This is Good News! A Church Planting Story from Pranil and Sashi Mani of Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Assembly

The global pandemic over the last three years has been a challenge for everyone. Churches have not been immune to the impact of closing their doors and moving their services and community interactions online. Many saw a drop in attendance as their doors were opened up to welcome everyone back. However, God was still at work among His people doing what seemed to be impossible at times. This became evident recently among a few faithful believers in British Columbia.

It all began with an immigrant couple from the Fiji Islands, Pranil Mani and his wife, Sashi. Sashi contracted COVID-19 in September of 2021. Sashi woke up one morning with shortness of breath. This quickly escalated over a two-month period to hospitalization, and eventually, to severely damaged lungs. Due to the overwhelming need for ventilators, Sashi did not receive the assistance of a ventilator, which would have prevented the damage to her lungs. Other family members also contracted the virus, but they recovered unharmed. However, from the time Sashi fell ill, Pranil had gathered friends and family online to pray for her healing. They met every day for months and prayed. Even family and friends who were not Christians joined in out of care and concern for the family.

By November, Sashi needed a double lung transplant but there were many barriers to receiving such a surgery. The doctor did not hold out any hope for her, but Pranil simply said in faith that God would do a miracle.

As people prayed together, they began to see the goodness, grace and power of God in the Mani family. Then believers and unbelievers alike started asking for prayer for their situations because they needed healing, too. They also started to receive answers to prayer from God, which resulted in 10 new believers in Jesus Christ. This online group consisted of people in the lower mainland of B.C. and from several countries, including the Fiji Islands, India, New Zealand, and Australia.

This group of believers has grown to approximately 40 people. And now this congregation of believers has become Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Church in Langley, B.C., with Pastor Aaron Kumar.

They meet on Sunday mornings for a Bible and discipleship class, followed by the worship service. Those members who are overseas join online. Pranil expresses the purpose of the church this way: “Our vision is to share the testimony of what the Lord Jesus did so that unbelievers can give their lives to Jesus.”

Visit Grace Apostolic Pentecostal Assembly’s website here: https://www.graceapa.ca.

Photos courtesy Pranil and Sashi Mani.

#GoodNews #ThisIsGoodNews

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