I love to play my guitar and teach Christian songs in English during the French-language Bible studies the school principal gives to the students. They enjoy the music and singing, and usually everyone participates.

Well, not everyone. On the first day, one of our teenage students had her head down during the Bible lesson. The principal went over to check on her and to ask if he could pray for her. She refused his offer. Sensing she needed the prayer, he began doing so anyway to exorcise the demon residing in her. At that point, she dropped to the floor, shaking.

Demon possession is not uncommon in this land. I was told that one day, ten girls arrived at school possessed. I have also learned that exorcising demons is a tiring ordeal. I think about how we sometimes pray our shy prayers and ask God for help, but when these people pray in the name of Jesus for a demon to come out, they use a lot of energy and force. Demons flee when they hear Jesus’ name. I quickly realized that the time may come when I have to assist if no one else is around, so I work to keep myself connected to God so I am fit for Him to supply me with His power should that time arise.

Depending on where a person is located or what situation they are in, when that person is possessed, the demon may manifest itself in various ways to fit the context. Here, demon possession tends to occur more frequently with girls. I have yet to hear of any males at school being possessed. Girls will often complain of a headache or say that they are tired. Then, if you offer to pray for the girl, she may reject the prayer. When you do pray for them, the girl or girls fall to the ground and start shaking. They start screaming when you call upon Jesus’ name.

When the teacher began casting the demon out of the girl whose head was down, she tried to escape after her initial screams. Although she was skinny, it took three or four teenage boys to hold her down. At one point, one of the boys complained because of the force with which she squeezed his hand. “Leave me alone,” she said as the teacher was praying for her. She didn’t seem to want deliverance. Eventually, the teenage boys had to carry her out of the classroom so others could continue to pray for her elsewhere while we continued our Bible class. By God’s grace, she came back later and seemed to be better.

The following week, during the same class, another girl was exhibiting similar behavior. The teacher started praying for her, and she dropped to the floor. However, she did not try to run away. She just lay on the ground shaking as the principal prayed for her. Eventually, other teenage boys had to remove her from class so someone else could pray for her in another room, allowing us to continue class.

When we later talked to the second girl about what happened, she told us that she had found a hair barrette on the ground, picked it up and took it home. From that point on, a demon harassed her. In Africa, you don’t pick random things up from the ground; people attach curses to them. (For a child of God, we don’t have to fear, but we must still exercise prudence.)

“Do you want deliverance?” we asked her.

“Yes!” she replied, and we told her to bring us the barrette. We also gave her a Bible verse to write, which she agreed to do and keep.

When we gave the same offer to the first girl, she was simply not interested. She said that she was practicing witchcraft to keep her family safe. Fortunately, both girls are in the Bible club, where they can continue to learn about Jesus and the ongoing great controversy. Here in this community, I have learned that deliverance is a step-by-step process. Please keep these girls, the Bible club and the school in your prayers.

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