Peru is located in western central South America. It is a country that is pretty big, it has close to 30 million people. Over 90% of the population adheres to Roman Catholicism and only close to 8 percent out 100% are protestant Christians. It is a very oppressed country and the people in Peru likes to practice Vudu or better saying Witchcraft. I spent a little bit over a month there and I was preaching and trying to disciple the missionaries on the ground and pastors. I spoke in some mission conferences but to tell you the truth you can drive or walk for hours in Peru and not find or see a church. That is the reason why I really wanted to go to Peru and I knew God was going to do amazing things in that place. I knew I was going to see signs, wonders, miracle happening in Peru because the church is at the earliest stage in Peru. God is pouring down his fire in that place and many, I mean like multitudes are coming to Christ.
I traveled all over the country and it is a very beautiful country and I love Peru and especially the people. They are so open and receptive to foreigners. They love Brasilians so I felt at home in Peru. I worked with streets kids too trying to restore their dignity and there are so many street kids in Peru and God used my life to impact their lives because I could tell all of them that I was an ex-street boy from Brazil and now I was a preacher of the word of God. I did a lot of leadership training with the missionaries and I also visited the slums of Peru and I cried out to God to rise up that nation as a nation that serves God.
But the most memorable thing that happened in Peru was when I got an invitation to preach at one of the most dangerous prison in Cusco, Peru. It is one of the largest and tightened prison in Peru. It was a Sunday morning and the sun was radiant and I was so happy because I was going to meet all these guys that had done horrific things in life that had harmed them and other people. I was so excited but so scared at the same time. I thought to myself this is real church and I had the conviction in my heart that if Jesus was still on earth he would be chilling with the people in that prison. I know he would and that is the reason why I accepted the invitation to go.
It was close to 9 o`clock in the morning and I was in front of the that huge prison with this pastor and his crew. They were giving me all these instructions of how to act and what to say inside of the prison. I was paying very close attention because I didn`t want to die or get hurt in that day. They told me that the worst criminals of Peru was in that prison and many times they would riot and evoke their rights by getting people hostage in a visit day meaning an open day for their family members and friends to visit them. I was processing all these things and I was thinking “Oh, God. I know we are going to have a lot of people in our service this morning and what if these crazy guys go crazy and decide to get us in hostage here?” and God quietly answered in my spirit “I have called you, I have a calling for your life and even if you wanted to die you wouln`t because I am not done with you yet.” I was so encouraged by that word that I couldn`t stand still and I started singing and praising the name of Jesus right in front of that prison and the people that were waiting on line were looking at me and thinking I was a crazy foreigner that had a relative inside or someone I knew.
The line kept walking and I could still hear the voice of the pastor explaining to me how did the whole prison ministry started and about the hardships of his ministry. I was right in front of a hero in our faith and he was definitely a miracle. He was so in love with God and you could see in the pastor`s eyes that he loved God above everything else in life and he loved the lost souls inside of that prison. He was willing to give his own church to be full time as a counselor and pastor of that prison. He helped the prisoners in everything they needed from lawyers to supplies of food and clothes.
It was a very tight security and it took us close to an hour to bring all the equipments and boxes inside. Everything we had were checked by the prison guards and they were very tense you could see that because I tried to be nice to them by trying to talk to them but they didn`t even look me in the face and they were short and mean. But I was willing to shine the light of Jesus in that day but it wasn`t working maybe it is because of my Spanish. Maybe not!!!
After they were done checking everything we had and checking out our own bodies if we were bringing anything illegal to give to the prisoners they let us go but the funny thing is that they didn`t want us to go by ourselves because of security reasons. I remember walking inside of that prison and thinking the prisons in Brazil are luxurious mansions compared to this one. The structure was horrible and falling apart and it was a dirty place full of people with mean looks and tattoos. All the prisoners were checking us out and they wanted to jump us. Some of them asked me for money and some of them even threatened me to give them money. I wondered to myself “Are these guys going to be in the chapel this morning for service because if they are I want to leave?” The prison guards were protecting us and they made sure nobody would touch or steal us. One guy heard I was going to be the speaker for the morning chapel and he started yelling and telling all of his friends that a Brazilian preacher was going to be there that morning. He was very excited that he went through his whole section announcing there was a Brazilian preacher there and everybody had to go.
I was shaking during worship time and I was crying out to God and saying God “what do you want me to speak this morning?” and God said speak about my restitution and just tell your story to these guys. I remember after 4 songs in Spanish the pastor got up to introduce me in front of that big crowd and I remember I was sweating and I wished God would take me out of that place because first I was going to have to preach in Spanish. I can understand and speak Spanish very well but I had never preached before in Spanish. I thank God now for all the classes I had taken of Spanish in Brazil and all the Hispanic people God had brought into my life years passed. I had many friends from Spanish speaking countries and I kept in touch with all of them and now I was desperate for God`s help.
I stood up and suddenly something happened inside of me. I knew I was just like Moses because in that moment I felt like I couldn`t speak and didn`t have the words for that type of crowd. But the Spirit of the Holy Ghost fell upon me and I remember I said good morning church. And to tell you the truth, it was one of the best experience of church I have had in my life because I heard God`s voice and I saw God manifesting himself in ways I had never seen it before. The worship was genuine and those guys you could see they were really hungry and desperate for Jesus. Jesus seemed to be their everything and they knew without God they were done. They knew their sins were too big and they knew that God was bigger than their problems and sins. They were crying, kneeling down, jumping, praying during worship and now I was looking at these guys with a different eyes. I was looking at them not as prisoners but sons of God. They were physically in Jail but their Spirit wanted to be free or better saying I believe most of them were free in God.
I stood in that pulpit looking at the audience and I could see some familiar faces from the moment I came in and they were asking me for money. I don`t know how long I stood there but I think couple of minutes and all of them stood there waiting for me to start preaching. They were staring at me and hoping I would say something that would change their lives. I was praying inside and asking the Holy Spirit to anoint me and suddenly the power and anointing of God fell upon me and I opened my mouth and I started declaring in the spiritual world that God was going to do super-natural things that morning and I started calling things that didn`t exist like they were and God started doing some crazy powerful things in that prison. I told all of them that God could restore their lives and families. Their past was their past. Their past didn`t have to determine their present of future. They were so passionate and ready for change and in that day many but many accepted Jesus Christ. It was hard to count how many accepted Jesus Christ but a Christ revolution was about to start in that place. Many of them came to the altar call crying and screaming for Jesus to come and change their lives and family. They felt really encouraged by my testimony and they started believing they could so it too. Until these days, almost two year later I still hear about what God did in that prison in that day. Many started reading the Bible and obeying the prison system because now they were willing to fight for purity and their families. They are walking in victories now and many of them have left and they are doing good. I still hear from my friends in Peru that the fire that started that day has not stopped but it is growing and it is spreading across the prison guards, family members and different cities that are involved in the prison in anyway.
I love South America and I know God is going to raise a generation that will follow God 100%. I know we have problems with idolatry, extreme poverty, millions of street kids, child prostitution, child slavery, forced prostitution, killing addictions like alcohol and drugs that are destroying families, unemployment, huge slums with horrible conditions but still God is raising up a generation that will change the face of South America. It is time for South America and I know we will fulfill God`s calling in this era.
No comments:
Post a Comment