6-19-08

12pm
Honduras

Today was absolutely amazing. I was totally exhausted when we got up and left for breakfast, but we did a devotion after breakfast that was beautiful. We did four programs today. Emily and I were the first clowns. Those clown jump suits are so heavy and itchy and hot… but it was really fun.
During our first program though, they went and took the us to get a new window to replace the one that broke last night. The bus wasn’t back when we finished the program so we had to walk to the next one. I felt like I was going to die in that suit. I went though two and a half bottles of water within fifteen minutes. The bus finally made it back and took us the rest of the way.
The next two programs were awesome, but the fourth one broke my heart. When they began the altar call, there was one girl that could not stop crying and hugging Natalie. She said she felt lonely and was sick of living that way. She accepted Christ and said she knew she was no longer alone. She told us she felt something she had never felt before; she said she felt like there was electricity coming from her heart.
The next thing she said blessed me so much. She said she wanted everyone to fell that electricity; she wanted to share the way she felt. They prayed with her for about an hour, but I felt like I couldn’t because I was in a clown suit. They gave her a Spanish bible before we left too. It was beautiful. While everyone was praying, I noticed another missionary group here on an independent missions trip. It was awesome.
When we went to eat dinner we began to pray for the girl that we gave the bible to. Dalton received a strong passion for the lost and couldn’t stop praying. The things she had said had changed him. I got off the bus after praying with him, but I couldn’t get Jodi off my mind. I could remember her face and exactly what she was wearing and how her hair was; I remembered how she wouldn’t look at me.
I remember watching her body transform into something monstrous as she screamed on the floor with her sister crying by her side. I remembered how relieved I was when I heard she had been freed. I remember how beautiful she looked the next day. I remember how scared I was during the whole situation, and how much of a blessing it became.
That was the first time I had witnessed any demonic oppression like that. The fist time God used me to cast out a demon. It was the moment I realized how much God can use me and my purpose in life, the reason I’m called to Nicaragua… to bring freedom.
I thought about all of this while everyone was eating dinner. Julia came and prayed with me and we prayed for Jodi. I went to hug her and the chairs we were sitting in began to fall of the edge of the patio we were on. I grabbed her as we screamed. It was hilarious.
When we got back on the bus, I kept singing “peace” by Jennifer Knapp. It goes:
“He’s my light and my salvation, whom then shall I fear.
In the secret place I’ll hide, and pray that I might hear a simple word.
Oh how I would have despaired if you had not come found me there
I can lean against your throne and find my peace, find my peace.”