The Story of Kwan

This post is written by Hannah describing her experience  with some of our team who went to a local family's house to pray for a young woman named Kwan. I think you will find it very moving.


In the picture above, Kwan is woman in the middle with the white top with two colored flowers.


The story of Kwan (by Hannah)


After dinner Jayla, Keith, Faye and I went with Aye, Dao, Bruce, Don, and Don to pray for a girl. Bruce and Don are missionaries that are friends with Randy. Don actually came to the camp to work with us. Bruce has been in this area for over 20 years and runs a discipleship training program for youths. After the youth finish the program they go to China to witness to the people there and use the skills they learn. Aye and Dao are a Thai couple who are working with Randy in the area and know the family of the girl we went to pray for.


We had a general idea what was going on but waited to hear first hand from the family to really understand the need for prayer. Once we arrived at the house we all sat on the floor where they had food ready for us to eat. Mats were on the tile floor and rice was in individual bowls. Then there were bowls of meat and soups to put on the rice. Dao was able to explain to them that we had just eaten and we didn't offend anyone that we weren't eating. However, the lady of the house didn't want to talk about the situation until she knew everyone had food. Hospitality is very important in Thailand.


There were about 8 Thai people in the house that we later found out are the only other family (beside Aye and Dao) in the village that believed in Jesus. Then our hostess began the story of what happened to her daughter Kwan, who was 25 years old and was sitting in the room with us.


On Sunday night while Kwan and her sister were sleeping, the sister felt Kwan’s bed shaking and could her Kwan coughing/gagging. The sister called out to Kwan but got no response so she turned on the light. At that moment the bed stopped shaking and Kwan was quiet. However, she was still and her eyes were wide open and staring at the light. Kwan did not respond to movement in front of her eyes and was mot speaking or moving. The sister woke up the family and they all tried to figure out what was wrong with Kwan. During this time Kwan did say that she thought she was going to die. (Kwan remembers nothing of this). The family decided it was time to take her to the hospital. They began praying for her and drove to the hospital. Other family members or friends who are not Christians prayed to Buddha and to spirits. The Christian family of Kwan asked them to stop praying to spirits and they did. Kwan’s family prayed to the one try God for healing.


At the hospital Kwan went through many test over 2 full days (blood work and I think they even said a CAT scan). The doctors found nothing wrong with her. And still Kwan was unresponsive, eyes wide open the whole time. In fact Kwan got a paste-like film on her skin. They said this happens to a person when they die, so everyone thought she was going to die. On Tuesday she began to come out of it. It started with throwing up, but nothing coming out. Dry heaves, I guess. Then as I understand it, she was fine--totally fine. However, she doesn't remember any of it.


The family contacted Aye and asked for prayer. They believe this was a spiritual attack from Satan. Aye knows the family and has been a pastor to them at some times. So that is how we came to be there. Don has a great understanding of spiritual warfare and asked many questions. She may have been attacked so severely because she had just applied for a Christian job on Saturday. It may have been an ancestral spirit. They think one of her ancestors had made a commitment to the spirits in exchange for something and when Kwan became a Christian she broke that commitment. It could even have been a curse placed on the family. The village has 300 families and only 2 families are believers. Some other families had believed in Christ and then went back to their old ways because of spiritual attacks and fear.


These two families are very alone and begged for us to send Christians to them. They so desperately need the encouragement. They were so thankful that we were there. I guess a pastor comes to their village sometimes. But with only 2 families he doesn't come often, and it sounds like they don't combine villages for a service. They didn't even think to meet with the other Christian family for Bible reading and learning and growing. While they are friends they don't study together. Now they will. Don told them to gather together in fellowship to encourage one another and they were so thankful for the idea and will do it. We talked about the incredible testimony Kwan and her family have and that many people will come to a saving faith because of what she went through. We also talked about how God has a great plan for Kwan. We saved her for a purpose. We shared and prayed Jeremiah 29:11 for her. It's her new life verse. "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."


We prayed for her. We prayed for powerful protection from Christ and poured the blood of Jesus over her. We told the Spirits to leave because she was a child of God. I was close enough to touch Kwan, so I laid my hand on her while we prayed. During the prayer I felt a chill run up my arm and in to my body. I thought it was just a shiver that started in the hand that was touching Kwan. But them I felt the Lord telling me that it was the spirit leaving her body though me, however, it wasn't allowed in my body so it died. Or was just gone. I totally felt and believe that is what happened. Unfortunately I was too afraid or shy to share that with anyone. Afraid that I am not really hearing the Lord. I don't know enough about what I am talking about and not sure that I really understand listening to that small voice that so many people say is the Lord.


Anyway, the experience at Kwan’s house was amazing and real. God was there, taking His child and protecting her through the mighty power of prayer, fellowship and pure belief.

© Charles Eklund 2012