The long-awaited visit of General Brian Peddle and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle (World President of Women's Ministries) to the India Eastern Territory, postponed from 2020 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, commenced on 30 January with the arrival of the international leaders in Aizawl, capital of the north-eastern Indian state of Mizoram.
Afforded the status of state guests by the Government of Mizoram, the General and Commissioner Peddle were warmly greeted at the airport by civic officials as well as soldiers of The Salvation Army.
During the visit the General held a press conference for local state media which was widely publicised both in print and electronically. Along with Commissioner Rosalie, the General was also interviewed by the Salvation Army Communication Network media unit for broadcast on its YouTube channel.
Three new prayer halls dedicated
Officers’ councils on 1 February proved to be a time of spiritual blessing for the territory’s officers and cadets, and the dedication by the international leaders of three new prayer halls at the corps (churches) in Vaivakawn, Hunthar and Phunchawng were of great encouragement to local Salvationists.
Separate congress meetings were held for women, men’s fellowship/local officers, and corps cadets and young people. At the women’s congress, Commissioner Rosalie Peddle was greeted by traditional and ethnic dances from within the territory, whilst during the joint men’s fellowship/local officers’ congress the General was given the distinction of participating in a ceremony normally reserved for national chiefs and warriors.
Commissioner Rosalie Peddle at the women's congress
During the congress for corps cadets and young people, Salvationists displayed their talents in various ways such as sketches, music performances and timbrel displays. The General and Commissioner Rosalie awarded 483 merit badges to those who had completed six years as corps cadets.
Responding to the call
The Holy Spirit’s presence was evident in the youth meeting on 3 February as many people knelt at the mercy seat in response to the General’s Bible message, whilst the holiness and salvation meetings on Sunday 5 February, with many thousands of people in attendance, saw hundreds responding to the General’s call for people to rededicate their lives to God.
Salvationists of the territory were greatly blessed and reinvigorated in their commitment by the visit of the General and Commissioner Rosalie Peddle.
Photos from the visit are available to download from the IHQ Flickr stream.