Today I returned from a 4 (and a bit) day trip to Ibiza where we endevoured to encourage and support the 24-7 prayer community that is being established on the island (Check out Brian's and Team Edmond's blogs for more info). The summer season doesn't start for a few weeks, so it was a chance, as a team, to see the island and in particular the West End, in a slightly different light than usual. Instead of it being overrun with young pink holiday makers, wearing next to nothing, it was dotted with older people shopping and taking pictures of themselves in front of landmarks, like trees. The weather was cloudy and spitting all week (yes, I know!), but I think this was God's way of testing our motives for going! Each day we went to a different spot of the island to walk and to pray. It was a time, once again, where God really spoke to me of His beauty through creation.
The one experience I really want to share with you happened on the last full day of our trip. We spent the day praying around the bars and clubs of the West End in San Antonio asking God to speak to us. As I was walking I came across a place called Bar Amsterdam, which had lot's of graffiti all over it. As I stood under the yellow canopy that covered the front door, I was surrounded by names of people who had previously been there. It felt a bit like a prayer room! As I was praying for the different names, I came across a group from Swansea, my home city, when suddenly it hit me. I don't know why it hadn't before, but at that moment I realised that what the guys in Ibiza are doing is for more than just the island and the individuals that go, but they are reaching out to the young people of our nation. The young people from our cities, our towns our streets.
If God were to move in Ibiza it would affect the whole of the UK.
I began to see how strategic this place is in reaching our nation. It's more than just a summer thing. I could see Ibiza becoming a place where missionaries are sent back to the UK with the name of Jesus on their lips and a passion burning in their hearts to see His kingdom come.
So anyways, later that night I bumped into a friend from school that I hadn't seen for 8 years who now lives on the island. It seemed really random, but it just reinforced my thoughts and feelings on how our home cities and towns can be reached through this place. So many young people from Wales go to Ibiza each year and I long to see change in their lives.
My prayer is that Ibiza would no longer be a place where people feel they need to escape from life, drinking themselves to excess and wrecking their bodies with drugs. I pray that they would go because it is a place that gives them life and life to the full through Jesus. That they would find the love they are looking for in Him and not in just the physical act of sex with a stranger. I pray that Ibiza would be a catalyst for spiritual change in UK as it is for so many other things, that His name would be above any other.
This week has been just what I needed with a good mix of work (gardening, painting), rest (lot's of eating and chatting) and prayer. I encourage any of you that is passionate about seeing God redeem the club culture or wants to reach out to their generation to pray about going on a team this summer to Ibiza. Check out this website for more details.
Thank you for your prayers when I was away, and please do continue to pray for those who are in Ibiza and who will be going out in the summer.
Hamen.
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