Treasue Hunt

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by the same Spirit. I Corinthians 12:8 Cathedral in Plaza de Armas

After staying in Lamay for a week, we traveled back to Cusco for the remaining week. Due to a lack of permits, we weren't able to perform our drama, so we had to take a different approach.

One morning we started what we call a "treasure hunt". With the idea that God treasures people, we would pray and wait for the Lord to give us a name, picture, place (aka hints) to find God's treasures. These are basically words of knowledge, specific things about people. After we had our "clues" we would hit the street an start meeting people. It is amazing how much more receptive people are when you tell them that God gave you their name that morning. (Maybe He give you their name because they are ripe for the harvest.... who knows.)

Festival of Cusco in the Plaza
(Look at all those people!!)

So on this morning we had waited on the Lord, and had started making a list. After a while Mekala says that she felt like God had given her two names, Patty and Alexander. She is only eight, so I wasn't sure if it was authentic, or if she just wanted to be a part of what we were doing. But we added them to the list along with Dora, Maria, Maybel and some one had a picture of a little boy who couldn't walk, some one else had a picture of a woman in a white jacket who had a heart problem...... there were several clues on the list.

We spent a lot of our hunting time at the Plaza de Armas there in Cusco. And as the next few day progressed we began to hear testimonies of people finding some of the clues on our list. One of them was PATTY, she was the daughter of the hotel owner, MARIA. Maria was new believer, had just gotten a bible the week before we arrived at her hotel. Maria's daughter Patty lived in another city and was going through a hard time. Some of out team was able to pray with Maria, and this was a huge encouragement to her.

The woman in the white jacket worked part-time in Maria's hotel we only saw her once or twice the week we were there. We prayed with her as well. Later we asked Maria how she was doing, her response..... "She is fine, you prayed for both of us, my daughter is much better, so I know that she is fine too." (or something like that, it was in Spanish, and it was a long time ago... but that was the general idea.)

Bembos, the local McDonald's

Remember Alexander, Mekala's other name..... well someone found him too. He worked for the orphanage and was in the Plaza trying to collect money. Our team talked to him and asked him if he knew Jesus. He said that he had, but he had done so many bad things since, that he didn't think that he could know him again. (This is why the Treasure hunt is so cool) They told him how we had prayed and how God had given us his name and he broke down weeping. They told him about God's love and forgiveness and I believe that his life was changed.

If we hadn't waited on the Lord to find out who His "treasures" were, all these people would have been missed. We might have asked how they were doing, and made small talk, but nothing life changing would have come from the conversation. However, when you have a name(s) that you are looking for conversations are different, they are more purposeful. When you meet someone on your "list", you get excited because you know that God has something special He wants to do for them. You don't beat around the bush, you jump right to the point and awesome things happen!

Thank you Lord that you know everyone, down to the number of hairs on their head. And that you Love each on so much that you would send people out looking for them, like the Shepard and his one lost sheep. Thank you for letting us be a part of restoring your flock!