Proclaiming the Gospel on July 4th in Nicaragua

We started off our day on Wednesday July 4th by asking God what we should do that day.  We lately have been asking God to direct our steps and lead us to where we need to go.  The results thus far has been great.  So our leaders had some things to take care of and told us the night before what we would be doing and had us pray about our groups and where we would be going.  I was praying and all I saw was Hope’s face.  Hope is one of the better Spanish speakers we have in the group and she is really great.  

 

The next morning I woke up and we figured out our groups and set out on the road.  We felt led to go to the barrio that was closest to our house and do prayer walking.  So we walked and prayed then decided to sit by the school and prayed for the school and teachers and the children there.  We were done there and again asked God what to do next.  We felt led to go to the town square in Diriamba and pray and talk to people there.  So as we walked toward town we had a really good feeling.  As we were getting closer to town we saw Alex.  He lives at La Quinta with us and speaks English.  He greeted us and said “Up there you will find many people, but do not be afraid.”  Upon hearing that, we weren’t sure what to think but we pressed on.  
 

As we turned the corner into town we saw a parade with a marching band, dancers, and close to one thousand Nicaraguan school children wearing their uniforms.  Diriamba is a usually a pretty quiet place with just a few people in the streets and a few people in the park square.  So it was a good thing that we met Alex and he warned us.  Later we found out that is a was rally against drugs.  One of the people in the parade was carrying a sign that said “Continue without stopping.  You have the strength to continue.”  I knew that was from God to us.  We continued walking until we got to the square.  There were kids and teenagers everywhere!  It was crazy.

We started prayer walking and I felt like we needed to claim that park for the Lord.  So we walked and prayed out loud and got tons of stares (which is normal) but I know they weren’t just staring at us because we were the only four white girls in the area, but they were staring at us because they saw God’s light in us.  We walked in a bunch of circles around the center platform and up and down all the pathways claiming it as holy ground and praying for all the people in the area.  
 

I have never been able to have visions from God before.  It was something I had wanted but never experienced; until this day. I got a vision of a church service being held in that square.  I saw a huge mass of people falling to their knees worshiping God.  It was beautiful.  A little later we were sitting on a bench looking at the trees and I saw flames.  I just saw the whole place on fire.  It wasn’t a fire of destruction it was the fire of the Holy Spirit.  Incredible.
 

We walked and prayed some more and talked to a few people.  We then ran into Carlos. He lives with the other team and is so sweet.  He also speaks English.  We said goodbye to them and continued on.  
That was when things got really interesting.  I got yet another vision.  I saw me standing on the platform preaching to all the people in the park.  I was sure this was a mistake.  I have never preached to people I know, let alone people that I have never met and don’t speak the same language as me.  For a while I have felt like I have had the gift of public speaking but have never felt called to use it.  This all changed.  

Through a long series of diving appointments and acts of God, we met back up with Carlos.  This was good because I know about twenty -five words in Spanish.  I told him what God was telling me to do and without hesitation he said “Let’s go!”  
 

Just as we were about to go up, fights started breaking out.  Every person on the square started running toward these fights.  I know this was the enemy trying to discourage me but I said “No way!  You won’t get me down!!”  God told me to wait a few minutes until things calmed down so we waited and prayed.  Meanwhile, I was shaking like a leaf, my legs were trembling, and I was sweating profusely!  I couldn’t believe what I was about to do.  Finally, everything calmed down and I knew it was time.  So together, Hope, Sarah S., Melanie, Carlos and me walked up the steps to get this started.
 

We called out to the people standing around to get their attention.  Ok, this is it I thought.  God had given me this assignment and I know I have the abilities and tools to do it so there is no stopping now.  I had got the verse Romans 6:23 in my head.  It says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus.”  As I was speaking, I remember reading that verse from the bible and not much else.  The rest of the time I was up there was pretty much a blur.  I can truly say that standing there in the town square in Diriamba, Nicaragua, the Lord was speaking through me.  The Gospel was proclaimed right there by a white girl, with the help of Carlos translating.  It was not Hannah talking, it was God.  All the glory and all the credit goes to him.
 

After that I was exhausted and probably could have passed out if I would have let myself.  We turned around and saw three girls that we live with at La Quinta.  They had come to see what we were doing. It was incredible to see their smiles when I turned around.  We talked to them for a minute, had one more conversation with a man then walked home holding hands and praising God.  Our God is so amazing.  What a great heavenly father we have.