Habukkuk 1:5
Look at the nations and watch — and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.
Reaching out….
A group of 18, consisting of teens, and 20-40 somethings from Calvary Life Church traveled to Guyana, South America July 18-25, 2008 for a mission trip. Bro. Doug Eccles of Holy Ghost Celebration Ministries set up the week long ministry in several churches and a youth camp that has proved to be a life changing experience for everyone. Click the link below for a series of emails sent home from our Young Adults Minister PJ Martin who was a leader on the trip to Guyana. Also, check out the photo gallery to view several pictures and join them on their journey. In the BridgeBuilder's section of the website there is a video of worship from their trip. Check it out!
SUNDAY – July 20, 2008
Today was a very busy day, we went to church about 9:30 am and then Amy, Angie, Matt and I loaded up in a car and drove an hour up the coast and went to Preach at a church with a very hard Pastor (A Pastor that is very serious and won't talk unless he has something to say). The pastors son came and picked us up, he was a mad man, quite like myself as far as driving. He was going at least a 75-100 mph while we were in the car with him. We arrived at this church and an elder escorted us up to the platform where we sat until the pastor came and met us. The church is probably the biggest in the country of Guyana, with about 250 members, in which about 150-180 were there in service. They had worship which was very good and then I introduced my team and then they each shared for a moment. This was the hardest time that I ever had in preparing for a sermon. I had only a few things on my paper when I got there and still wasn't sure by now. As we began to worship I felt the Anointing come upon me and it was all over me. As I had gotten up to preach, I felt the Lord lead me in the direction of the Holy Spirit and I went with it. I began to preach and all the sudden it all came out and the Lord started moving and I was quoting scripture, like I never had before. I preached for about 35 minutes or so and then the altar call. We started praying as people packed the front of the church and God started moving and people began to be touched. A few hit the floor, the others just danced around and then a man asked me to pray for his wife who had been deaf. I put my hands on both ears and I felt something move and she jerked back and started to cry a little. Then I felt the Lord impress upon me to blow in her ears and I did each of them, I lifted my hands and the power of God flowed through me into that lady, she then again jerked back. I don't know exactly what was going on, however I liked it and to see what God was doing. Angie gave a few words to a couple of people and one to the church, awesome time, the cool thing is, Doug said that it is odd for this pastor to open up and share with people and that he was hard to please, however we got an invite back for next year and they asked if we would come and stay with them. Doug, said that was impressive and that I must of done good for them to invited me back.
MONDAY PM -July 21, 2008
We'll tonight was another Grand Slam, we got to the camp and it was awesome, the people were very receptive to recieve what we had to do. Tonight, was a special night to say the least, Abbi was filled with the Holy Spirit and she spoke in tongues, we had people falling out all over the place and we even got an opportunity to cast out a demon or several. The whole night was awesome, prior to me preaching, I was sitting at a table by myself away from the camp and a I finished my studies and was walking towards the camp, where the Lord told me to go and talkt to this man, so I did, I listened and obeyed and went and asked him his name and what happen to his hand and as we began to make small talk, I just came out and asked him if he was saved, he said not really but his been trying for three weeks, he then went on to tell me that his wife committed adultery with another man three weeks before. I shared with him a few moments and then I asked him if I could pray with him, he said yes and then afterwards, he asked me to pray at the service for his wife and himself. God moved and is on the beginning of a restoration, in his marriage.
One more story, I had a young man come up to the invitation and he had tears in his eyes, it broke my heart so much, because in him I saw Peter. As the tears began to fall, I asked the boy who's name is Jonathan what he needed to pray for and he said he didn't want to go to hell. I started to tear up and I asked him to repeat a simple prayer after me, once he did this I told him that he was saved. He then went and sat down, I called him back up and had him start praying for people and then I looked over and Nathan was on top of him praying in the Spirit, I was so excited.
We received a call last night from the group. Everyone is doing well and the ministry has been great.
Abbi received the Holy Spirit last night -- apparently they called the group up to pray after the sermon, Abbi went to Paige and said, "how can I pray for them . . . I don't have the Holy Ghost"? Paige, along with Elizabeth and Hannah prayed for her for about 45 minutes and she received the Holy Ghost!
Paige and Abbi were excited to see the power of God
Tuesday Night; Guyana 2008 - Day of Camp # 2
Greetings from us here in the land of Banana's,
Today was an adventure in itself, we got to stay around the hotel until about 12:00, then we went to have lunch and some of us got to eat the good ole KFC (Woo Hoo), the rest went for some bar-b-cue and I couldn't tell you the meat, it was eatable though. Today was a long day, we had gotten to camp and started out with a game and a skit, then Kim did the Bible Study with the kids and then we had some activities. Some learned how to play cricket and others went off with the kids to hang out. Some of us ate fresh banana's off the tree and learned how to cut a pineapple. Worship was awesome and of course the word, incredible however the Spirit of God moved again tonight and I just stood back in amazement. I have to be honest and say that we have some young people who can be used by God, what I saw tonight was unreal. To start with, G preached like it was nobodies business, we have been giving the kids opportunity to share a testimony and this has been great, we have learned so much from people we see every week but yet don't really know. Tonight, was great I was in tears when I seen Nathan being moved by God in such a way that people were just were falling out, then you have Abbi, she gets filled with the Holy Spirit and look at her go, her boldness was AWESOME! Josh has been surrounded by nothing but kids since we got here and he has been showing them how to play the drums. I could go down the list which each team member and tell you what God is and has been doing. Honesty, everyone has been moved by God and is doing a great work through Jesus Christ. We finally realize how exhausting this could be for someone who does it all the time, this is where I want to be taken serious, none of this could be happening if the preparation hadn't been made, the prayer and fasting is what I am talking about, the Lord new when was coming and He knew who would be here. The works that the Lord is doing wouldn't be going on if it was for the faithful people at home praying and fasting. We so much thank you and continue to covet your prayers while we finish our final two days.
May God Richly Bless You for everything!
In Him
PJ
Day Three
We'll here is the update for tonight, We got to the camp about 3:30 pm and started to do what we do everyday, some mingled with the kids and others prepared for the service. It seems that every night seems to intensify and get that much better every night, tonight was no exception. We had an awesome time tonight with worship and there were two testimonies by team members Tanya Percy and Angela Gregory. After they finished "G" turned the service over to me and I had Nathan Brand share his heart and he did an awesome job. I than began to speak on "Immorality" and Lust, I believe the Lord through me knocked a home run, we did the human video and then I made the altar call, it was during this time the Lord did some pretty amazing stuff. I made the call for salvation first and about six came up, then I gave opportunity for those who wanted to be filled with the Holy Spirit, then finally we got down with those who were bound by the spirit of lust and more came. We had mulitple people that was saved and some that was filled with the Holy Spirit. We had several come up who needed deliverance from demonic opression and poessions. Everything went great and when we left, we recieved a phone call stating that someone at the camp wasn't finished tonight and that she was possessed with a demon of witchcraft, which is from her Hindu backing. Then the Pastor left and went back to the school to fight with the Demon possessed lady.
I have to tell you that this team is the best team we could have ever wanted, I am so pleased to have been apart of this awesome group of people and for the opportunity that has been given to us. We are night finished, we have one more night to go and are still believing God for greater things. Tomorrow we will be doing a water baptism for the youth at the camp and then continue with the last service.
We will see you soon,
PJ