Tara Eruteya: 0:00

Okay, for those of you who don't know, uchurch has a DNA of missions, a very strong DNA of missions, both locally and internationally, and this is something that has been in the seedbed of our church for a long, long time. And for some of you who have been around for a long time to be able to see the beginnings of that, where, as primarily, most of us were students or quite young and we would just put up our hand and say, yeah, I'm going to go on a mission trip, and you know, different mission trips were organized to lots of different countries, including Sierra Leone was oneago trade out and Tobago. Peru was another one. Jody was super active in South America, you know, with Peru and there was a few others. South Africa was another place that we went to. I think a few of you here went to South Africa. Thailand was another place. We had a lot of work going on in Thailand with some orphanages that we partnered with, and many of you here have gone on missions and I, if you know me, you know I will sometimes come up to you and say, hey, would you like to come with me and go to Sierra Leone?

Tara Eruteya: 1:21

And when you're young I have to say this sometimes, when you're young, it's easy and it's difficult to go. It's easy in the sense that you have nothing to lose and so you don't have anything to screw up, a reputation to screw up, you're not as afraid of flying, you're not afraid of being, you know, stuck on a plane, jet lag, all those things that old people are afraid of Sorry, old people and so you jump on the plane and go. Mostly the only hindrance when you're really young is well, I'm really scared of how I'm going to raise the money, however way you want to raise the money to go, and so we've taken lots of young people. When you get older, it becomes a little bit difficult because we just get a little set in the rhythm of how we do things and how we imagine God is going to use us or in the way that he is, and the philosophy around missions gets a little bit more complicated. I don't know why it does, it just does, and the arguments as to why not to go also gets more complicated.

Tara Eruteya: 2:27

But I want to encourage you know there's a few people here who have, you know, older, and remember Rob and Donna. You guys went to Thailand and I want to applaud. Even Brant and Jen have been on missions several times and I want to encourage every single one of you. If you haven't been yet on a mission trip, I would encourage you to go locally, internationally yes, siobhan, let's go. And, like I see this look on people's faces all the time who shake their heads and they go. No, no, no, this is not for me, and they want to argue with you and tell you that it's not your calling. You know, because you have to be called, which is not true, because you know the Bible says he has called us into Jerusalem, judea and Samaria and the outermost ends of the world. So we're all called. We're all called and you know.

Tara Eruteya: 3:24

The interesting thing about missions, too, is I've seen this time and time again because, again, I came from a background, um, you know, at university, where we had all this philosophical discussions about charity, non-profit, how they do much more damage than good, and you know all these things and sometimes that's true, um, and so you know we came up with this thing Sometimes it's better to send the money than to go, because you do so much damage when you go, and I've seen both sides of the equation, and what I would like to offer you is. This is that I want you to go to receive. Don't try to go to try and give. I want you to go to receive, and we need to start to change the narrative about missions, because it is actually a lot of pride on our parts that we think that we can go to another country to go and give a lot of times, when sometimes all it is is God wants you to go and to receive, and so we get wrapped up in not going because we don't feel like you have anything to give. Of course you don't. Of course you don't. No, it's true, of course you don't.

Tara Eruteya: 4:32

Like I was just with my staff, you know, in Sierra Leone, and we hire these interns, these university interns, and they run a program. I wish Ellen was here today. She's not, because it was her idea. This particular program was her idea, and we run a program called GAM and we're about to start another one called BAM. So GAM is Girls Advocacy Movement and we're about to start one called the Boys Advocacy Movement and the interns teach it, because they teach it to kids in school who are between the ages of about 11 and 18, and these interns are mostly in their early 20s, so they're going to university and it's, you know, sort of an extra job for them and they do such an amazing job in teaching and these kids remember them, they seek after them, they see them on the street. I've seen this myself and they're like Auntie, so-and-so, when are we having our next session? Because we kind of had an unforeseen break in the sessions and so the kids were excited to see it. If I stood up in front of those kids and taught the same thing, it wouldn't have anywhere near the same impact.

Tara Eruteya: 5:36

So of course, when you go you may not feel like you're useful, but it's not the whole point. Sometimes the point is to go to receive, and for me personally I really want to change that narrative. But it's not the whole point. Sometimes the point is to go to receive, and for me personally I really want to change that narrative, especially for the continent of Africa, for all the countries on there, because for Africa it is a continent that has been colonized and has always been taken from. People only go there to go take. The roads are made to take mines and minerals out of the country, not to connect villages, and people go there because they want to go give, but very, very, very few people go to receive. It's a very different narrative.

Tara Eruteya: 6:18

When you go to receive, you're in a place of rest, you're not trying to prove anything. You don't need to justify the $5,000 it cost you to get there because you're trying to lay hands on the sick and make sure you have something to tell people back home. You're just going to go and receive and that's okay. It's okay because there are some countries, I believe in this last days, in these end times, that are going to be the givers for the world, but they have so much to give that and we have a lot to receive that we have not even understood yet what we have to receive. Does that make sense? And so I really want to encourage you.

Tara Eruteya: 6:58

There are going to be some opportunities coming up in the next couple years, and I plant the seeds now for you to start thinking about it, for you to start saving, for you to start removing every excuse in the book of the reason why you cannot go. I don't care if you have IBS, you're gluten intolerant, I don't care. I don't care. I don't care if you don't like fish. Like Christine, she's come, she hates fish, and they serve fish almost every day, and if you tell them I don't like fish, they'll serve you chicken and they put fish on the side. So you know, I don't care what the situation is. I want you to start thinking about going and to start thinking about saying yes to the opportunities that will come your way, because it's going to change your life and I would like for you to try it at least once in your lifetime. The other thing I want you to think about is there are a bunch of young people and I'm looking at you Allegra and Aiden and Stella's not here today and these guys, I'm looking at you, guys, I'm talking to you as well, because guess what? The heritage of missions that we have in this church is what you are going to inherit.

Tara Eruteya: 8:18

I realized when I was in Sierra Leone this time around I'm going to age myself, but honestly, for the first time and please don't judge me, I know I'm a little bit prissy, but for the first time ever going to Sierra Leone, I sat on the plane and I said to God, and I was almost in tears and I said, god, please give me money so I can buy a business class ticket when I go, because it was just like the journey was just, it's the one place in the world that I'm just like oh my god, it is uncomfortable and it's long, and I've never felt that before and I thought, oh no, oh no, I'm getting old, but I want to. That's how long I've been doing this. Before it never bothered me at all, but this one time I was like I just am tired. It would be so nice to just be able to lay flat and sleep on the plane. I offer this to you because this is the heritage that we have been building, and we were not building it for you, we were not building it for ourselves. It is for the next generation.

Tara Eruteya: 9:21

When Jodi went to Sierra Leone, carl, you were part of that for Peru and there's other people who are not here today, but they were part of the process of building not a theology but an ethos of how we do missions, why we do missions, what it's all about and building these things. It was so that the people coming after have this platform that they can start from. And I recognize that and, in all humility, that part of what I do is not just for me, it's for the generation after me. So that was my introduction. That was my introduction, but it was. Basically, if we come up and say, think about coming on a mission trip, don't make any excuses, I'll, I'll. And I'll end the intro with this. Honestly, I say this with every truth.

Tara Eruteya: 10:17

There has not been one time, one time that I have gone to Sierra Leone and I've gone countless of times. I've lost count it. It's probably maybe 25, 30 times by now, easily, probably more. There has not been one time that I have gone that it has been convenient for me. Don't wait until it's convenient. It's never going to come. I run a non-profit, this is my job. It was not convenient, you know, and there's always something. This time it was like oh my gosh, child care, how are we going to figure that out? And there were so many things. It's never convenient, it doesn't always line up and it's always God's will. That's the interesting thing. It's always God's will and you know we can go into all the why you don't go, and you know danger and all that, but you could get killed on the deer foot. There are other ways to get killed. You'll be fine, you will be fine.

Tara Eruteya: 11:11

And if you can't eat the food, you could probably do with losing a few pounds anyway. So it's okay, just kidding. And if you get to go with Brand, you might see him in his underwear True story, true story. He just has no shame at all.

Tara Eruteya: 11:57

So for those of you who don't know what I do in Sierra Leone, I won't go into too much detail about what we do. But essentially, god gave us the mandate of reducing the rates of maternal and infant mortality in the country, and so women and children die quite a lot in the country, and women die giving birth and the highest rate of maternal mortality in the world and also the highest rate of infant mortality in the country. And women die giving birth and the highest rate of maternal mortality in the world and also the highest rate of infant mortality in the world. And this was not a an idea that I came up with. This was something, this seed that god planted in my heart by sharing a vision, uh, to me a few years ago, the one time he told me not to go in that year I spent the whole summer just listening to him, listening to him, and he told me the vision of what he was wanting to do in the nation. And if you, in the Bible, there are two women who died giving birth, does anyone know who those two women were? Yeah, rachel, and there's only two women ever recorded dying giving birth in the Bible. That's right. That's right, so, rachel. And then we don't know the other lady's name, but she named her son, ichabod. The glory of the Lord has departed from Israel.

Tara Eruteya: 13:00

If you look at both two stories and I won't go again because it's quite long to dig into, but Rachel, when you look at it, she actually stole a whole bunch of idols from her father, from Laban, because they were running away from Laban. So she stole some idols from her father and her father came after Jacob, thinking her husband had stolen it. He said what did you do? You stole all these things from me? And her husband said, no, I did not. And of course he didn't know that his beloved Rachel, that he had worked 14 years for, had stolen these things. So he uttered a curse and he said may he who stole them die.

Tara Eruteya: 13:36

And then the next chapter, rachel dies giving birth. Now, I'd always read that story and thought that she died, you know, because of the fertility issues. But no, she died because she was under a curse. And then the same thing with Ichabod's mom, so that was the daughter-in-law of Eli. God shows up to Eli and says I'm not happy with the things that you're doing, I'm not happy with the things that your sons are doing and I'm going to bring a judgment against you. And this will be the sign that I've brought the judgment Everyone in your family will die on the same day. And if you go back and read that story, it's really interesting. Because Israel goes into battle, the two sons die. A messenger comes, runs up to Eli he was sitting he was currently overweight and sitting in the front balcony of his house and they said your two sons are dead. And because of the shock, he falls over and he breaks his neck and dies. And then the news reaches the daughter-in-law, who was pregnant. It was not her time to give birth. She goes into premature labor and she dies giving birth. She dies as a result not of childbirth, but of the judgment on her. This was the message that God gave me when I started Freedom Tree many years ago that when you see this happening, it is not a natural thing. It is because there's something else going on behind the scenes.

Tara Eruteya: 14:52

The other side of the coin is this 20% of the children in Sierra Leone would not reach their fifth birthday. Where in the Bible have you seen? I always refer to the Bible for everything, because everything is actually in there. There's so much context in it. Where in the Bible have you seen children dying en masse? Egypt, where else? Bethlehem? Why, sorry, they were going into, yeah, but why, particularly in Egypt, did all those? Yeah, yeah, because Moses was going to be born, and so Pharaoh knew that. Pharaoh, yeah, knew that, and so he was trying to prevent a special child from being born. And then, when Jesus was born, there was an order that actually went out to kill all the children under the age of two.

Tara Eruteya: 15:49

Sierra Leone is not losing children because it's a poor country. Sierra Leone is losing children because there are special children about to be born in that land that the enemy is trying to prevent from being born, and part of the mission that God has given to me, that I'm honored to participate in, is to participate in this. I hope that before I die, I will see those children with my own eyes who are going to make such an impact in our world and, because of what we have done. We see them live. It's just as simple as that.

Tara Eruteya: 16:22

So that was what took me there to the country, and that's what I've been going over and over again. Now I got this mission and this is where I want to land. I got this mission many years ago when God laid this on my heart and I was single no kids and I thought honestly, like it took me about a probably about nine months before I said anything about it to anybody else and I really wrestled with it Because he could have given me so many other types of missions, so why this one? And I said to God I remember saying to him one time you could have given me agriculture, business, education, like there's a lot of other things, but this one was particularly a vulnerable area for me because my greatest desire at the time. I remember exactly when I got that vision.

Tara Eruteya: 17:16

It was during the week of the royal wedding in 2011, when Kate Middleton got married, and I'm a romantic and I was stuck to the screen watching it and God was speaking to me in one ear and I'm watching this and I'm like, oh my God, no, because my greatest desire was to be married and have my own children and I felt it was a little bit of a laughing matter that he would send me unmarried single to go and try and see how children don't die and how women don't die, giving birth. And year after year after year, in between baby showers, in between bridal showers and I'm getting really vulnerable with you guys here in between it's my friends who said no, because they were pregnant or about to get pregnant or trying to get pregnant or whatever. I would go to Sierra Leone and work and serve in this area, and as much as I was serving some of you don't know this, but as much as I was doing this, it was also an area of pain and I couldn't understand it. So this last week, when I was there, I was absolutely stunned. My staff had told me some of these things that were happening in the villages, so one of the things that we do, and none of them. Again, then she's not even here, carolyn, she's not here. If you see her, give her a big pat on the back because she gave up, along with Jessica Andres and Josiah Sininen, who some of you may know, may not know them, but Carolyn, who is a sister-in-law to Jake down there.

Tara Eruteya: 19:03

For those of you who may not know, her is a labor and delivery nurse and she gave up three months of her life in 2016 to help write a curriculum a prenatal curriculum, in Sierra Leone, and this curriculum we decided we would teach in villages and it encompasses the spiritual, physical and emotional sides of pregnancy and birth, believing that if you impart God's heart and vision towards pregnancy and birth and people begin to grab that vision and walk in it, that part of that would also reduce maternal and infant mortality. It was a hunch. I've never seen this done. It was just a hunch and I said let's do it, let's try it. It is probably one of our most successful things ever. We go into villages and it's 10 weeks, so for 10 weeks, it looks like people, after being in the farm all day, they'll come, they'll gather under a tree. Somebody who has been trained will teach the curriculum for about a couple hours. They'll discuss it on different topics each week, and my staffer told me one of the side effects of this that I didn't anticipate happening, but families were being healed in the process and as I stood, I remember, in this village I stood and I just sat and listened because they came up after another, after another, and they would just share testimonials of what the curriculum had done for them. And it's called a curriculum that's the best name we could, you know, get for it and we decided to teach the curriculum to both men and women. So it wasn't just a segregational thing and you guys like, marriages were, marriages were whole marriages were being changed and I have like video testimonials of it.

Tara Eruteya: 20:52

I was stunned. I had an out-of-body experience because I couldn't understand. I was like God, why, like, how do you do this through me? If you'll know my story, you'll know why this is so much vulnerable for me. You know, and time after time and time again, people would say our marriage is transformed, our family is transformed, and the people who were teaching the curriculum even would say I didn't know this was how I was supposed to relate to my wife or to my husband. I didn't know this was my role as a father and they were grabbing the vision of God for family through Freedom Tree. It was my single, most poignant moment that just stuck in my mind. I have the image of this. You know so many couples smiling and happy and sharing that. And why do I share this with you? Because it's a very vulnerable thing for me. It's because sometimes, a lot of times, when God calls you to do something, he knows why he's calling you to it. Some of you are not able to walk in the place of your destiny because you haven't been able to actually say yes to him in the fullness of everything that he's called you to. Because if you did, a lot of, you would find that it could be in the place of your greatest vulnerability. And that's actually what I wanted to share for you not to shy away from the things that God has put on your heart because it's painful to go there or it's uncomfortable, or you feel like you're not qualified for it, because it's not you that's doing it, it's him. And so you know I stand trusting him for the greatest desire of my heart. That still remains the same, and I'm like you're changing people's lives through this. What about me? And I've walked with him long enough. I wasn't angry this time, I just sat with the question and I wanted to share that with you.

Tara Eruteya: 23:34

There's a story in Genesis that's really interesting those of you who know Abraham everybody here knows Abraham because we kind of are sometimes Christian and you know that Abraham, what did he need the most? A child. How long did he wait? How old was he when he had the? Yeah, sarah was 90. Abraham was 100. As I was pondering over what God did, I found this little scripture Do you remember when Abraham went and he was with Abimelech, there was a king called Abimelech, and if you show the second one at the beginning of the chapter, in chapter 20. So Genesis, chapter 20. And he went to a. I'm just going to read it.

Tara Eruteya: 24:23

Abraham moved south to the Negev and lived for a while between Kadesh and Shur. While he was living there, he introduced his wife, sarah, saying she is my sister. So he lied, essentially, and the king brought her into the palace. And that night God came to Abimelech and said you are a dead man, for that woman that you have taken is already married. Woman that you have taken is already married. So then, after that, abimelech goes and he apologizes, brings like gifts to Abraham. I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me I'm not going to? You know like, please stop this curse on us? And you know what had happened If you read the last part, so go to the next verse. So Abraham prayed for him because God had cursed him. Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his female servants so they could have children, for the Lord had caused all the women to be infertile because of what happened with Abraham's wife. It's a really interesting scripture to me. We don't know how long she was in the palace for, but it was long enough for them to notice that they weren't having kids anymore. But what strikes me is that Abraham wanted to have kids. He prayed to God for years. He prayed to God for years and in an instant, god used his prayer to remove barrenness from somebody else's life. I'm wondering how he felt in that moment, where, in that moment, god used the thing that he was needing, he was wanting, and he prayed for it for someone else. Because I was looking I'm always looking for precedent for sometimes, the things that I'm experiencing in scripture to help give it context, so I don't come up with a theology that sounds good but is not scriptural, and so what I wanted to share with you today is on mission, on your mission, whatever it is that God has given to you.

Tara Eruteya: 26:26

Quite oftentimes it may be, will be the area of a great vulnerability to you. For some of you in this room, god has called you to be kingdom financiers and you don't even know how you're going to make your next mortgage payment. But yet you know he's called you to be a kingdom financier. For some of you, he's called you to speak into families or help families, and you don't think that your family looks anything to write home about. For some of you, he's called you to maybe lead prayer and you haven't picked up your Bible in a year. I'm just being honest, and you don't know how to do that. Or you don't want to do that, or you don't have the desire. But I want to encourage you to lean in into whatever it is.

Tara Eruteya: 27:22

My story is not finished.

Tara Eruteya: 27:24

It's still being written, and so that's why I stand before you quite vulnerable, because I don't want to be like serve God and therefore no. Maybe I needed this more than anything, because you also get authority in the spirit by changing things, because if you have a situation on your hand, you can get victory in your own life, but you really don't have victory until you've actually helped somebody else overcome the same thing. So I want to encourage you all on the mission that you're on the journey, that you might feel disqualified. Don't shy away from those areas in which you feel disqualified. Don't shy away from it. If God has put it on your heart and he's drawing you into it, he's the one that qualifies you. He's the one that does it. There's precedent for it in the Bible, not just in my life. So I will look forward to seeing each and every one of you with me in Sierra Leone, hot and sweaty, and I will introduce it to the wonderful fruit called papaya Brant. Do not say anything, I'm just kidding, but thank you for listening, molly.

Nolly Mercado: 28:50

Oof, tara, I honor you. I always think and I tell people, the most powerful mission on earth is Freedom Tree, because she's fighting against death. You can build villages and social, economic, whatever, but fighting death Wow, tara, only you could accomplish that calling here. You were born to do this. I couldn't you do. Yeah, yeah, Okay, thank you. Good morning everyone. I just came back two nights ago from Israel.

Nolly Mercado: 29:55

Jane invited me to share my heart about going. I don't know how to share because, honestly, like I feel scared to go and I was ready to go before the war, like my suitcase ready, everything, shekels, everything ready. And the war came. So they canceled all the flights and airlines. So I told the Lord why do you? Are you kidding me? You made me plan this trip that I wanted to do all my life and now I cannot go. It was I say why. So after a week he spoke to me and he said I needed you to be ready to go during the war, otherwise no way you will prepare to come during the war. So I say, okay, now I understand, I understand, so when I go? So I'm telling you about my friend Melody. She traveled with me.

Nolly Mercado: 31:03

We met in 2019 in a meeting for Cuba, so they invited me. She was there, she was the translator we met. She's Canadian, but her parents were missionaries in Venezuela, so she speaks Spanish. So we became friends. She had an issue with celiac disease and I always feel compassion for her. She's so loving and beautiful girl. She's 40. No, I don't know how old is she, but she has four kids grown up and her husband is from Spain. So we have a lot of things in common and we became friends.

Nolly Mercado: 31:48

So one day I went to her house. She invited me for breakfast. We were visiting. In the visiting we started praying. In the praying we started doing deliverance and she was healed by celiac disease. So one week later she told me I asked her how are you feeling? Because I wanted to know if she was healed. She told me I'm craving bread. And she went to cops and she bought bread and she hid it in the house, so her kids didn't know that she was eating bread. Okay, so we tested, like for two months to see if it was real or not, and she fighted spiritually, like she fighted, and she told me this and that, anyways.

Nolly Mercado: 32:34

So the trip came, and then I, she asked me if I would pray for a friend of her who had cancer. I don't know this lady. So I went, we were sitting, I didn't even pray, we just were sharing love and this, and so I told about my trip. You know that was canceled. I was so disappointed and I told Melody, melody, why you don't come with me, let's go. She didn't say anything. She was serious.

Nolly Mercado: 33:12

And her friend, who I met that day, she told us if you go, I pay for your trip. And I said, oh my God, okay, but I didn't. I saw maybe yes, maybe no. You know like sometimes people say things and it doesn't happen. So, like 10 days after, I received a huge email transfer for the money for the trip. So I'm fighting.

Nolly Mercado: 33:40

Melody told me that it wasn't for her and I asked her husband. Her husband said, yes, go, so we were, and she couldn't go in December. So I asked my son. I know my son told me mom, if you want, I can come with you, like he feels sorry for me. And I say, okay, I was excited, but let me ask my wife. Two days after he called me mom, this trip is not for me. I had a dream and in the dream was horrible and Josie was telling me we need to talk about this trip, so this is not for me. I say okay, so, okay, so I won't go. I ask Melody again, she's ready and we plan the trip.

Nolly Mercado: 34:30

So that's the story behind why I went with Melody. So the whole friendship had developed in Spanish. She wanted me to speak Spanish so she can practice. So we went. We find out we are so alike like lazy, we didn't like this, I didn't like this food, she didn't like the same food, the room was messy and you know let's go where the room was messy and you know let's go. So we were like kind of relaxed. So I, I was I supposed to plan the trip. She didn't know when I was melody. You know that we're going Thursday. Oh yeah, really yes, let's meet in the airport. Like everything was like last minute. So we landed in Israel. I booked one week in Jerusalem with a previous friend who was traveling with me. Give me the information about a guest house that run a couple from South Africa. So we get there and we didn't have any plan, honestly, like where are we going? I don't know.

Nolly Mercado: 35:50

I don't know where are we going. But anyways, I felt fear. I called Melody twice and I said, melody, we should cancel this trip. Have you watched the news? Yes, don't you think we have to cancel? Well, I'm going. So, okay, I'm going too. But I was scared. My kids called me, alex and Lisa. Mom, are you sure you should? You don't have to go because people give you money. You can say no. I say yes. Another friend called me. You know, nolly, I have been praying for you. You should cancel that trip and go, maybe fall. Okay. So, melody, I think we should cancel the trip. I'm not going to cancel the trip. Okay, let's go.

Nolly Mercado: 36:48

I was scared, but in my heart the calling was bigger than my fear, like I couldn't say no. So I started reading the book of Hebrew, and Hebrew means the river crossers, crossers. Like you have to cross the river. And I say, lord, you have been calling me and I need to go. I need to cross this river, even if I have fear. I don't know if I'm coming back. I was scared but I had the sense of going, like I told my grandkids the last night before I go, you know what? I'm going to the war. And they were oh, are you going to the war, abuela? Yes, I'm going to the war. And then I sent a picture of me in the beach and Liam saw the picture and told Alex Abuela wasn't in the war, anyways.

Nolly Mercado: 38:06

So we didn't have any plan, like it was led by the Holy Spirit, completely, 100%. We both let the Holy Spirit guide us and he brought every day someone to take us to different places. So we didn't have any effort at all. So, anyway, so we went together in the house where we are staying, where people all over the world that came to Israel for the war to help as volunteers like it was unreal people are coming. They. They planned a trip from Germany to camp in the desert. They brought their tents. They camped in the desert to help the farmers to harvest the food.

Nolly Mercado: 39:07

Other people came from South Africa. We met three chief indigenous people, first Nation from South Africa that were in Israel to launch the First Nation's embassy. From all over the world, people, first Nation groups from different parts of the world came to inaugurate the world yeah, the Israeli embassy for First Nations. Because they say that the Jews are the First Nations of Israel, the Jews are the first nations of Israel. And these people were there with us, so we knew firsthand what was happening everywhere. So then we move on and we say, okay, let's go to the Western wall. I haven't been there, this is my first trip. We went there. These people are in black coming to pray and, you know, rock on the wall and we are standing there. So what are we going to do? Let's write down in a paper Isaiah 53 and da-da-da-da-da and put it in these books. So we put it in the books.

Nolly Mercado: 40:43

And then I saw soldiers, young soldiers, 18, 20 years old girls with the uniform and the big guns or whatever. You call the rifle, how do you call that weapon? Call the rifle, how do you call that weapon? Walking on the street and I feel this love for them. I say, melody, let's try to ask them if they want prayer. So we ask them and they say, yes, why not? We pray? And they start gazing. They were like what is this? They never had experienced that.

Nolly Mercado: 41:26

So we saw the group of girls in the uniform and I saw them and I feel like I want to hug them. I say, can I hug you? And they came, yes, they hugged me, yes, and then we saw three boys coming, 20-year-old boys, can we bless you? Yes, please Come. We prayed for them. They were, wow, they look at each other like a wow.

Nolly Mercado: 42:00

And every time was something like this happened. We asked people do you want, you want, bless us? So we spent the time in the western world where people came for prayer with their needs and we pray for them. So another time we took like a golf cart to go around the city. There's no tourist. The tourists left as soon as the war started. There's no people. Every time we saw people and they asked us what are you doing here? And we say we came to bless you. And they say what are you doing here? They ask us like three times. They couldn't believe. And we say we want you to know that you are loved and we came to bless you. So they were touched Really. But people hate us in the world. They say not everyone. We love you and we share about Jesus and the love of God and everything.

Nolly Mercado: 43:15

So one day we took a car like a golf cart with an Arabic guy driving. We say okay, let's take this, because the roads are down and then you have to walk up. You know it's heavy, you feel tired. So we took the car. We finished the tour and we stayed at the juice quarter of the old city, in a marketplace. So we walk.

Nolly Mercado: 43:54

Melody already bought his stuff for her kids. I didn't buy anything, I only wanted earrings. That's it. That's my budget, that's what I'm going to buy. So we enter into a jewelry store and Melody told me I feel we need to pray for this guy. I say, okay, when she feels something, I support her, when I feel something, she supports me. So we were always walking in unity everywhere. So, okay, let's go. So I'm looking for my earrings. Actually they are these, because it's a heart with three parts and I wanted them.

Nolly Mercado: 44:45

And I asked the guy how much. He charges like $400. I said are you crazy? I'm not going to give you that money. I said no, no, no, that's too much, I don't have that money. Okay, what about $? I said no, no, no, that's too much, I don't have that money. Okay, what about 180? No, no, no, no, too much.

Nolly Mercado: 45:04

Oh, before that, melody asked him because she had the burden to pray for this guy. And Melody asked him can we bless you? And he said no, no, no. You can bless my business, but not me. I'm not allowed to receive any blessings. It's against the you know the religion or whatever. Okay, so we say okay.

Nolly Mercado: 45:32

So I'm negotiating with this guy. I'm deciding I'm not buying those earrings. I'm not going to spend $180 in a pair of earrings ever in my life. So I decided not to buy it. And Melody told me, told the guy he was pushing and pushing to buy. And Melody told him you know what? I buy those earrings for her, if you allow me to bless you. We were praying Holy Spirit, give us word of knowledge for the people. Well, jews need to be challenged. We didn't know that, but she challenged him and he needed the money because they have no business since the war and this is very expensive business. So she told her and he said, okay, you know money. Yes, okay, pray for me. So Melody prayed for him.

Nolly Mercado: 46:46

She finished and then I started praying for him and he started what's this? I'm heavy. I don't know if I am having a heart attack. I'm having a heart attack. He was shaking, you are dangerous. He told me you are dangerous. Who are you? Who are you? And I'm surprised what happened? I didn't expect that. Who are you, I can't talk. Who are you, I can't talk.

Nolly Mercado: 47:19

And we were like so we shared, you know, like this is the Holy Spirit, and we shared about Jesus and everything. And he was oh my God, what is this? I'm going to die, I'm going to die, and so anyway. So we finished. I'm going to short this. This lasted like one hour, so I'm going to short it. So we closed the business because that was the deal. We prayed and he gave us. You know, we buy the earrings, so anyways, and then he told me, he told us you know what, can you come back at one? My brother is a rabbi and I want you to pray for him because he just came back from the war and he's so traumatized. Today, five of his friends were killed in the war. Can you come, please Come and pray for him. He needs prayer, he needs prayer. And we say okay. So we left. We had lunch, melody, what are we going to share with them? You know, we were so excited but at the same time, like it's going to happen, it's not going to happen. Well, so we came back.

Nolly Mercado: 48:45

The first guy's name is Avi. Avi told us that he hasn't had any business, so we arrived at 1.30. His brother was there with a customer and Avi was. He called us. He put chairs. His brother was there with a customer and Abib was. He called us. He put chairs, he brought us coffee and yeah, he's with us. He told us you bless me, I have customers, I have customers, I have sales, okay, so we sit there and the rabbi was there selling stuff with the other person, someone. So we are sitting there and the rabbi finish and Avi called him Like they were speaking in Hebrew blah, blah, blah, whatever. So they came, he came and he say hello to us, whatever.

Nolly Mercado: 49:38

So they came, he came and he said hello to us, hi, he told his brother they came to bless us, they are here to pray for you and he said, okay, yeah, that's good, but let me bless you first. And we and he took tallies, these things that they put, and he took tallies and put us a tallie to each one of us. He covered his head and he started praying for us in Hebrew, praying for us in Hebrew, and we were like in that moment I lost my mind, like I don't know what's going on here. I felt the presence of God falling over us and we were like, but I was like I didn't think what was going on, like it was unexpected and I didn't know it was real. Are they making fun of us? What is happening? So, anyway, so he blessed us in Hebrew and then we told him we want to pray for you. And he said, yeah, pray for me.

Nolly Mercado: 50:57

So he sit down and he told us the story that five of his friends were killed that morning and one of his best friend was in coma. And he told us can you pray for him please? He was in tears, so we start pray for him, please. He was in tears, so we start praying for him and he start oh, what's this Heavy? And he start, you know, like leaning down. We pray for him. And then we told him we're going to pray for your friend. And we told him the story of the general that asked Jesus for praying and he healed him. General that asked Jesus for praying and he healed him. And he says and we told him, we're gonna pray for him, but when you see him, lay hands on him and he will be healed. So he stand crying and he left.

Nolly Mercado: 52:04

He went out out and his brother Abby he was chubby Abby was running around and he went to cry. He's crying. He lost his oh yeah and he was walking like this and Melody told me let's pray for his leg. He's like maybe he has pain. So we asked him do you have pain in your leg? Yes, I have this pain here on my ankle. Can we pray for you? Yes, yes, pray, pray.

Nolly Mercado: 52:42

He was all that we say. He say yes, so we pray for him and his leg starts shaking and then he say, oh, wait, a like no strength. He just I don't know the word like he just lost his strength and he woke up and he's sitting in a chair and he put his hands to you know, lay on the counter, because he didn't have any strength, he was so weak. And then he stand and he say wait a minute, something left me, something left me this side. He was delivered from demons.

Nolly Mercado: 53:42

And he start running around the store saying I'm a new man, I'm a new man, I'm a new man. Who are you? Who are you? Who are you? Who took you here? What are you doing here? And we were like, no, we came to bless Israel and his brother, the rabbi, came into the store and then he shouted from the far away who are you? Who are you? You came to bless us, you see? And the word. We have 45 days of ceasefire now because you came to bless us. Who are you? And they both keep asking us who are we?

Nolly Mercado: 54:32

We know who we are, but they don't know who we are.

Nolly Mercado: 54:35

It was like unreal. So the rabbi came and then he was telling us about all the soldiers have been wounded and this and that. And I told him you know what, before I came and this is before my first trip I had a dream. It was beautiful. In my dream I am telling him, I'm telling you this dream because this was key for my trip. I had a dream in black and white and there is a soldier with his helmet and his uniform, in camouflage, singing a song. It was a song of love and I feel the love of God over me. I start crying. I was sleeping. Love of God over me. I start crying. I was sleeping, but I cry, I cry, I cry. I couldn't handle this love. And the song, the lyrics of the soldier's song, was I understand now why I have this weapon. I understand now why you die for me. I understand now why you died for me.

Nolly Mercado: 55:49

I'm telling this rabbi my dream and I told him I feel the call to come here and pray for the soldiers, the wounded soldiers, and he was in shock. So he said guys, I'm going to tell you. You know, he's very knowledgeable, he's a rabbi. I'm going to tell you. You know he's very knowledgeable, he's a rabbi. He said, to reach that level that you are telling me, you need at least 12 years and I don't know what he's talking about. And he sit down and he start teaching us about Kabbalah and this, the first year you have this. The second year you have this, but what you have? This dream. So he just came because I told him this dream and all the things that are going on and he said I need to bless you more. And he started praying again for us, like the glory of God fall over us. I fall down crying because the glory of God was so beautiful.

Nolly Mercado: 56:58

And his brother, avi, run to all the counters where they keep the jewelry and he start bringing jewelry put Melody jewelry, me this. And he start blowing the shofar Like it was unreal, like I said what is this? You know now we are saying what is this? So what happened? We left and then he gave us. They gave us gifts and gifts Take this, take that. You came to bless us. And Avi run I'm a new man, I'm a new man. I didn't even tell him anything. It was all Holy Spirit revelation. We didn't even talk about Jesus, we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, but we didn't teach anything. It was all revelation of the Holy Spirit. So I'm going to go back to this story. So we left like we were like what's going on, melody we?

Jennifer Reding: 58:15

don't know, what happened.

Nolly Mercado: 58:17

Wow, wow, wow. It's funny because two nights before this happened, I had a dream, and the dream one of my friends told me you don't know, lee, you never will do anything because you don't have covering. In the dream. So I woke up and I told Melody Melody, I had this dream. Do you think it's God or the devil? And she told me oh, I didn't have covering either. I didn't tell my pastor that I was coming. I said well, maybe we ask the kings that are in the other room to cover us because we need covering. And we laughed. It was the enemy.

Nolly Mercado: 59:06

I felt such an honor this time to be blessed by a rabbi. He opened the doors for us to minister to this land. So we went. We keep going, our trip. You know it was everything that we did was this way, like the encounters. So we went to the north and we came back the last day. Ah, the night, I asked her. You, melody asked me do you think we can go tomorrow? I said the Lord told me no, this is untouchable, you don't touch this. I said, no, keep going, let's go to the north or whatever we had. The last day I felt like we should go and say goodbye.

Nolly Mercado: 1:00:10

So we went to the store and Avi was there alone and he said you know that last night a soldier was killed here in this street and nobody is here. We didn't know. So we went and he was telling us that you know, he was heavy because of the situation and everything. So this is funny. So okay, and he asked can you pray for me please? And we prayed for him again and he said wow, this has changed my life. So, anyways, he told me can you bring me a Bible when you come back from Canada? I said okay. So we left, we have something to do.

Nolly Mercado: 1:01:00

When we came back, we walked beside the Bible Society and I said I'm going to buy the Bible for Avi. I bought the Bible. We have to go back to Avi to give him the Bible. So we walked down. You know, down, down, down, then come back. And it was. The rabbi was there. And Avi told us pray for him please. He's going to the war today and he's feeling so bad. So okay.

Nolly Mercado: 1:01:39

So some people left that were there, and so we prayed again and Abbie started running around again I'm a new man, I'm a new man. And then we prayed for the rabbi and he told us you know what? My friend was healed. The one we prayed for my friend was healed. The one we prayed for my friend was healed. And I, wow. So he told us that he took all the bills and he said look, we have to make those payments. We have no people since COVID and this and that. So Melody said let's pray for your bills to be paid.

Nolly Mercado: 1:02:29

So, and Abby told me please pray for fire so my brother can go to the war and no pain. I say, okay. So they closed the door of the stores because they don't want anyone to know that they are praying with Christians or anything. So they closed the door. We are here praying. We took our hands with them and I'll be telling me to pray for fire. I said, okay, I'm gonna pray for fire then. So we start praying and I say, in the name of Jesus, father, thank you fire. And he went oh no. And then I say what happened? What happened? Are you okay? Oh, what's going on? I said, don't worry, it's okay.

Nolly Mercado: 1:03:33

Abby had to leave. He couldn't breathe. He went and he came back. Who are you guys? I'm a new man. Now I can breathe. I'm a new man. I'm a new man. So, anyways, that's part of the main story.

Nolly Mercado: 1:03:50

But this lasted each session, like the first session lasted like four hours and this one like three hours, like it was Holy Spirit moving, moving. We didn't know what to do. We sit down and then they came Can you do this? Can you pray? Who are you? I'm a new man and they pray for me. So it was all Holy Spirit. Like it was so precious, Like the anointing and the oh my God, it was unbelievable. We are still in the glory of God.

Nolly Mercado: 1:04:27

Like you know, like the Lord told me, the harvest is ready, that the workers are few, and I have seen, like a people, all the tourists left, but all the people that have called have been called are there. I met several people with the same journey that I had and we met there my first trip. I never had been there, first trip. They felt the call, they went Like it's unreal what's happening there. There is no tourists. We were the only two tourists.

Nolly Mercado: 1:05:16

We went to the Garden, tom, and they didn't want to let us in because they were closing and we said but we are going back today.

Nolly Mercado: 1:05:25

We haven't been here, okay, so come. And what happened? Nobody was there and they left and they left us in the place with the door locked, and now we need to go. Where are we going to go? No people anywhere, so, but those who are called are there, know that's so many people and I was thinking, you know? People offer us to go volunteering, picking up fruits or, and we both felt we are. We didn't come to pick up fruits, you, we came for a different harvest, so people give their security and everything for the harvest that are in the fields, like oranges, avocados, strawberries. They are risking their life, but we felt like our call was for the people and I'm telling you they are ready. They are ready. We don't have to know. The new generation don't know anything about the Tenak or the five books or the Torah. They just need to hear. They are so hungry, so hungry to hear the gospel. Yeah, yeah, just wait, just wait.

Jennifer Reding: 1:07:04

I really sense, nolly, you have something to pray for us, like an impartation. I might not quite have it right, but I just sense there's something about, because of what you've done, the authority you've walked in, that we would walk into our assignments, that we would walk into our Holy Ghost assignments and pray where we're supposed to pray or lay hands on the sick where we're supposed to. If there's something, does that sit with you? Could you pray that over us? That we would step out where we're supposed to step out I'm talking about in this land Maybe it's in our communities, in our schools, in our business world, and maybe it is overseas but we would step out into our assignments, that anointing to speak and pray where we're supposed to.

Nolly Mercado: 1:08:06

Yes, for sure. Yeah, I pray that these children that you have here, father, will know in their hearts what have you been calling them to go or to do, father, and I pray, father, that they will respond, even in spite of lack, in spite of fear, in spite of anything. Father, you know. You know what God has called you to do. I speak to you right now that you will walk in his perfect will for you, fully obedient, is not about you. You have to die to you to be able to walk. God is on the go. We have been called for his kingdom, for his king, and I bless you to be obedient to your heart. If you don't go, he cannot go, because he and you are one. You are so unique, so unique, built in such a special way. All the places that you have been, all your hurts, all your sorrows are needed for this time. Step up and walk, Amen.

Brant Reding: 1:10:43

This is a special moment, right, kairos moment. Someone sent me this text a couple days ago. It says this we're on the verge of breakthrough in this church. This is a short, intense time of spiritual transition as a new life is birthed. I won't read it all. Do you sense that in your heart, despite your circumstance, despite what you think? He is on the move. I sat with a pastor British Columbia oversees hundreds of churches. We were talking about an event that's coming up potentially and he said I've heard in my spirit, it has begun. Hundreds of churches. We were talking about an event that's coming up potentially and he said I've heard in my spirit, it has begun. It has begun.

Brant Reding: 1:11:36

If you need context to understand what that means, please talk to me. I mean, this has been building for so, so long. Prophetic words, different places Carol Wimber got it years ago because it's something big and we think of big in terms of numbers and things like that. But the bigness is is is this example? So, as tara stands up and and feels to challenge us in a positive way to step into your mission, we've been wondering well, what's the mission of the community? Well, or it's pretty clear, but what's your mission? How does that fit? And as we respond to that, despite fear, despite the circumstances, despite it's not. When I think of your journey, tara, and yours, nali, and all these coffees we've had over the years, you know this would have been unimaginable. You would not have seen a curriculum doing this thing in Sierra Leone. You wouldn't be having these stories if there had been no movement. But you had to step into the trusting of the Spirit's leading. Not that it's so secure and so clear and so lined up and I get all the money first and get everything in my life lined up perfectly. It's this wonderful step of faith that is in trust and as challenging. We're listening to this story and we're going. I'm excited about Albert is his name Avi running around. I'm a new man. I'm a new man. I'm a new man. I'm a new man, and this rabbi that is so steadied up in the grace of God hits him because you were there, because you know they were there, and all we have to do is we just have to show up. It's not about what we know, right. So get ready, father, I just pray. Protection over all of us. This spiritual transition that you're taking us through I don't know how long or what it looks like. But would you prepare us for even those that are not here have not heard this this stirring has been going on in so many hearts that for such a time as this we wouldn't have had all these years of history of the setting up.

Brant Reding: 1:13:49

The way Tara was mentioning this inheritance a heritage in a sense of going in this kind of youthful enthusiasm. That would just go well, let's go. We would go for the adventure, get on the plane. We didn't care if we were in the cattle car in first class. It was like, yes, we're stuffed in here. Get to share the gospel with the person beside us on the plane. Maybe you know Sometimes that one time we went the plane was empty. Remember we got to sleep on seats. We had like six seats to ourselves and you're going. The adventure is so stimulating.

Brant Reding: 1:14:23

But now you start to see the gospel, the life of God. Now you start to see the gospel, the life of God, that what you try to put into words is impartation of him coming through us and all of us can be in that. Amen, amen. I mean I know we've got to get going for the Shanklin girls because they're about to go on a mission End of March, whole family Year long. And what a good way to start. Get baptized for the Shanklin girls because they're about to go on a mission end of March, whole family year long. And what a good way to start. Get baptized.

Brant Reding: 1:14:54

And John Hutch used to say Brent, I believe. I believe when people go under the water, I, we can believe that they, they are dying to that part of their flesh and their fear and everything about themselves, that they will not just get water baptized, they'll come out of the water full of his spirit. They may not even know it, they may not even have words for it, but boy, he's more than willing to infill us. This morning I woke up and remembered what John used to teach, that verb tense ask and keep on asking, knock and keep on knocking, seek and keep on seeking More of your spirit, more of you in us, through us. Amen, father, we're just, we're humbly excited, scared. It's like you're inviting us to step onto a plane to go to dangerous places. And dangerous is not just physical danger. This danger is going to the externals of our comfort zones that we just don't want to go through.

Brant Reding: 1:15:57

This kind of day in, day out, just making it by Father for the generation that's under the age of 20 in this room and those who are connected. God, the spirit, this, this inheritance, protect it, protect it for its fire. I thought you're going to do it here and we'd be here for the rest of the day, but I, if you're into this, I, I just sense, I just submit it to us and those that are praying for this community, in that sense that I see a day coming very soon or maybe it's here, maybe it's somewhere else, but we take three or four hours and we press in, we wait, we listen and we let words come and let him do what he wants to do in us, to prepare us for whatever that is. That would be a very different thing. Hey, let's come for an hour and a half on a Sunday and get a message it would become ready to receive. And I love what Tara said this morning Don't go with something in your head that you're going to give, something You're going to receive.

Brant Reding: 1:17:03

That blessing you got from the rabbi, like, just comes right back at him. In the same way you give, same way you receive. It'll come out of you. Press down, flowing over. It's amazing, amen. We can keep going, you know, but we got time for you.