Honduras. Hardly the first place I ever wanted to visit. Not a hot spot for tourism or evangelism. It’s a small country in Central America, just a little larger than Tennessee, with a population of about 7.6 million. It’s also very poor, the second poorest country in Central America with an unemployment rate of 40%! You won’t find Honduras in many news headlines. It’s a blip on the world scene. Yet this is where God had called me to go.

Officially, 97% of the population claims to be Christians. But many are addicted to religion, ritual and tradition. Most really don’t have a dynamic faith, or know the power of God. Yet revival is taking place and the fire of the Holy Spirit has been breaking out.

This trip was coordinated through my interpreter, Fernando Garay, who I knew from his work with my grandfather. Fernando is a local pastor in Charlottesville, VA who is sold-out for the Lord. As we began making plans, it was clear that God was giving us a great challenge. We were called to go, not to the richest area. Not the nicest buildings. Not to a nice hotel, stadium, or arena.

No! We were going to Chevirito, a place that sounded like the pit of hell! A place so violent and riddled with crime that not even the police would go there. But we went prepared for war. Knowing that God had called us. That the enemy could not stand against us.

Our Adventure Begins

We flew into the capital city of Tegucigalpa on Thursday, May 8, and immediately starting looking around. All of our team arrived safely but not all our gear or luggage. We were missing some lights and a camera. And some of the luggage didn’t arrive until the end of our visit. But we persevered.

I was interested in seeing Chevirito for myself. It was clear why it has a horrible reputation. This, by far, is the worst place I’ve ever been in my life. There was a cemetery at the end of one street, and the spirit of death hung over the whole area. Many people come there to die. Some even drink rubbing alcohol, hoping it will bring death. There were dead bodies on the streets. Others lay dying, or just passed out.

It’s a place dominated by gangs, alcohol and drugs. Cantinas (bars) and prostitutes were everywhere. And the smell was indescribable! The streets were marked with potholes, some up to 4 feet deep. Yet kids were playing soccer all around us.

I began to understand why God wanted us in Honduras. The Spirit kept telling me that our visit wasn’t an accident.

Open Doors

After a night of rest, we began an intense day of interviews and preparation. Over and over, I was amazed how God had paved the way. Everywhere we went, people wanted to know why we came to Honduras. And why, of all the places in the country, we would want to have meetings in Chevirito! This opened the door for me to share the Gospel!

In many ways, our visit was a message to the nation. What was the message? That there is hope! That God hasn’t forgotten about them. And the best place to deliver a message of hope is in the most hopeless area. That was Chevirito.

On Friday morning, Fernando had arranged for me to appear on three TV shows. One was hosted by Eduardo Maldonado. He is very well-connected. A businessman. A radio and TV personality. Once, he was very ungodly, even known as the “Howard Stern of Honduras.”

But everything changed after God got a hold of his life. Today, he is highly respected and known for his integrity. But God seems to be preparing him for something even bigger. He is one of two remaining candidates for the presidency.

In our interview, I told him why we had come to Honduras. But it was clear that this was more than just an interview. God somehow put us together and gave us a real bond.

Later that day, we met again for lunch. While we were eating, the country’s minister of finance, Dr. Rebecca Santos, stopped by our table. It was clear that she felt stressed, and I felt impressed to pray for her.

There didn’t seem to be any immediate change, and she went on her way. But later she called Eduardo and told him that she had never experienced anything like that before. She felt God’s power go through her body. God already was at work.

Gaining Momentum

Another media event was scheduled at the site of Congress.

We had learned that the attorney generals of the provinces had been on a hunger strike, fed up with corruption in the country and government. To demonstrate their concern, they had been camping out in tents in a public square. As another example of God’s plan, our arrival coincided with the end of this strike.

After the interview at the site of Congress, we saw these attorneys, and God made it possible for us to speak to them. I encouraged them to stand for morality and against corruption. But that was the easy part. I told them that the real solution was spiritual. They needed to fight in the Spirit if they expect to win. I pray that these men and women take that message to heart. Their hope is not in political reform but in the power of God!

The Enlace Christian television network was covering this event live, and they interviewed me and gave me an opportunity to minister to their audience. This turned out to be a real Holy Ghost prayer meeting! God gave me a prophetic word for the nation.

That evening, Fernando had arranged for me to be interviewed live on the evening news program on Maya TV Canal 66. They didn’t place any restrictions on what I said, and I shared the Gospel to this nationwide audience!

We were on live TV, and I was shocked when the reporter gave me the last 30 seconds of the telecast. She said that I could say anything! I called on the Holy Spirit and trusted Him. I looked into the camera and told the viewers how much God loved the people of Honduras and that He wanted us to come and bring them hope.

It was an unbelievable moment! Something no one could have predicted.

Hope for the Hopeless

That night, we returned to Chevirito, ready for our meeting. By the time we arrived, God already was at work. Music was going strong, and police were everywhere. We sang! Worshipped! Prayed!

The street was blocked off at both ends, and a stage had been set up at the bottom of a hill so people could look downhill. Power lines dangled all around us. And that is where we presented the Gospel. The Gospel with power!

Eduardo Maldonado sat on the platform with me. He had never been to Chevirito, and, by attending, he showed courage and his commitment to Gospel. He said that it was a miracle that we attracted so many people. I’d guess about there were about 500 there, but they came and went constantly. It was so hard not to be distracted as people roamed the streets and leaned out windows.

Fernando made preliminary remarks and introduced Eduardo. Then he anointed Eduardo with oil and prophesied over him. Fernando said he will be elected president. The crowd stood and cheered.

When I stood up to speak, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit flowing through me. This was a very difficult place to minister, but God was with me. When I gave an invitation, about 80 people came forward.

As I prayed, miracles started happening. A deaf mute woman heard for the first time. There was a woman who life side of her face was paralyzed and couldn’t move her facial muscles and another women couldn’t bend her knees, then. I asked her to step out in faith and do something she couldn’t do before. So she got up and even started jumping! The Lord healed her.

It was a awesome, strange, unbelievable night! God had done amazing things! But what was next?

More Miracles

When we returned to Chevirito on Saturday night, we turned the speakers around so more people could hear the message.

The scene was similar to the Friday night. But, for some reason, as I was preaching, my eyes focused on a drunken man who was roaming through the audience. I sensed that God had something special for him. Before I could finish my message, he began to walk away, and another drunk began fighting him.

I just couldn’t let him go and felt compelled to speak to him. After he turned around and came back, I asked him up on the stage. I prayed for him, and God gave me a prophetic word. He was slain under the power of God and laid on stage for 20 minutes. Demons were coming out of him. It was as complete a transformation as I’ve ever seen. Amazing!

Pastor Jorge has a rehabilitation center where drunks and drug addicts can go to straighten out their lives. It’s a kind of a lockdown. Once they go in, they commit themselves for a year and go through an intense program that aims to straighten our their lives.

Well, after this the man came to his feet, he walked straight to this lockdown and checked himself in, along with two other men. I’m believing that God will finish the work he began that night.

The second night there brought more miracles, and more than 50 gave their hearts to Jesus.

What’s Next

When the time came to leave Honduras, we could look back knowing that God had called us. He had done amazing things. We felt that we truly had given hope to these people who feel so hopeless. We took a stand. We declared war. But the battle isn’t won. Yet. So, what’s next?

We need to pray for the people of Honduras.

There still is a lot of death, discouragement, defeat, and hopelessness in Honduras. God is at work, bringing revival. And we saw some of that in our meetings at Chevirito.

Revival is taking place in many churches. Some even fasted for our meetings. But many are filled with fear and wouldn’t do anything.

We also need to pray for the presidential elections coming up this November. From everything I learned, there is a real possibility that Eduardo Maldonado might be elected president.

If Eduardo becomes the next president as Fernando prophesied, more doors will be open. Christians will be encouraged. We’ll have the opportunity to preach and teach, to pray for people and hold meetings in the big arenas, and to impact more people for Jesus.

And please join me in thanking God for all that He did while we were in Honduras! In one of the worst places on earth, He demonstrated that He cared for everyone. The lowly and forgotten. Those whom society has rejected and given up on, he showed that he is still God and on the throne.

Yes, I’m hoping to return to Honduras. Please pray that God would make this possible! Let’s believe God for even greater things for the people of Honduras in the days to come.