Lasting Impressions of Spain...

Madrid, Spain

Sat April 2, 2011

I'm here in Spain with one week left to go,

One thing I really wanted confirmation from the Lord while I was here was whether I should be in Spain or somewhere more unreached. My hearts struggle was that I heard that Spain was less then 1% Christian, but I wasn't sure if it was unreached in the way that Canada for example is becoming increasingly secular, and so that was why I thought maybe I would go somewhere more in need. I have always been sure of my calling but I felt the location was unclear, and so I was testing the waters to see where He leads me.

The first town we arrived at in Spain was called Siguencia with a population of about 5000 people.(I attached a photo of it for you). Standing in the centre is a huge Catholic church that remains relatively empty even on its best services, and the only other church is the one that the missionary's have started. Then I found out that even with that missionary's church of about 20 people, there are still no Spaniards who attend it, they are all immigrants who mostly were already believers before they came to Spain. This is only one of the small towns, there are so many city's with up to 30,000 people with NO believers NOR witness of the Gospel. The ones that are bigger then that are NOT more reached, its just that they have at least been found to have a small church or Bible study or some recognition of the gospel even though the number of believers is so small compared to the population. I realized that Spain is in fact an unreached country. I realized that there is a big task here in obedience to the Lords work and calling in order to remain faithful to the work and not be discouraged with this hard soil. And so I press on with Spain, I press on with the ministry here. I feel peace about moving here for ministry, and I feel urgency for the work ahead of me.

Pray for the missionary's here that they do not get discouraged with the small numbers and that the Lord would strengthen them in their faithfulness to Him. I'm so encouraged by their commitment to the work before them and their dependency on the Lord for His ministry. God is moving here, He is working in the in the hearts of the Spanish people. 

We are in a region called Guadalajara now, and there is this amazing ministry called METAS that the missionary's use as an outreach centre. Using this centre they have made contacts with Spaniards drawing them into the community of believers where they have the opportunity to hear the gospel and some have come to church through it. The work here is very slow, but intentional, and God is moving. The same METAS program is in that first town that I mentioned as well however the ministry among the Spaniards is moving slower there. Pray that the Lord would move in the hearts of the Spaniards that they have made contact with there as well. 

Anyways, just a little note. I didn't expect to write so much.

Melissa