Sometimes, the Lord relieves our pain by pointing us in a new direction. Davin Esbenshade’s recent experiences testify to this truth.

“I’d gone through a really tough relationship that broke up after a year and was really struggling.” However, in the midst of that struggle, the Lord had been tugging Davin toward missions. Still, he says he felt “cloudy about where God wanted him to go with his future.” One Sunday morning at Petra, the Lord addressed both these issues for Davin. “I was really seeking the Lord [that morning], and I heard God’s literal, audible voice say, ‘I want you to go into YWAM. [1]’ The entire service was an encounter with the Father speaking to me.” That encounter also filled a hole in Davin’s heart left by the breakup.

Davin applied for a Discipleship Training School (DTS), and in early October 2024, he flew to Hawaii to attend the Fire and Fragrance DTS at YWAM’s training campus in Kona. The school’s three hundred students were divided into two focus groups:  Least Reached and Youth Movement. Davin’s choice was clear. “God had put unreached peoples on my heart before I even got to Kona.” 

After the twelve-week lecture phase, the students left for their field assignments or outreach phase. The Unreached Peoples track divided and departed for Asia, Central Asia, Europe, South Africa, and the Middle East. Davin and his team of fourteen students and staff traveled to India, arriving in New Delhi a few days before Christmas. Their agenda included ministry in New Delhi, Varanasi, and Punjab. 

Davin says the experience was just a taste of what it means to give up everything for Jesus. “Around New Year, I began to wonder, ‘What am I doing here?’” Varanasi, in particular, proved to be a hard spiritual ground. But the Lord had great things in store for Davin and his team. While in Punjab, they witnessed over fifty healings in the lives of people they prayed for, and as many as twenty-five salvations took place during New Delhi street evangelism.

New Delhi: Abdullah

While in New Delhi, Davin’s team leader, Jordan, and another team member hired Malik, an Uber driver, to take them to the YWAM campus. Malik spoke five different languages, including fluent English. Ten years before, he’d fled his native Afghanistan for India; the Taliban takeover had made things dangerous for nominal Muslims. He believed in a higher power but considered himself a humanist. He was studying psychology at a local university.

Once a soldier in the Afghan army, he’d been injured in an RPG (mini rocket launcher) explosion. His shoulders remained crooked from the injury, which triggered pain in his neck and back. Driving all day only worsened things, and he saw a physical therapist regularly. 

Jordan shared the gospel with Malik that day and took down his phone number. Later, he and another team member went out to dinner with Malik and had a wonderful time as they developed a friendship with him. 

On another occasion, Davin and several other team members accompanied Jordan during another dinner with Malik. The topic of God’s healing power came up, and Jordan emphasized this for their new friend. The team was attending a megachurch in New Delhi at the time.  “We were seeing healings every Sunday morning [at that church],” Davin says. “Hindus were coming because they longed for healing. People were getting up out of wheelchairs, deaf ears were opening, and mute people were speaking. “  

When Malik heard about this, he said, “I think if I’d see this, I’d believe it.” 

The team members invited him to the weekly ministry night at the YWAM campus.

“I’ll come for about ten minutes,” said Malik. He stayed the entire time. 

“We were created with the DNA of God to worship him,” Davin says about that evening. “We could tell something felt right in [Malik’s] soul, and he was responding and felt such peace.”  

At one point during the service, the campus leader said, “I believe God wants to heal some people tonight.”

Malik raised his hand and told the backstory of his injury. Jordan and another team member prayed for him.  Davin stood behind him with his hand outstretched toward Malik.

The next day, Malik phoned. “Guys, I’m 96% better.” 

“‘Do you know who did this?’ we asked.”

Malik stuttered, “Ah, well, I don’t really know . . . “

“Jesus!”

Dreams and Visions

A week later, Malik invited Davin and two other team members to tour the city in his vehicle. And he had some amazing news. Since the ministry night when he’d received prayer, he’d had a dream. A glowing figure came to him and said, “The reason you’ve been in pain for the last few years is that you’ve been disconnected from me. I’m going to shake your hand, and when you wake up, you’ll be completely healed. But I want you to go and tell everyone what I did for you.”  

Malik woke up free of pain and filled with joy and peace. At his next physical therapy appointment, his therapist could find nothing wrong with him. His shoulders had leveled out. He admitted that Jesus had healed him, but when asked if he was ready to turn his life over to the Lord, he said he needed to do more research on who Jesus is. The team’s time in New Delhi was coming to an end, so they connected Malik with the YWAM campus for further follow-up. Davin plans to keep in contact with the campus leader regarding Malik.

A Jesus Moment in Punjab

Davin also saw the Lord work through him in Punjab. The team worked there with local pastors, conducting house-to-house evangelism and ministry. One day, they visited a village frequented by Pastor Yusuf, one of the pastors they were partnering with; some from his church lived there. As they were leaving one house after sharing the gospel and praying, an older gentleman emerged from a nearby home and came over to Davin. “He takes a gentle hold of my shoulders and says, ‘Come with me.’” Davin followed the man into his house, where he also met the man’s wife. 

The man said he couldn’t work due to paralysis on one side of his body. “His fingers curled back on one hand, and he struggled to walk,” Davin remembers. The man requested prayer. Although the team needed to move on to the next house, Davin recognized another Jesus moment. “[I] needed to be obedient.”

Davin prayed for him several times over the next few minutes and saw some improvement. “I just believed for healing and prayed in Jesus’ power and in Jesus’ name.” Davin wanted to stay longer, but the team needed to leave. Pastor Yusuf promised to keep Davin updated on the man’s condition.

Regarding his experiences in India, Davin says, “At times you’re not seeing fruit, and you feel discouraged even though the Lord is still planting seeds and moving, [just] not maybe in the way you thought he would. We must stay steadfast and . . . know that when God calls you to something, and you’re obedient . . . fruit will come. [God] sees the big picture.” 

Davin also says he learned it’s important to “be willing to be inconvenienced at any time. That’s huge in our faith. Yes, this is our life, and we have things scheduled, but are we willing to give up part of our lives for someone or something? When praying for people, just move in simple faith, [and know Jesus] holds the power.”

About two months after Davin returned home, he got a text from Pastor Yusuf. Attached was a picture of the pastor, and standing next to him was the man Davin had prayed for at that Punjab village home.  He was 80 percent healed and back to work. 

[1] Youth With A Mission

Tags: love, jesus, evangelism, ywam, missions, india, healing, miracles, dreams, nations, asia