Assault with a deadly weapon

This week is General Assembly for the Church of the Nazarene.  Tens of thousands of Nazarenes from around the world are gathering in Indianapolis, Indiana to attend conventions, take care of church business, and to worship together.  About 80 Papua New Guineans are there taking part in the events.

General Superintendent J.K. Warrick spoke during the Friday evening service.  Here is an incredible story that Dr. Warrick shared about D.S. Andrew and his wife Erika.  Andrew is the district superintendent for the Western Highlands Province in PNG.  I wasn't there myself because someone had to stay and look after our patients, so the story is retold by Dr. Andy Bennett.

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Hired thugs came to the district center to kill D.S. Andrew.  Andrew and Erika were warned, and hid.  But when Erika knew that the thugs had entered her house where her children were, she went to their aid.  Thinking that it was unlikely that the men would want to hurt anyone except Andrew, he remained in hiding.

The men accosted her, and demanded to know where Andrew was, threatening to kill her if she didn't tell.  They struck her on the wrist with a bush knife, but only a small scratch resulted.  They then placed an AK47 against her jaw, and again demanded that she tell them where Andrew was.  When she still refused, they fired the gun.  Although it discharged, and she fell to the ground, only a small red mark was left on her face where the muzzle of the gun had been.

When several neighbors, hearing the shot, rushed outside to see what was going on, the thugs jumped into their car and sped away.

Dr. Warrick had shared the story a few weeks later in a camp meeting message.  After the service George Wood approached him to tell that he had had a vision of shooting a Christian with an AK47, and had had been praying that God would plug the barrel of any AK47 used to try to harm a believer.  A week or two before this meeting, he had felt relieved of the burden to pray for this.

This evening in the service, Dr. Warrick shared the story again.  He had arranged for Andrew and Erika and the Woods to be seated in the front row, and introduced them.

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"He is the God who avenges me,

who subdues nations under me,

who saves me from my enemies.

You exalted me above my foes;

from a violent man you rescued me.

Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;

I will sing the praises of your name."

~ Psalm 18:47-49