24-7 global snapshots - 25 Sep 2005
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Young people from Kansas City's emerging Boiler Room driving all night long to pray amongst and minister to those who have lost everything in Hurricane Katrina, which recently devastated the southern coast of the USA...
A South African woman seeing her vision of young people hands raised in prayer fulfilled in a prayer room in Cape Town.... |
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City of London Boiler Room Abbess Jude Smith feeling scared, but knowing that God's favour is on her as she and others explore what a Boiler Room might look like in the middle of one of the most powerful financial centres in the world....
....and 24-7´s Brian Heasley, who's setting up a Boiler Room missional community in the party island of Ibiza, in one of the island's top gay bars thinking "I was born to do this." (don't worry folks Brian means missions! - Ed.)
These are just some of the stories emerging from the 40 key leaders gathered from around the globe for the 24-7 Roundtable are meeting in Herrnhut, Germany (CLICK HERE and find out how this tiny, ordinary place helped inspire the 24-7 movement) to discuss how this crazy, growing movement may look in the future. (more details HERE)
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24-7 USA´s David Blackwell |
The Heasley family who are planting a Boiler Room in Ibiza |
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David Blackwell of 24-7 USA started painting the global picture by sharing how before Hurricane Katrina he felt he wanted the prayer movement in his country to be one that responded in times of emergency - to provide something like an emergency response team both in his country and around the globe. When the storm hit, devastating the city of New Orleans and surrounding areas, a team from the Boiler Room developing in Kansas City drove all night to Houston, Texas feeling they "just needed to be there".
They're now assisting local churches, praying with and helping those relocated to the area after losing their homes and possessions in New Orleans. Many now live in makeshift shelters in sports stadiums.
In spite of their suffering and negative media reports, David said many of the storm's survivors that the team encountered have a sense of joy and peace that God will provide. The team were blessed with a gift of US$500 and used it to buy petrol vouchers to give away to people.
He also described how the team transformed a reception area, where people wait to receive food and clothing, into a prayer-room type space. The team put paper all over the walls, writing statements declaring the goodness of God, and now the room has become a space where children draw scenes of hope.
Another group from California, led by Doug Sala and Casey Johnson, have also headed to New Orleans supporting churches there helping hurricane survivors.
Please pray for God´s guidance for 24-7 USA team members who are still helping hurricane survivors - eight members of the team were struck with illness during their time there...
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Nadine, a youth leader from Cape Town, South Africa, says its significant to her to be in Herrnhut, as the man who brought "salvation and the word" to people from her cultural background was one of the missionaries sent out from Herrnhut in the 18th century. Several years ago Nadine, who has a passion for connecting young people with prayer, had a vision of young people with their arms raised. She soon started hearing about prayer rooms and after hearing about Pete Greig´s Red Moon Rising book and The Vision she realised there was a strong connection with what was on her heart for the nation´s young people.
In a prayer room in her city, she saw young people gathered around, disappointed that they couldn't get in - there was no room. When she went into the room she noticed it was very quiet, but was amazed to see young people, hands raised - praying - just as she had seen in her vision.
Please pray for Nadine and other South Africans who are sacrificing so much (especially financially) to be in Germany at this time to share their experiences with us. Thank God for what He is doing in South Africa and pray that 24-7 can understand more on how to serve this growing movement. |
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Jude Smith, the City of London Boiler Room Abbess, updated us on the latest on the UK Boiler Room focused on one of the world´s most influential financial districts (find out more about how it came about and the location´s amazing connection with John Wesley and others HERE).
Please pray for Jude and others as she builds a team and explores what a Boiler Room might look like in the City of London, which only covers 1 square mile, where 8000 live and 330,000 come to work everyday! |
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Brian Heasley, who moved with his family this year to establish a missional community in the heart of European party island Ibiza, shared what´s been going on in the 6 months since his relocation from Norfolk, UK. He says you couldn´t find two more different places. He shared one recent story from his time there - he said after dropping his children off at school, he, his wife and two DJ friends recently visited a gay bar and club at 9.30 in the morning - where a Christian friend was doing some DJing - he says he realised "I was born for this!"
The Heasleys and the others who are joining them are currently looking for a location for a coffee bar in the middle of Ibiza´s busy bars and clubs...
Please pray for the Heasleys and their team - there will soon be 7 of them fulltime in Ibiza.... |
There´s more stories to come from the International Leaders Gathering in Dresden this weekend - so watch this space!!!!