Monday, April 4

OH MY GOODNESS!!!  SOOOO MUCH JESUS!!!!  HOLY SPIRIT!!!!

Haha.  Holy Ghost high. Tonight was amazing, but I’ll start this blog entry at this morning.

This morning Bree and I woke up and called our department’s office at the school to find out what time we were supposed to take our placement tests and Bree called and spoke to the guy in Spanish and he said something about “A partir de las 9:00…”  So we thought that meant we could take the test anytime after 9, so we got ready and headed to school.  When we got there we found out we don’t take the test until 3.  Fail.  I guess the guy on the phone said the office opened after 9. 

So we went to check out a cheaper hostel that we found online last night.  Only 9.99 euros a night.  We found out they had open rooms and we could check in after 2, so we happily went back to our hostel near Plaza del Sol (#2) to pack our suitcases and check out.  Then we waited in the lobby on the internet for an hour and headed out to drag our suitcases to hostel #3, which is right by Plaza España.

We checked into our hostel and went back to school for the test.  We had a short orientation and then took the placement test, which I apparently am still an extremely slow test taker and I didn’t finish it…  We’ll see what level they put me in and I might switch.  Anyway… after the test we ate in the cafeteria (can’t beat the prices!)  and then headed to Plaza del Sol to check out La Sala de Oración (the prayer room). 

On the way over I was feeling super down.  I was feeling super convicted of sin in my life and Satan was trying to weigh me down with so much condemnation.  Conviction is good, condemnation is not.  So I was looking forward to spending time soaking in God’s presence in the prayer room SO MUCH.  I told Bree how much I needed it (and how I hoped it was like IHOP!)  and she told me she hoped I wasn’t getting my hopes up too much because she didn’t want me to be disappointed if it wasn’t what I was expecting.  I told her I didn’t care what it was like—I just needed some refreshing from the Lord. 

Needless to say, I was NOT disappointed.  I received even more than I was expecting!

As soon as we entered the prayer room I felt the immense peace of the presence of the Lord.  It felt like a sweet breeze gently lifting the heavy burden that was on me.  It was EXACTLY like IHOP, except in Spanish (which may even be better! Haha!)  There was a young lady leading worship on the keyboard and singing, just adoring Jesus simply yet profoundly. 

I’m not sure what scripture the prayer leader was reading from, but it was just what I needed to hear, about Jesus cleansing us from our sins and giving us peace with God.  Oh man, I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so appreciative of what Jesus did for us on the cross.  I went from feeling heavily burdened and convicted of my sin, to hearing the Word of the Lord speaking about how Jesus died so that our sin would no longer separate us from God.  How many times have I heard this?!  It’s the Gospel.  But it hit me hard today.  I’m sure I will continually get deeper revelations of the significance of what Jesus did throughout my life, which is awesome because it’ll keep me from taking the gift of salvation for granted.  Thank you for your grace and mercy Lord!

The worship leader was singing “Nos hiciste, nos lavaste” (You’ve made us, you’ve washed us).  Then sang Angus Dei “Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns.  Holy, Holy are You Lord God Almighty. Worthy is the Lamb. Amen.” But in Spanish of course. Awesome worship. 

Then there was a time of intercession for a few groups they sent to Czech Republic, and for a group that is going to go to Portugal soon.  Then they prayed for the street evangelism that was about to take place right outside in the Plaza del Sol.  Evangelism powered by intercession first!  

A few people introduced themselves to me and Bree and invited us to go evangelize with them.  Every single person I met there tonight is FULL TO THE TOP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!  I asked if they were affiliated with IHOP and they said they are inspired by IHOP and follow their model, but not affiliated, which is just as good to me!

Bree was feeling sick so she went back to the hostel.  L  She’s sleeping now.  I hope she feels better tomorrow. I can’t wait to tell her all of this tomorrow morning!

So we went out to do the street evangelism.  What they do is so effective.  And they do it almost every night!  It’s all explained on the Ontheredbox website I posted in my last entry.  They take a red box that they use as a platform for whoever is speaking.  They open with a man (I think named Dan, maybe Dave…) who announced for all to come and listen to the message they’re about to present and announced numerous times that it is free and they’re not asking for money (normal street performers are very persistent in asking for money).  Then a sweet lady (I think her name is Martisana) brings out her guitar and sings two songs full of the Gospel message.  WOW.  This lady is anointed!  The words of her songs are full of truth and she sings them with POWER.  Then the guy who announced introduces the guy that will be giving his testimony (in 2 minutes).  His name was Jesus.  Then there was an introduction for the guy giving the message.  His name was Claudio and he was from Romania, but his Spanish was very good, and the announcer translated every sentence into English (for the tourists to understand the message).  He shared the Gospel (including the whole truth about how we are sinners and we will go to Hell unless we give our hearts to Jesus).  He did it through an illustration about his wallet and how we can’t buy certain things, like joy, peace, entrance into Heaven...  It was so powerful.  Then the announcer invites everyone to talk to us about their relationship with God and everyone from Kilometro Cero (who have been listening intently feigning to be normal audience members) breaks out their tracts and engages in personal evangelism.

I met a girl named Brittney from North Dakota who just arrived in Spain Saturday and is interning with Kilometro Cero.  I hung around her (both of us being first timers, the others at Kilometro Cero told us to just watch and observe how things work) and we got to know each other while the others did the personal evangelism.  Brittney and I shared our testimonies with each other and she is SO MUCH LIKE ME!  It’s funny.  She is a missionary and grew up in a Baptist church and her relationship with God got real when she was in mentored by her youth pastor in high school and grew immensely when she discovered the real power of the Holy Spirit.  She also loves IHOP  J  She had been to Madrid five years ago and worked with Kilometro Cero.  Since then, she has been working as a worship leader at her church and finally got the opportunity to spend two years here interning with Kilometro Cero.  I hope she doesn’t mind me sharing all this with you all.  If she’s as much like me as I think, I don’t think she will mind.

After a time of evangelism, we regrouped and began round two, which was the same format, except all women did the ministering.  Martisana did worship for both rounds, but this time there was a new person introducing, giving the testimony, giving the message, and translating and this time they were all women.  They preached the message equally powerfully as the men.  The girl who introduced was full of POWER.  I noticed this earlier in the prayer room when she prayed.  When she called people to listen, I know she got their attention.  I met her later and her name is Luci.  She’s 21 and from France.  The girl who shared her testimony’s name is Andrea and she’s 20.  When I spoke with her before evangelizing she seemed very timid, but when she preached her testimony is was bold!  Then Glenda gave the message and shared the Gospel with all the important points and she preached with sincerity and authority.  It blew me away. 

Can you all tell that I am very impressed with this ministry?!  Lol.

After the evangelism, we all went back to the prayer room café for coffee.  There I got to meet more people and talk more.  Julia is the woman who was translating for the female ministers and she and her husband are the ones who started Kilometro Cero 23 years ago.  I talked to her a lot and asked about how it started and things like that.  She is an amazing woman of God.  We all helped clean up and Julia and Brittney walked me back to my hostel and we got to talk more on the way home. 

I feel SO EXTREMELY BLESSED to have met all these people.  I am going to learn so much.  I talked to Julia about how I am going to be a missionary and God has been teaching me and preparing me and drawing me closer to Himself over the years, but I have never had any training or much experience with evangelism.  She assured me that this is the place to get it!  Woo!  God has certainly led me to the right place!  This is the greatest gift I could have asked for God to give me while I am here in Spain, and I hadn’t even thought to ask Him.  He knows what I need so much better than I do!  As always, He is Faithful!

Well, I’m going to try to go to bed now.  Maybe the Holy Spirit high and the coffee have worn off enough so I can fall asleep! 

Love you all!