Prayer Meeting At St John's Hill

Since I attended the MLM classes, I got closer to Sis Christine who is also a Calvarite. Having a passion for prayers, she serves in the intercession ministry at Calvary Life Assembly (CLA). Once she told me that she had been so fed up with a barren mango tree at her house that she commanded it to produce fruits in Jesus' name. And the miracle happened the following month! I was very encouraged by this woman of great faith that I also began to pray for my fruit trees.

For months, she had been been inviting me to attend a prayer meeting at St John's Hill on Saturday mornings. As Saturdays were my "housework days" when I stayed in Melaka, I did not feel like going out.

Last Friday evening, I ushered for Permata Pintar kindergarten graduation ceremony at CLA. I had to postponed my trip to Batu Pahat. As Sis Christine was living at Ujong Pasir in the South of Melaka town whereas my place was situated in the North, she let me put up at her house that night, so that it was nearer for me to drive to Johor the next morning.

She again invited me to St John's Hill and asked me to go back only after breakfast. This time, I decided to accompany her. We would have to leave the house by 5.30am. Lately, my sleep had been shallow and I often woke up at around 5. So I had no problem to get up at such an early hour. Before 5, I was awake. So was Sis Christine who had received a wake-up miss call from a prayer fellow.

When we reached the parking at the foot of the hill at 5.40am, two cars were already there. We followed a man who was holding a light to climb up the stairs to St John's Fort. This fort with cannons facing inland was originally used as a Portuguese chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist.

A few people had arrived even earlier. We picked any seat we wanted, either standing or sitting. After a short while, an elderly man said an opening prayer. Then we started our worship accompanied by guitar.

As we sang, more people joined. I recognized Diana and Ps Edmund Smith's faces in the dark. While we were praising the Lord with songs and prayers, the sky slowly became brighter.

We also prayed for our nation and Melaka, the gateway of Christianity in Malaysia.

Many of these twenty over people had been faithfully meeting at St John's Hill on Saturday mornings since 1994. I was told that whether it rained or not, these people of God would not miss the weekly gathering.

Over fifteen years, they had witnessed a lot of good changes at the surrounding area. Bushes were cleared and shelters were built. They did not have to pray inside cars during raining days.

Next time you pass by St John's Hill before 7 on a Saturday morning, welcome to say hi to this group of prayer warriors who are praying for the land where you and I are living.