Lloyd Greenhaw during a time of praise and worship in Botswana.

This mission report originally appeared in Renewal Ministries’ January 2018 newsletter

By Nancy Greenhaw

Our first mission to Botswana was a blessed trip in which the Lord went before us and many great things happened! We were invited both by the national treasurer of the Renewal, and also by a bishop who met Ralph Martin at the Renewal’s fiftieth anniversary celebration in Rome. The national coordinator for the Charismatic Renewal for Botswana wrote us on his behalf. After seeing the effectiveness of our teachings, as well as several dramatic healings, she wants us to help the Renewal grow in the countries around Botswana and is putting together programs that we will hopefully be able to serve at next year!

We read that Botswana is one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world. But when we arrived in the city of Gaborone, it was very well laid out, with sidewalks, streetlights, and high rises. It wasn’t until we got out of the city that I saw small booths of people trying to make a living, or supplement one, through selling fruit, vegetables, and more.

Our teaching focused on Unbound and the Five Keys, a method of finding freedom in Christ by renouncing sin and claiming the Lord’s authority over one’s life. It was very well received! At our first location, the session on forgiveness that was followed-up with ministry was very powerful! There were three priests in the group, and they were all very enthusiastic about the knowledge they received. They said it will help them greatly—both personally and in their priesthood. About fifty Charismatic Renewal leaders attended. I think the first wave of revival may already have started!

Here are two stories of healing:

I prayed with a woman who could barely walk. She had severe arthritis in her legs, and they were bent. When we prayed, she forgave those who had taken her to the witch doctor and allowed spirits to come. She forgave herself for some other problems in her life. When we were finished, I asked her if she wanted to try to stand up. She stood up and began walking with my help. She leaned on my hand, and then she dropped my hand and was walking without my help. Her eyes were shining and the praise of God was on her lips. From then on, this woman walked everywhere without her cane or any pain!

A missionary priests from Nigeria wrote: “I have been the spiritual director of the Charismatic Renewal. We have had conferences, beautiful retreats, and workshops in which I’ve helped people reconnect with God. From my own experience, Unbound is ‘a course like no other.’ Other conferences are wonderful, but we leave the fundamentals unattended. We forget that if we don’t get freed, we can’t free other people. It begins with us. That is the core thrust of this course: each individual must do an introspection and try to build a better relationship with God before going out and evangelizing other people, especially regarding deliverance. The material is powerful, deeply Catholic, very sound, and yet is also very engaging. It keeps us in line with the Church, and the people delivered can take responsibility for it and continue it in their lifetime. I believe the whole Catholic world must hear this. It really affected my life and my ministry. It is a blessing, a miracle. Thank you.”

At our next session, everyone in the area was invited, including leaders in the Charismatic Renewal. The news of the many healings had gone before us, and there was already a fairly long list of people wanting prayer. God didn’t disappoint them, and there were powerful healings!

When we arrived, three women were waiting for prayer. A Nigerian religious sister who had attended our first conference was the herald of what God had been doing. This woman of God was a real dynamo and kept us busy praying! Two of the people waiting were religious sisters from Nigeria who wanted encouragement and a fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit. He did not disappoint! The final lady had suffered for years with chronic back problems, had been bedridden, and was not able to work. When we prayed, she renounced going to the witch doctor, forgave numerous people, and invited Jesus into her life and body as Healer and Savior. God healed her! There was a look of amazement on her face that was precious, and when we came back into the room where the others were waiting, she kept sitting down and getting up again to show everyone her back was healed. Thank You, Jesus!

That evening, Lloyd spoke on the universal call to holiness and mission. He shared that the Five Keys were the best tool we had found to work toward that holiness and help others encounter Jesus and the reality of His love and power. Maybe because of the testimonies that were going around among the participants, there was a real sense of excitement. These people were hungry for a move of God! Here is one example:

(After receiving an injection for an illness), I could not see or hear for more than three years. Then, someone prayed for me, and I received my sight again, but I still could not hear. I had no balance, and I could not walk. I could not do anything. Now, through your prayers, I can hear people singing, and I can hear my own voice. I’m grateful to God, because Jesus promised that He will do it for us if we have faith and if we have people around us who can lead us, like you. We are grateful to God because you are disciple, a true disciple who can tell the person that I will hold your hand and I will walk with you no matter what. And that is what we need—encouragement. We need to show people the light we have that is the light of God. I really, really love Jesus for what He has done! May He continue touching other people like me. We thank You, Jesus, for your love.

Later, we brought people around the Blessed Sacrament and asked the Lord for a release of the many gifts He had given us at baptism and confirmation. I invited the Holy Spirit to come, and we all asked for the gift of tongues. It seemed that most of the participants received the gift. Thank You, Jesus! Lloyd then led them in asking for the gift of faith, healing, words of knowledge, and many others. We were truly blessed to see God working powerfully in people’s lives.

We then traveled to a parish retreat with several hundred people. They had been told about the wonderful things God was doing, and the climate of faith was high. Lloyd told them that healing and freedom are good things, but what is truly important is establishing a deeper relationship with Jesus. It was a wonderful night, and many gave testimony of a personal touch by God.

This trip had a more than usual number of healings. There was never enough time for all to share their testimonies! We are wondering if something new is happening in the kingdom as a preparation for God knows what. It has raised our level of faith, and we are praying and asking God for more of His love and power! May we all stay hungry and thirsty for a new movement of God!

Lloyd and Nancy Greenhaw minister in the United States, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, Ethiopia, and several other countries in Africa. They conduct missions, conferences, and retreats for adults and youth. They also are involved in prison ministry and work with the homeless. Nancy and Lloyd live in Texas and have two daughters, fourteen grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.