I drowsily walked off the 8 hour bus to meet the new team. Feeling exhausted and slightly nauseous, unsure of if I would go with the team to night ministry forty-five minutes after arriving. Not just because I was tired and nauseas, but I also knew it was heavy spiritually and I had never been around such a situation before.
On Wednesday nights, or Agua Panela nights, the team goes to the streets of Medellin where drugs are sold and many homeless people gather, to purchase and take drugs openly on the street. I am talking about cocaine/crack, smoking weed, sniffing glue, and probably other things we didn’t see. It is a lot! A lot of high people. A lot of the enemy. A lot of darkness. The ministry goes to bring Agua and Panela, or water and bread. They do so as a way into the area to be able to share the gospel, pray over people and offer a place of refuge where programs are available to help the people living there.
I prayed and felt the Lord was asking me to go. I prayed hard!!! I prayed a shield of protection over us all, that the Lord would guide me, but also that He would give me the eyes to see what He wanted me to see. That I would see these people as His and have His heart.
Upon arriving I was overwhelmed with emotions by the amount of tight grips on crack pipes, stumbling children of God, the way the devil had a hold in this place. I expected to feel the weight of the devil’s presence when I stepped off the bus. That was not the case though.
I stepped off the bus with everyone, we prayed and were off. Off to seek out the people of this community. I went with two ladies from the team. We talked with two individuals for a bit before continuing on.
As we were walking the Lord highlighted a woman to me. She was crying and very much upset. As we walked towards her and asked her her name, she turned away from us. We were persistent and continued to ask and try to console her. She turned around to face us and said her name was Cindy.
The Lord showed my Cindy through His eyes that night. The four of us laughed together, and I mean really laughed. We were able to talk with her about her and her family. She has had three daughters, none of which are with her. She was so proud of them though, told us their names and what they were like. She was just 23, my age. We prayed with her and then she prayed over herself. It was so apparent that she was really praying and conversing with the Father. I could see her fighting through the high to talk with Him. She brought me joy. She showed me the power and grace of the Father in a way I hadn’t seen before. She showed me the power of the Lord. That He could bring joy to a place that most would call the devil’s playground.
We thanked her so much for talking with us, and said it was such a blessing to meet her. We asked if we could give her a hug goodbye and after she laughed about how we all hugged so differently! She brought us so much joy, goodness I am feeling it all again. I loved my time with Cindy and the way the Lord showed me such joy and love in a place I thought would destroy me with emotions. Which it did I suppose, just in the opposite way of which I expected.
Cindy I pray I see you again. I praise the Lord for your life and joy. You are a warrior and the Lord has a plan for your life, a huge plan, for so much good and Kingdom bringing. You are special in His eyes. He loves you so much and pursues you. I pray that you feel no shame for the choices you are making. That instead you know of the Father’s abounding grace for His children. I pray that the Lord covers you in His protective arms, and also your daughters. I pray that you would be free’d from a life of addiction and that you would experience the freedom the Father has for you. That you would be reunited with your daughters someday. That you would know of the Father’s deep love for you. Cindy you are a daughter of the King and He loves you!!! Father please continue to pursue Cindy and grab her heart, freeing her. In Jesus name, Amen.
