Prayer Walk
For those of you who don't know, a prayer walk is when one walks around a premises while specifically praying for the needs of that area. Often they are used to ward of evil, but can also just be used to soak a specific place in blessings.
Last night my team & I went on a prayer walk around the ministry. For many, a prayer walk was nothing new, but for me it was a first. We chose to do a prayer walk for many, many reasons.
The last couple weeks our team has had some well, for lack of a better word, interesting nights. The night after our first team worship, I woke up from a nightmare every hour. I thought nothing of it, and chalked it up to a rough night sleep. However, the next night, Jaime woke up from a horrible nightmare, and was paralyzed with fear. She told me the next day that she sat up for a long time, and eventually gained the courage to pray outoud against the spirit of fear. The next night, Courtney jumped so hard in her sleep that she knocked a book off of her bed, instantly waking up herself, Kayla, and I. Kayla asked if we were awake, and if we felt like someone else was in the room with us….
Someone else????
I answered her no, and told her we were probably just shaken up from Jaime's story the night before….but I too felt a presence, but it was easier to deny it and attempt sleep again.
Incidences like this occurred for a few more days, until I was shown a book of prayers for one's spirit (They are ment to be read to someone else). I found a prayer against fear, and read it aloud to all the girls staying in our room. We no longer had any issues with sleep…until….
On Tuesday & Wednesday nights I sleep on the couch in the girls dorm. This is because Donna & Catie (the house parents) have Tuesday afternoon through Thursday morning off. So I sleep on the couch, wake up at 5:30am to get meds ready, and then wake the girls up at 6am to hand out meds/begin the day.
On Tuesday night, Noemi (a 2 year old baby girl) awoke at 1:30 am crying. I got up, changed her, and put her back in bed. However, when I put her back in bed, she stood up, grabbed my hands, and stared intensly into the living room. For 5 minutes she would not release her gaze, and when I attempted to shut the light off and leave, she began to scream. I decided to leave a bathroom light on, for her sake and mine, and crawled back onto the couch praying myself to sleep. The next night at 2am, the dog went wild, running through the living room, and scratching profusely at Donna's door.
While this may have all been coincidence, other teams on our squad have also been dealing with spiritual attacks of different sorts. So, we decided to go on a prayer walk….in the dark.
We prayed blessings and life over the school, soccer field, playground, big boy house, kitching, little boy house, little girl house, & the team house. At first, I felt awkward, constantly kicking myself because my mind would wander to other things while I was praying. (A struggle I frequently have….praying without criticizing myself during it!)
And then…
Tears begans to fall as I sat on the steps outside the little boys house, and watched the boys giggle & avoid going to bed. It was comparable to the movies where someone is outside peering into a happy home on Christmas. The feeling of joy inside, but utter heart break outside.
The children here have become my babies, my alarm clock, my happiness, my stress relievers, my stress causers, and my world. For a month I have focused all my strength on serving, loving, and helping them.
And in 4 days I have to say goodbye, and be yet another person that leaves them……
As I prayed for each child individually, a tear began to fall for every heartbreak they have endured, every abuse, every harsh word, every doubt….tears just rolled down my face. I began to pray out loud for their lives.
As I spoke out, my team spoke out, the air was filled with words of truth, words of faith, and words of encouragement. We prayed and prayed and prayed. Then we prayed against all evil spirits that inhabited the premises. We prayed against any plans the enemy had in Jesus' name. We prayed health, protection, and love over each and every child, worker, and team that enters this ministry.
Today, God's presence is thick, and I know beyond any doubt that He not only heard ever word we spoke last night, but that He whispered into our ears the words we spoke aloud.
God Bless this Ministry. God Bless each and every child here & those to come.
Thank you Lord for breaking my heart for what breaks yours.
