Hey everyone Abbey here reporting back to you!

My team has been going to La Treinta, a mixed Dominican and Haitian community, a couple times a week and every Sunday for church. La Treinta is known for poverty, drugs, and prostitution. Any time you tell people you were in La Treinta or live there, they will definitely give you a look. Questioning why you were there and most likely assuming the worst. On Tuesday my team was able to go pray for people on the streets. Even just walking a short part of the road we were on, it was dark and there was a lingering heaviness.

We went straight towards a certain corner where you will almost always find someone standing. Once my team got there we split into groups. Half of us went over to a gas station where there was a woman. My team leader, two squad leaders, and myself stayed. We started a conversation with a woman sitting on the corner. Not too far into our conversation a man came over. We had only just started telling her about Jesus when he abruptly came over. He was working and collecting metal from the streets, as he approached us, the woman grabbed her purse. I started questioning if something was about to go down or not. But he set everything down and started sharing his story. 

Alexander is in his mid 30s and is a drug addict. Letting drug addiction take over his life, he fell away from God and stopped pursuing Him. Alexander told us how he was planning on going to Columbia to be a preacher and do what we were doing. He shared his knowledge about the Bible and told us his struggle with his reputation. He went from preaching on those streets to being known for his drug addiction. There was hurt and struggle with his current situation in his voice. He had not eaten in days and would mainly use the money he would get from working for drugs. Alexander lived on the streets and was estranged from his family. Although he had two children he hadn't seen them in years and recently his oldest son came to see him but Alexander was too ashamed to see him and hid. Hearing his story was heartbreaking. 

Victoria boldly spoke to him and shared what the Lord was telling her. She asked if he wanted to be free from this addiction, that was truly taking captive over his life. He threw his crack pipe into the streets and eagerly said yes.

We prayed over him, it wasn’t too long into this prayer he fell to his knees. Everyone moved to the ground and we continued to pray over him. My eyes were full of tears. I was moved by the spirit as I got to be a part of a miracle. After we prayed he moved to the wall behind us and you could instantly see a difference. 

Alexander began to preach to everyone around us and there was quite a crowd forming. A couple prostitutes, a guard, workers from the other side of the street, people walking by stopped to hear what he was saying. It was absolutely incredible. What was even more amazing was that it was just one story from our time there. One of my squad leaders, Lindsey, went over to the women we originally talked to. She prayed over her and another prostitute. Across the street the other part of my team was able to do a Beauty For Ashes teaching, about our view of God. A woman received Christ and a man received physical healing. The Lord was working that day. 

That was all in not even a full afternoon, just a few short hours, or what felt like 20 minutes. I have been blown away by the Lord and how He shows up. We invited everyone to church and we are praying that they will continue to seek out the Lord. Please join me in prayer for Alexander and his salvation. Along with all the women we met that afternoon, they would feel the Lord’s love for them and receive it. 

It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners

Mark 2:17