We started very early this morning. I was up and out of bed at 5 am!! Tim and I went to the Hosanna Central church and led devotions at the school of ministry for their pastors. Tim preached a powerful message and it was awesome! Then we had the staff devotions at 8 am with all of the workers at the church. I was supposed to have the team their and I was planning on using two of the team members to help me speak to the staff. Long story short the team didn't get their until after I was already finished speaking. I talked about how God has a purpose and plan for each of our lives and He will provide for our future. It went very well considering I had to scramble a little at the last minute to figure out what I should say exactly.
From the church we all left for a school by the garbage dump. We got there and some 200 kids were there waiting for us. We purchased two pinatas for today and tomorrow to share with the kids there. We shared a short program with them and then had the pinata beating outside. They all had fun whacking it with a broomstick, until it finally fell and the kids went wild!!! They all dove into the pile and started tearing the thing apart to get to the candy. It was insane!! We then went back inside to pray for the students and the staff. It was a good time of healing and blessing for the staff!
We left there and traveled a few blocks to the garbage dump. We drove into the dump and were completely overwhelmed by the sights. People on top of the garbage picking through it. Garbage is on fire there all of the time. You can see smoke from the dump all over the city and even from the plane when you take off and land. We saw kids and adults living there completely surrounded by garbage. It is the definition of poverty. There is now real way to describe it all with words, but those images are forever burned into my mind. As we drove away tears rolled down my cheeks as I wondered what I could do to help one more child from that aweful place. It changes the very way that you think about life, and it's one of those things that you cannot fully understand or appreciate unless you have seen it for yourself.
Ironically, we came back to the hotel to eat after that. Our spoiled American life was quickly re-established. I am not saying that we shouldn't eat or that we should not give God credit for blessing us. I am just so upset that more people don't do something for those that are in such desperate need.
We left our hotel at around 1:30 pm and headed for a school in an area that we had never been to before. We ended up getting lost on the way and came to a part of a dirt road that was washed out. There were some large chunks of concrete in the middle and we were pretty certain that the bus would bottom out if he tried to pass through that spot. We all decided that it would be better if we would back up and turn around so that is what we did. We quickly got back to paved roads and right after Tim said, "it is good to be back on paved roads again" we were on another dirt road heading up a pretty steep hill. There were places where the road was somewhat washed out but nothing like the other road we were on. We went probably 4 miles or so going up and winding around. It seemed like it took us forever to get there. After we arrived there, we just had a sense that the students were really not into this meeting. There was a definite spiritual battle that was taking place as we ministered to 150 or so teenagers. As we closed I invited them to come to the front to be prayed for. It was silent and then they actually started just talking out loud to their friends like there was no one their talking to them. It was a weird feeling standing there and it seemed like they were mocking and making fun of us. Our interpretor actually spoke to them to try and get them to settle and they did, but just for a short time. 5 or 6 people responded to the altar and we prayed for them then we closed. We handed every student a tract about God's love and after the principle asked us to pray for that school we were on our way back to the hotel to change and get ready for the evening service.
We went to a church that was very close to the garbage dump. The entire sanctuary probably seated around 75 or so. We started worship and the place went crazy. They were having so much fun just worshiping God. After worship Kristi P. Whittany H. and Jenessa W. all sang a song and then Tim led a song from the keyboard. As he did there was an incredible sense of worship that came over the place. As he came down off of the platform he made an altar call. Anyone that wanted to be free come forward. As he did a lady in the back of the church began weeping. He called her to the front and as she came it was obvious that she was experiencing the presence of God. As we began to pray for her, she began shaking violently and her head smacked off of the floor. I put my hand under her head as we prayed with Holy Spirit Fire. She shook violently for a few more minutes until a calm peace came over her. She had obviously been healed from something, and it seemed a demon had come out of her. She later shared of how she had been mean to her kids and husband. She didn't know why she had been so mean but now she was filled with peace. She committed to changing her ways as she knew what it meant to serve God. It was awesome to see her testify about what had happened to her.
Another lady had come forward at the end of the service and she could barely walk. She shuffled her feet because her knees were so bad. We began praying for her and you could see the healing take place. She began dancing and jumping and praising God!! She was doing what looked like the chicken dance and was filled with laughter!! You could not help but watch as the joy of the Lord filled her life. There were more testimonies but the hour is late and I will write more tomorrow!! Blessings, We will be home soon!
I can't wait to see our kids and our friends!
Blessings,
Pastor Carl
Managua, Nicaragua
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