Tom and I were saved by Jesus in Kasungu. Kasungu was a stopover between the Zambian border and an unknown destination on the northern end of Lake Malawi. The town left lots to be desired, including our accommodation which was both shockingly expensive and decrepit. But we found Jesus, so who can really complain. As we approached town, hoards of people started joining the road, all walking towards Kasungu. At one point a group of 30 kids swarmed our car and started chasing us, waving their hands and smacking our car when they got close enough. As we approached town, we began seeing the billboards: Dag Heward Mills, evangelical minister, was speaking in Kasungu at 4:30pm on October 12. Given that it was nearly 6pm on October 13, things were right on time. Dag is a Ghanaian minister who’s been running something called the “Healing Jesus Campaign” for over a decade. And this, the Healing Jesus Campaign, was in Kasungu the night we arrived. Apparently (says Wikipedia) Dag brings his campaign to far flung regions of Africa, stricken with poverty, and untouched by Christianity.
We joined approximately 2,000 people hailing from all over Malawi to listen to Dag. He told us about the time that Eve poisoned Adam with a fruit salad at 4:00pm during later afternoon tea. He told us that there were nine planets --- and God chose to put us on Earth, for which we should be grateful. He reminded us that Jesus was a lamb, but not for eating. We raised our hands in the air in solidarity, we prayed, we watched the crowd feel inspired. Dag told us we were all sinners - we were cheaters and liars and philanderers. He even told the local pastors sitting on stage that they were sinners too, which I found awkward. Everyone seemed to find their legacy of sins hilarious, laughing uproariously as he continued to point out all of our misgivings. Then he told us that he could save us. He could bring us to Jesus. It was time for healing. His voice raised, his posture grew, he began speaking louder and faster and tried to inspire the crowd to feel moved by his energy. He wanted someone to be healed. He asked for a blind person to find their sight, he asked for an immobile person to find their step. Finally we saw a pair of old wooden crutches rise above the crowds. Indeed, props raised high, someone found the strength to walk. People’s arms were in the air, inspirational music was playing in the background. Dag reminded everyone that immortality existed; it existed in Jesus, and Dag was there to bring us to him.
We joined approximately 2,000 people hailing from all over Malawi to listen to Dag. He told us about the time that Eve poisoned Adam with a fruit salad at 4:00pm during later afternoon tea. He told us that there were nine planets --- and God chose to put us on Earth, for which we should be grateful. He reminded us that Jesus was a lamb, but not for eating. We raised our hands in the air in solidarity, we prayed, we watched the crowd feel inspired. Dag told us we were all sinners - we were cheaters and liars and philanderers. He even told the local pastors sitting on stage that they were sinners too, which I found awkward. Everyone seemed to find their legacy of sins hilarious, laughing uproariously as he continued to point out all of our misgivings. Then he told us that he could save us. He could bring us to Jesus. It was time for healing. His voice raised, his posture grew, he began speaking louder and faster and tried to inspire the crowd to feel moved by his energy. He wanted someone to be healed. He asked for a blind person to find their sight, he asked for an immobile person to find their step. Finally we saw a pair of old wooden crutches rise above the crowds. Indeed, props raised high, someone found the strength to walk. People’s arms were in the air, inspirational music was playing in the background. Dag reminded everyone that immortality existed; it existed in Jesus, and Dag was there to bring us to him.
The message of immortality was not lost on me as we stood in a country dominated by abject poverty. On our drive in, we had already noticed an abundance of small cemeteries lining the streets. We’d not seen this anywhere else before. It could be a matter of different burial rituals, or perhaps simply a visual manifestation of being the 6th poorest country in the world. I wondered how the country’s poverty affected people’s desire to believe in Dag. Tom asked if I thought Dag was a fraud. What does he get from selling salvation? Moral satisfaction? Money? Whatever the motivation: he’s on a tour of Sub-Saharan Africa, preaching to a captive audience ready to be led and ready to be redeemed.