the prophetic hope

"the day for building your walls has come, the day for extending your boundaries... The earth will become desolate because of it's inhabitants, as the result of their deeds. Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pastureland.". Micah 7:12-14

Yesterday, we spent much if the day in prayer, interceding at strategic locations in La Chureca. One spot required us to walk over the entire dump; with shorts breaths and careful steps we found our way to the backside of the dump where the trash meets Lake Managua. When we stood with our back towards the dump, we could only see the sea, and the beautiful untouched mountains rising on the other side. When we stood with our backs to the sea, we could only see a hundred foot slipped wall of trash, balancing itself under the weight of men and women who were massed on it surface. A place of lost hope, where the land has become desolate, right up against a place of promise, where the land holds great beauty. Spiritually, we all live on the seam between these two worlds and we daily have the choice, through God's Spirit, to claim the promise as our own, stepping forward, or fall back into the darkness from where we've come.

As we left that place, we hiked back up the trash and up another 100 feet onto a rounded hill that we had to walk up from the back. As we journeyed up, we were all choking in the dust as there was nothing living in this wasteland... Simply dry dirt. But as created the top we stepped in the midst of numerous flowering trees, and we could see the entire dump below us, as well as most of the city. Daniel calls this place "the gates of heaven" and in this place he comes, as do others, to intercede for the people. There is a small cluster of trees in the middle that form a shades place to sit, enough room for 20 people. We worked our way into the natural sanctuary and Alyssa felt God leading her to a scripture - Exodus 3 - where God tells Moses to take his shoes off because he is on Holy Ground. Daniel then shared, stunned, that the first time he came to this spot, as well as the first time Jessenia came to this spot, they were both directed towards this scripture. all took off their shoes and we spent considerable time in prayer and song.

Later in the day, our group visited Ruby, and elderly Nicaraguan lady who has the gift of prophecy, and speaks a creole English. She prayed over each person in our group, sharing incredible insights into everyone's life. Her sister prays with her, in a prayer language, and while one of our girls was receiving prayer (Capri), Capri could not understand her... So, Capri prayed "god, help me to understand what she's praying" - instantly, Capri was given the gift of interpretation and could hear every word in English.

I have read much over the years on the spread of Christianity in the Rest of the world (non-western countries) and one mark of the growth is the openness to the things of the Spirit... It's not a certain theology, but neither is it a dividin line between people and theologies... The Spirit brings unity and there is an openness to it, based upon what is seen in the Scriptures. We certainly experienced this today! (see Philip Jenkins work).

Finally, in all our prayer an interactions, it is amazing to see how the people and godly leaders, cling to the prophetic passages in the scriptures - Isaiah, Ezekial, Micah, Amos, etc are often quoted from heart - or at least referenced... I the same way the American church references new testament letters... These people are in touch with the prophetic hope of God and they believe God will bring these things to pass. They also work towards the promises - claiming them an laboring to bring them to pass. Walter Brueggemann talks about this in his book on the prophetic imagination when he explains that a prophet is to criticize, but also energize with hope - in other words speak into what is wrong, but also provide an work for an alternative reality.

Today, we will leave our comfy lodging for the camp, where we will be spending the next 2 nights / 3 days with 35 kids from La Chureca - aged 10-15. Please pray for this time!! Specifically, pray for our energy, for good weather, for communication (only have a few translators) and that our group may love these little ones!

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