Written: January 13, 2014
I really have a passion for the host home, Paul and Hilda, we are staying at. I look at not only the place, but the land and think, “What great potential here!” Sadly, this place has a little bit of a colorful history. Not the previous owner, but the owner before was a farmer. He owned 22 acres of land for cows and neighborhoods were built up around it to completely pen in the land. The land itself is almost in the center of Puerto Barrios. The neighbors used to come every morning to get fresh milk from the cows. The owner’s wife died so a few years later he remarried the woman a few houses down and gave the land to his children who then sold it. The next owner decided to develop the land and brought in bulldozers to create a neighborhood. Apparently, he was not in with the correct crowd and was assassinated. His mother is a Christian and, according to our contacts, is happy she has missionaries staying here and asked us to pray for the land and the house to spiritually clean it. At this moment, she currently owns the house but the family has rights to say how much she can sell the house for and are asking for one million for the house from our hosts. Our hosts want to develop the place into a camp for the children and teens in this neighborhood and create a safe haven for them but one million dollars is a little much.
We dispersed across the land, praying as we went. There were hills, a river, and a few lone palms standing tall amongst the red dirt. Garbage was littered everywhere from the neighbors and the river was filled with sewer from the neighbors, but it was beautiful. Before we left, Kyle from another team poured anointing oil on our hands so as I walked along the perimeter, I tried to touch the land and posts along the edge. I do not know anything about anointing oil but it is Biblical (James 5:14, Mark 6:13, Exodus 40:9). I talked a little with a few locals, mostly making sounds and playing charades to get my meaning across. Paul and David ended up helping two young boys who were in the river. They were trying to unplug the river so the sewer would not back up into the neighbor’s houses. David and Paul jumped in, almost losing their shoes as they sunk into the mud, and dug out a path for the dirty water.
We all gathered at the meeting spot and relayed any visions or words God gave to us and he did. I received a few myself, but I at first didn’t think any of it. This land is in the center of town and just like for a person to change, something must change in the heart, so this town will change from its core, its center, from this land and its children. It was also a blessing for this land to be bulldozed before our hosts received it; God was preparing and laying the groundwork for this ministry and the camp. Even though there is garbage everywhere, this place will become new, completely washed of its filth, both physically and spiritually. The deal is done and God is giving this place to them. They don’t have to worry about whether or not they’ll make the sale or have enough money, God will provide. Finally, I saw the land from our meeting place and there was a field a little behind the hill with children running.
Other people received that this place is the host’s Promised Land, the land God gave to them to be fruitful in do his work. Others received Peace, a sense of the surrounding neighbors as Guardian Angles to protect this place from the world and to build it up, a center to equip people with the word, a safe haven, images of horses along a hill, a place of worship on top of a hill near a lone tall pine, a soccer field in the center of the land, and many others. It was incredible and brought comfort and confirmation to our hosts. Hilda was especially worried about the neighbors because of the past history of this house.
What surprised me the most was when I saw the vision of the land and our host were talking about the field, stating now they know where to put it, I thought to myself “Next time when I come here I will see the children running on a finished field.” Then I stopped and thought, “Next time? I am coming again?” I have a heart for the Asian culture and in the future want to do ministry there, but I believe that God’s work for me here in Puerto Barrios is not yet completed. Lord willing, He will bring me back here to see the children playing and this place growing. I wasn’t expecting this but I am not put out by this either. In fact I am a little excited to see when and why I he might send me back. I love what I have seen of this country and culture so far. It is so lush and diverse and starving for love and attention. I’d be happy to spend awhile here. Now I’d just need to brush up on my Spanish.
