Tonight Tara , Alexandra, and I were invited to a church gathering in a community 45 mins beyond where our ministry contact is by Pastor Jose and his best friend Achilly. We talked about it for a while and Alexandra prayed for discernment and we decided to go. We walked in the pouring down rain and met them at 5:30 and followed Pastor Jose and Achilly through the muck and water. We had to climb up an extremely steep hill that I still can’t believe we made it up. We had mud all over our feet and hands and washed off in what had to be sewage water but we were praising God for the water we had to wash us off. Tara said, “We are really missionaries, no doubt about it.” This is the real deal. Only a missionary would wash off mud in what looked like sewage water (thank God it didn’t smell like it) in a 3rd world country and praise God for it!
After going several more miles we made it to the roughest slums in San Juan, a community that they called, Nuevo Barrio, “The New Neighborhood”. We were told that, “WE WERE THE FIRST AMERICANS TO EVER COME TO THAT COMMUNITY!!” The need there, we were told, is so much greater than the ministry we are doing in Quija’ Queta because they don’t have churches or people to reach out to them. Pastor Jose lead us to house and we met several believers and there children and then were told that a lot of people didn’t show up because of the rain. He was telling some people how we walked through the rain and mud and that we are devoted to God and his calling.
After a few minutes we walked to what I thought was going to be a church building but was in actuality just a clearing outside where they brought a bunch of plastic chairs and a podium and said lets pray. My second ever outdoor service! This was so different than the first because this time it was in the middle of nowhere and it was raining. How Awesome!!
After a reading from the Word, Pastor Jose called Tara up to speak to the people. Tara had a look of shock on her face and said in English, “Am I preaching?”. I saw her obedience to God as she just went with it and shared Romans 12 with them. She then elaborated on it and gave them a very encouraging word. I look up to her so much for her obedience to God and for how she follows wherever He leads. I felt God was giving me a message to share with the group but as Tara wrapped up her message and sat down, Pastor Jose came up to the podium. In that moment I prayed that God allow me to speak to them because I knew they needed to hear what was put on my heart. Pastor Jose thanked Tara for speaking then asked me to come up. Thank you Jesus!
The message I had for them was “Boldness”. I said, “I feel that Jesus is calling you to walk in boldness. If you deny Him before men then he will deny you before the Father. But if you profess Him, He will profess you before the Father in Heaven. I hear the cry of a city that is filled with violence, sexual immorality, people that have turned their back on God, and people that don’t know God. You must choose into what God has called you to. God will deliver you from your enemies. You have been filled with a gift from God, the Holy Spirit. You have been given authority and power to heal the sick, cast out demons, and raise the dead. Walk in the truth and stand up and be bold. Declare Jesus! Amen”. I sat down and then Pastor Jose called up Alexandra. She spoke to them about putting on the whole armor of God. Pastor Jose came up after us and spoke. He used us as his message. He said, ” These Americans have left there homes and country to come and share Jesus with you. They walked through the pouring rain, the mud and filth, and came several miles to be here with you. That’s the kind of devotion that we should have as believers.”
He closed and asked a girl to come up and pray. We shook hands, blessed the people, and Tara and Alexandra sang a couple songs with the kids before we left. As we were leaving I saw the many smiles that we brought to the people. We told the Pastor that we want to pray about coming back to have church with them again. God thank you for bringing us to a place that desperately needs your Word. Thank you for your divine protection and for filling us with the faith to follow you. Thank you for delivering us from evil and for choosing us to share you with the world!
