Message from the Streets...of Amsterdam!

It is about 12:45 in the afternoon her in Amsterdam as I take a quick break at a local internet cafe' here in the Red Light District of Amsterdam. (It is six hours earlier on the East Coast, so Melanie is getting Kayla up and ready for school)

I arrived here in the City late yesterday following an unscheduled stop in Dusseldorf, Germany. I was the only member of our team that got switched to a whole different airline before taking off from Orlando on Monday! So I am told that I will have to go to Germany before switching to another plane (and airline) and then flying back across Europe to Amsterdam! Raven Germany...hmmm.

Well it all worked out as a "Divine Appointment" as the airline gave me a couple of hundred dollars towards my next flight and I had the chance to witness and share Jesus in yet another country! As I sat in the airport and testified of the ministry that God has called us to with a Dutch couple on their way home from visiting their son in the States, many ears were listening to our conversation as I told of the power of God saving and transforming lives across the USA and abroad. I have given out many of our business cards to people desiring to see what we are doing and get more information about the ministry.

Upon arriving yesterday, we got situated at the Hostel where we are staying at: this one is a "Christian Youth Hostle" adjacent to the Red Light District. While it is Christian owned/operated, it is open to anyone with jsut a few rules--no drinking, smoking, etc.. You dont have to be a "Christian" to stay there and it is obvious that many of those staying are not. There were a group of 60 Palastinians that checked in just an hour or so ago!

NEWS FLASH!...as I was typing the last sentence a man named "Saba" appraoched me asking for money to eat. He was from Bosnia and was on the streets here. I shared the Gospel with him and then prayed for him! This is as "Capt. John" one of the team members said, "A target-rich" enviroment!

Last night as we made our way through the Red Light District, my heart was broken by the hundrds and maybe thousands of young girls who have been enticed and trapped into a life of prostitution. Those represent someone's daughter, sister, niece or friend. Let's pray for sweeping revival to break loose in the brothels and streets of this city inundated with sin and godlessness.

About every ten feet weencounter someone offering us drugs...and we offer them a different type of HIGH---the Holy Ghost! One man, "Ali" a muslim, offered me "cocaine" and I was able to share the Gospel with him and pray with him as well. One family from England that we met asked about the meaning of my "Raven Shirt" and I told them that it meant that I "casted out devils, healed the sick, raised the dead and brought hope to the hopeless in Jesus name!"

Their young 14 year old daughter asked for prayer for her hurting grandmother and just melted under the presence of God and began to weep uncontrollably. God is so Good!

We're hitting the streets again right now and believing for the hand of God to move mightily! Pray for us!

Blessings,

Pastor Troy