The Unexpected

Please check out the photos after this article!

When the GAP team from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary met for their orientation, we prayed that God would “do the unexpected” during their time in Uruguay. The team was going to be working in the Pocitos area of the city and they knew it would be a difficult task to reach the wealthy of Montevideo with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Historically, the people of Pocitos have been obstinate and closed to conversations about Christ or spiritual matters. This past week we saw Go do the unexpected in many ways.

It is at this point I must emphasize why God was able to do such a great work. The answer – prayer! The Southwestern team was very serious about their time in prayer throughout the week and especially during the days of prayer walking. They unashamedly prayed out loud in the parks, streets, and plazas. It was not for show (most watching would have no idea they were praying), they truly were entreating God to move in and through them to make an impact on Montevideo for the Kingdom of Christ.

The following is just a brief description of all that happened this past week. We praise God for His faithfulness.

• The team passed out over 3,700 Gospels of John to homes and apartments along the coast in Pocitos.
  
• God opened doors for us to reach a high percentage of high-rise apartments. The guards were very helpful and actually helped us deliver many of the Gospels. We received a call from an individual who received the Gospel and read the entire book the night he received it. God was truly working!
  
• Seven homeless people prayed to receive Christ outside of the hotel where we were staying. By the end of the week they were having Bible studies in a grassy field on the corner across from the hotel.
  
• The team passed out hundreds of Gospel tracts and had opportunities to share their faith with several people on a deep basis.
  
• A "person of peace" was discovered in one of the apartment buildings that is willing to open his home for Bible studies.
  
• The Southwestern team held “worldview interviews” with the people of Pocitos. This was a tool to help better understand the mindset of those we were trying to reach. It also provided an excellent opportunity to invite the participants to an event where we shared an introduction to our culture along with an invitation to better understand the Gospel.
  
• Nineteen guests attended our reception for our worldview participants!! This was huge, as thirteen of the individuals signed up to be involved in an Alpha Course. Pray that these participants would come to understand true Christianity and accept Christ as their Savior.
  
• Throughout the week, the team talked with atheists, Buddhists, agnostics, Catholics, Jews, spiritists, pantheists, teenagers, senior adults, rich, poor, businessmen, maids, and homeless people. The Gospel was shared with many people. Pray for their salvation.

Thanks for your prayer support for this team. We continue to be amazed at all God is doing through GAP. Please pray that God will guide the future and that more teams will come to help us share the Gospel with the people of Uruguay. We need your help!