Southern Manitoba recently enjoyed a Tent Revival Meeting that included worshipping God through song, spoken word, and prayer.

On August 18 and 19 during the evening, people across Southern Manitoba were invited to join the meeting which saw performances by Winnipeg rapper Fresh IE (Robert Wilson) as well as hear a message by Evangelist Matthew Morton from B.C. 

Anna Sawatsky, owner of Anya's Hair Studio in Niverville, planned the two-day event. She says, "God prompted me to invite Evangelist Matthew Morton to Manitoba. He was heading down this way anyway. All I did was ask if he was willing to come and he said 'yes'."

The event was held at Whitetail Meadow, just five minutes outside of Niverville. It is a restored barn that often hosts weddings. However, with a huge lawn surrounding it, they also offer tent events. 

"God showed me the place to have it. I went and asked if they were able to rent out the tent for one or two nights and they said yes."

Morton lives in British Columbia with his wife. He had been out to Manitoba for a speaking engagement five years ago, which is when Sawatsky first heard him speak. 

Winnipeg Christian rapper, Robert Wilson, whose stage name is Fresh IE, was invited to join in the revival. 

Christian rapper Fresh IE.Jake Albert and Fresh IE. (Supplied)

Wilson says, "It was a great event and you could definitely see God moving."

This was the first live event Wilson performed since COVID-19 shut everything down back in March. Singer Jake Albert joined Wilson on stage.

Wilson says, "It was incredible to get back into worship. I had to shake the dust off."

The first night 60 people showed up and three people got baptized.

Sawatsky says, "One person planned on getting baptized but the other two, God spontaneously led them to be baptized. We had a baptismal container there and it was just perfect."

People got baptized at the Tent Revival Meeting near Niverville in August. Baptism in a tub at the Tent Revival Meeting. (Supplied)

The coordinators asked Wilson to share his testimony on top of singing, to which he gladly agreed.

Sawatsky says, "People were coming up for prayer, there was deliverance and some healing. Testimonies were shared."

The second night even more people came, according to Sawatsky. 

The majority of the crowd was people over the age of 50, from what Wilson could tell.

While rapping and singing to a mostly Mennonite crowd, Wilson says, "Afterward I had a few people come up to me and say 'I never liked rap music, until today.' They even bought a few CD's. I just come so that God will be lifted up and people can be freed."   

Although the event was originally set from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm, people only left around 10:30 pm the second night. Sawatsky says it's because, "People were being set free in prayer. They wanted more."

Sawatsky and Morton are talking about having another, bigger event in the spring or summer of 2021.