Two weekends ago, the Micah boys went out into the rugged and sparse terrain of eastern Honduras, a frontier-like land that is famous for knife fights between drunken cowboys. The boys had been invited by a village called Catacamas to hold a vigilia, which is an all-night praise and prayer service. When the they got to the village, they began to go door-to-door through the streets, inviting people to the town square for the vigilia.
The boys led the worship for hours that night. Through drama, testimony, and song, they presented the message of Jesus to these people who live their lives in the fields and mountains. At one point on that starry night, as Marvin, our resident singer, was singing about the love of Christ that took him to the cross, a transformation came over him, and he sang more powerfully than ever before. In that moment, many of the weathered faces of the people participating had tears running down their faces.
That night, three people accepted Christ as their Savior. The boys, after the night of worship and praise, and after a five-hour bus drive, came back to Tegucigalpa, tired but excited. Instead of going straight to bed, the boys sat around the table and talked about the event and the people who were saved. They all agreed that the Holy Spirit moved in amazing ways that night.
As the boys begin to see evidence of God's power in them and through them, they begin to take steps of incredible growth in their Christian lives. From a new intensity in the study of God words, to seeking forgiveness among each other, to reaching out to neighborhood boys who are not Christians, our boys are bearing fruit in awe-inspiring ways.
The love of God is blooming in the hearts of these eight boys. And, rather than expressing this love in words only, they are developing a sense of compassion that is rare in those who are so young, and, in fact, rare at any age. A couple of weeks ago, two mentally-retarded brothers named Walter and William showed up at our door. They had been in the same organization that most of our boys came from, but had to leave when it closed its group homes. After staying home for a couple of months, both teens took back to the streets. When our boys saw them, they brought them into the house. After feeding and bathing Walter and William, a couple of the Micah boys went to their rooms and came back with their own shoes, pants, and shirts and gave them to the boys so that they could wear them back home.
The fruits of growing faith are not only being expressed on the outside,
however. In one or two of our daily Bible studies, we have reflected
on the fact that it is hardest to have compassion for the people we live
with. And often in the Micah house, there are small conflicts between
the boys that grow into bigger ones. One Monday evening, we decided
to have a small reflection time to clear the air of a few small conflicts.
I told the boys that it would only last an hour. But as we went around
the circle each one opening up any bitterness that he harbored toward the
other. One-after-another, we were convicted of things we were doing
to hurt others, and one after one we asked and received forgiveness
(I say "we" because all of the Micah staff was involved as well!)
That night, not only small conflicts in the house were resolved, but
profound healing took place, healing that touched the wells of pain that
were dug in the years of household abuse and the years of life on the streets.
Especially powerful was the change in David. Whatever the terror that David had suffered as a child, it had completely bottled him up emotionally. He was not able to cry, to laugh, to get angry, or to love. Whenever something painful would happen, David would only giggle nervously and pretend it wasn't happening. Likewise, whenever one tried to complement David or talk to him about his life, he would shrug off the attempt with a joke or a nervous laugh. If any of our boys needed to feel God's love, it was broken-hearted David.
On this night, several of the boys apologized to David for making him the brunt of their jokes. As we told David how much we appreciated him, he put his head in his hands and began to weep. For the first time in the three years that I have known David, I saw his true person come out, breaking through the solid barrier that he had constructed to keep the pain safely locked away. When I saw David weep, I knew that our God truly is a God of miracles!
I can honestly say that on that night, I saw the Holy Spirit move in ways that I have never seen before. Our one hour reflection time spanned more than three hours, but none of us were aware of the time. As we prayed, arm-in-arm to end the evening, a power coursed through our bodies and our souls that I personally have never felt before. I admit, that, though I have been a Christian for a long time, the way the Holy Spirit works in our lives is still a mystery to me. Yet I can attest that, on that night in the Micah Project living room, he presented himself in power and in love, and wrought a beautiful new work in our lives.
It is impossible to live and work with these boys and not be changed by them. As I see them read the Bible for the first time, it is igniting in me a new period of growth as well. As I see the Spirit reach out through them to those who do not know Him, it is expanding my own faith in the miraculous ways that he works in his people. I count myself very fortunate to be in the position to be used by God in these boys lives at this time!
At the same time, I feel a tremendous responsibility to share with you what is happening here so that you may also be a part of this profound time of growth. Here at the Micah Project, we know that many of you are giving a part of yourselves to the boys and to the project--through your prayers, through your financial support, and occasionally through visits! It is hard for me to put into words the miracles that I have seen and been a part of through the Micah Project. It is my prayer that God would communicate through these poor lines I write to help you to be a part of what is happening!
People who have visited the Micah house often remark that they feel incredibly comfortable and at home in the house and around the boys. One young man from the diplomatic corps of the American embassy turned to me after spending the evening at the Micah house and said, "you are one lucky man!"
I wish all of you could spend a couple of days with the Micah boys. At the same time, even if you can't be here physically, please know that you are a part of this miracle. We know that through prayer, Christ unites us, and through prayer, mountains are moved. Your prayers are moving mountains here in Honduras!
We would also like to thank you for your financial support that is giving us the physical place and materials where we can undertake this profound spiritual work. You have put food on the table, books on the shelves, sheets on the beds, and clothes on the boys. More importantly, your support allows us to travel all over the country in ministry, and allows us to do all that we need to do to minister to the boys.
You may send future support to the following address:
"The Micah Project"
c/o Mr. Randy Mayfield, Missions Director
The Central Presbyterian Church
St. Louis, MO 63105
For more information, you can contact Randy Mayfield at (314) 854-0133. We would also appreciate your e-mail down here in Honduras. Our e-mail address is migsmil@hotmail.com.
Thank you for sharing this mission with us!
Sincerely,
Michael Miller
The Micah Project.
"He has shown you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord
require of you? But to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
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