pted. Revival often precedes hard times and equips God’s people to endure, or even to suffer for him.
Back to top
1973 – September: Phnom Penh, Cambodia (Todd Burke)
In September, 1973, Todd Burke arrived in Cambodia on a one week visitor’s visa. Just 23 years old, he felt a strong call from God to minister there, the only charismatic missionary in the country. Beginning with two English classes a day, conducted through an interpreter, he taught from the Good News Bible. Those interested in knowing more about Jesus stayed after class and he saw regular conversions and people filled with the Spirit and healed. Revival broke out in the war torn capital of Phnom Penh and rapidly spread to surrounding areas.
During that September Todd’s wife DeAnn joined him and their visas were extended. A capable interpreter, Thay, joined their team and they received government permission to hold a crusade from 28 September on the afternoons of Friday to Sunday in the athletic stadium. A singing team from the States arrived the day before the crusade began and led each meeting for half an hour with songs and testimonies.
Todd Burke described that first meeting:
About five thousand people were in the audience, most of them middle and lower class people. Among them was a large number of refugees. Seated to my left was a whole section of soldiers dressed in battle fatigues. Many of them had been wounded or had suffered the loss of a limb and I was touched by the look of hope written on their attentive faces. Before the meeting I overheard a reporter interviewing one soldier who was leaning on crutches near the platform. He had lost his right leg in combat. “I don’t understand what this is going to be about,” he said, “but maybe this Jesus can help to relieve our pain and sorrows.” That was my prayer too. …
As the time drew near for me to speak, I began praying for God to anoint me with the Holy Spirit. I needed his power to proclaim the Lordship of Jesus to these people who had never heard his message. …
Thay was interpreting phrase by phrase and we seemed to have the people’s attention. “I can’t prove to you that Jesus offers more than you have in Buddha on in any other religion. Only Jesus can prove that to you as he did in the days when he walked the earth.”
Then I began to relate the story of the paralytic man who had been healed by Jesus. During Thay’s interpretation I prayed silently that the Holy Spirit would breathe life into those words and cause them to pierce each individual heart. …
With a silent prayer (at the end of the message), I continued, “All of you who would like to know whether Jesus is Lord and has this power to save you and to heal you, please raise your hands.” They went up all over the stadium; an air of restlessness crept over the crowd.
“Now,” I shouted into the microphone, “put your other hand on the area of your body where you need a healing. Or place your hand upon your heart if you want to have your sins forgiven and to find a new life in Christ.” …
Slowly I prayed a simple prayer so Thay could interpret every word clearly. … I felt a surging confidence that the Holy Spirit was doing a mighty work at that moment.
Todd invited those who had been healed to come forward and testify. After a brief pause hundreds streamed forward. A lady who had been blind for many years testified that right after the prayer she could see. A lame man who had been carried into the meeting found he could walk again. There were too many healings for everyone to testify.
Each afternoon the crowds increased, and so did the impact of God’s presence. American TV
crews, pulled in off reporting the war, filmed the final crusade. It was shown across America. Todd described the final meeting:
Nearing the end of the message, I noticed people were already moving toward the front. Why are they coming already? I wondered. Have they been healed while I was speaking? … Some were coming for prayer, but most of them had been healed already.
I quickly ended my message and prayed with the entire audience, as I had done the two preceding days. When Thay i