the venue for the Benny Hinn Ministries ‘Festival of Blessings’ program. We reached the strip of road from Mekri Circle to the ‘fly-over’ the Ring Road, and experienced the first of the storming of the elements that were against the Lord. There were groups of people rushing through lanes and stones were flying around, and police men with their lathis chasing harmlessly behind the crowd. What was amusing was that the crowds were emerging from the lanes on either side of the Hebbal Police station. Soon there was movement in the traffic and we proceeded towards the venue and arrived unscathed. Looking back at this incident, we clearly see the hand of God on our side and the protection by His angels, as if we had left the Wesley Tamil Church on time, we would have been caught in the middle of the stone throwing as the previous buses before us. Choir members in the bus I presume also thought of the same, as they were all silent as we entered the grounds. The men were given one dark blue/green pant as part of the uniform.

There were many groups of choir members from different locations who did not reach, some had no buses arrive to pick them up. We were indeed saddened that about 30 members (choir members and volunteers) were hurt as their bus was willfully diverted, but more resolute in our commitment to the Lord and joined the various circles of incessant prayer that filled the ‘Prayer Hall (Tent)’ where the choir gathered before getting on stage. Right through the evening into the program, we were heartened to see choir members arrive safely and join us on stage as and when they were able to reach the venue. This must have been the first time that any performing choir encouraged any of their members to join the group once the performance started. You could see the joy and recognition by the different choir members as and when these made their appearance. The program went off without a hitch, and all the members performed excellently digging deep and drawing out the efforts of days of practice, remembering the pain of those who were suffering trying to reach the venue (choir members, ushers, and lakhs of men, women and children turning up on day one through all the difficulties of no transport!). One also thought of the ones who painstakingly day after day pushed us all with their skills to mould this choir into one voice for the Lord. All were excited, and looked forwarded for the next day, inspired by the turnout of those who came to Praise the Lord and see His miracles and also take home His Blessings.

We planned to sing a vernacular piece and one chorus before main service started, but I am mixed up, my wife tells me that we never did that and just went on with the Benny Hinn Ministries songs. Regi corrected me and said that this was the only day that we sang a maximum of 5 Chorus numbers, like Hail Jesus, Righteous, Peace and Joy , Born Again, and a Kannada piece. Pre-Service, the choir was to be backed by the Glorious band, some of the members were Pastor Jaziel Ferdinand (Pastor 'J')  with a fantastic jazz touch on piano, Lawrence G on keyboards (he also plays for Firebrands), Gaurav on electric Bass, Ashis on Drums, Raman Iyer on Tenor Saxophone, Mark Rowlands on acoustic electric Guitar, their main Praise leader singers, and an orchestra assortment featuring a double bass, Cello, violins, flutes, guitars, drums and keyboards.

Once the service started, the choir was co-ordinated by the Benny Hinn Ministries own musicians and solo singers like Steve Brock and Sue Dodge, with part of the backing on part pre-recorded instrumental track. It was a little disappointing that after all the practices we were only ordered to sing one or two choruses, but then, we knew from the start that obedience was the key point and that could be our requirement and we were prepared for it with acceptance. At one point of time before we ended the service, the choir was prayed upon for an anointing of the Holy Spirit and more than a few of the 2000 plus were ‘slain in the spirit’ and fell across chairs and into the aisles in waves. I can vouch that not all members of the choir were ‘felled’, and none who were ‘felled’ acted!. This was also done on the final day, some of the choir members were thrown back 2 rows!!

Our return was another experience, as we met quite a lot of new faces from different centers as our bus had to take part of the Koramangala center group back as their bus did not turn up. I think there were many people who attended the program, spread through and shared in the love and goodness of others and reached home, men, women and children - most walked for distances, but with a cheer on their faces as we passed them by on the road home. I also feel that secretly in the hearts of those who caused such distress for the old people and women and children, there must have been a certain amount of compassion and guilt. However, at the same time since they were committed to the cause of ‘disrupting’ the proceedings, they couldn’t express their remorse. I honestly think the Lord has touched many of these ‘such’ people, and they have become better human beings by their own deeds. The Lord’s ways are mysterious.

With the Love of the Lord, God Bless,
Cheers, Love

Ronnie Johnson  (1st Tenor*) and Maisy Johnson (Alto)
Bangalore, India, 29th January 2005

• Photographs and more photographs
  

Some of the songs the Choir practiced to be sung, backed  by the Benny Hinn Ministries musicians and solo singers: A Mighty Fortress; Greatly to be Praised Medley; Grace Medley; Holy King Medley; Holy You Are - Holy, Holy, Holy; I Believe Medley; I Found the Answer; Let the Veil Down - Holy, Holy Holy; Nothing is Impossible Medley; Who Am I Medley; Just as I Am ; Give Me this Mountain; Hallalujah, Praise the Lord. (The sound tracks have been removed presently because it is causing the site to slow down, will solve the problem if I can get a site with enough space to reload the sound files - Sorry, Ron)

Some of the Chorus the Choir pracitced to be sung, backed by the Glorious musicians: All Heaven declares; Blessed be the Lord God Almighty; Breathe upon me; Glorify Thy name; He's the Saviour of my Soul; Holy Spirit Thou are welcome; How great Thou art; I am the God that healeth thee; I just want to Praise you; Jesus your presence; Spirit of the Living God; Spirit Song; We are standing on Holy Ground; You are Great; Blessed Assurance; Agnus Dei; As the Deer panteth; Ancient of days; Shout to the Lord; Born again; Live for Jesus; Hail Jesus; Shine Jesus Shine; Righteous, Peace and Joy (Action song sung on Day 3 really energized the crowd into activity); Alpha and Omega; Power of Your Love; Crucified; He'll be there.

Our Choir Bus Group from Tamil Wesley "G": Achila Jamir, Agnes R Imelda, Alan Vincent Dass, Alovi Kiho, Ancy Mathew, Anjali Deepa, Anju Abraham, AR Vasantha Vinodini, Aravindan D, Atula Longchar, Beena Priyadarshini, Dalia Merin Mathew, Dishon S, Divya Jyothi, Doris Anna, Effie Peter, Elias Prashu, Emerita Noronha, Emilo Patton, Enosh S, Fatima Nelson, Francis Gama, Gabriella E, Gladys Diana, Griselda Eardley, Harshini Rebeca, Janet Dowling, Jason T Fernandes, Jaya Meagher, Jiamila Aonok, Jocelyn Jerusha, Joshua Samson J, Juliet Suzana Bai, Karunya, Keerti Thomas, Keninguno 'Cookoo' Angami, Lisa Abraham, Lucy Peter, Malcolm Santosh, Manuella Sushanthini, Marceleena Dunn, Marie Dunn, Mario Dunn, Mary KH, Mercy Ambrose, Monica, Nadia Antony, Nelson John, Nitin Doddamani, P Prakash Kumar, Patricia Natalia, Pearlo T Dinish, Prema Gyanakand, Priya Mendens, Rachel Longchar, Rajbhuvaneshwari KH, Rini Peter, RS Karunia, Sadhana, Sagayamary Geetha, Sajna K, Samson Deva Paul, Samson S, Sara Abraham, Sheba Miriam, Shephali Singh, Sophia JA, Stanley P Benjamin, Sulekha Jagadish,  Sunil Jose MD, Surnati, Sweety R, Sydney Mendens, V Ramesh Chandu, Varneetha Raj, Venessa Pinto, Vishal Martin, Wendy White, Whity R, William Patterson, Yashimenla Longkumer, Zoe Veigas.

Uniform: Ladies, dark blue sari or chiuridha, with off white sash, men white shirt, dark blue trouser, navy blue tie with Benny Hinn Ministries logo tiepin.

If there are any of you choir members who would like to send in their experiences or photographs and would like to add the same to this, please send mail to ronniejohnson@vsnl.net or phone us at (91) (80) 22240145 , with the understanding that what you say will be attached and shared in toto with emails.  All photographs used on this page were taken from John and Mark Lazaro Collection. For the full set of the Lazaro photographs click here to view.
* - The fat old guy with the 'Pony Tail'!!

Day -2, Wednesday, 19th January 2005>

Day 2, Saturday , 22nd January 2005

Day 3, Sunday, 23rd January 2005

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