Las Flores Project Testimony

One day we were sitting in Pastor Juan’s mud hut kitchen eating sopa de gallina with him when I no longer saw a small mud house for him, but a beautiful house, with large rooms, an indoor kitchen, tile, the whole works. I told him then and there, “Juan, I think God wants to give you a new house. We should ask him for it.” Juan did not know what to say, so he said yes. We prayed right there that God would send a new home for him. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would have a home. If God told us to ask for it, it was because he was already sending it. A year and a half went by and there was no new house, but I drew the plans none the less. Every time Juan and I were together, we would talk about the house as if it already existed. Then one day, Duke University called out of the blue and said they had heard about Cocal Gracias and wanted to visit. The connection was so far from me, that I knew it was God working. Pastor Bruce said they wanted to work on a house. I knew immediately which one it was. The offering we needed to start with was the offering they had decided to bring without me saying anything. Needless to say, the house was built and it was a miracle. After seeing this giant blessing fulfilled, Juan and I were in Las Flores above Agua Caliente. We were talking about the community and their need for electricity and water, when we knew it was what God wanted to give them. We prayed and asked God to send them Electricity and water. I wrote about what we were thinking a week later in a Cocal email. We thought we needed $4000 and what we received was $11,500. The response was overwhelming. Pastor Juan told the community that they needed to save $1000 themselves, which they started doing. We went to the electric company and God opened the door. We met the father of the manager and he called his son. “Son, I have Brian Ruark and Juan Garza with me and they need an electrical plan for Las Flores. This is from God so don’t you dare charge them. If you even think of charging them, you’ll answer to me.” The next Thursday, we were making the plan. I was told later that the plan should have cost $1000, and we got it for free. Juan went to the Municipality of Puerto Cortes to ask Carlos Correa if the Municipality could help with the project. Carlos started asking about Las Flores. “Where is it?” “Well it is two hours above Agua Caliente.” “How big is the village?” “Actually it’s not a village. It’s just 18 families. The village is two kilometers below.” “How far do you need to bring the electricity?” “two Kilometers. Carlos was not impressed. “Pastor, you don’t know what you are asking. These projects don’t go. It is too expensive to install, too far, and not worth it.” He tried to dissuade. “Besides these people don’t vote, and they technically aren’t even part of our jurisdiction. They belong to Choloma.” “Look Carlos, all I need is a yes or no. God is in charge of this project and he is going to install electric posts in Las Flores. Even if the project costs $500,000 God is going to do it. What I want to know is if you are in or out. If you say the muni won’t help us, then I will never come back here again. “ Carlos thought about it and said, “Look, don’t get mad, let’s just talk to the mayor.” When they talked to the mayor, he never commented on the distance, nor on how few people it would serve, nor jurisdiction. He said, “Let’s make a study and see the costs.” The study came back at $54,000, a huge amount of money for such a remote project. “We’ll do the project,” said the mayor, “If the community comes up with $12,500. “ Mayor Alan surely thought a small group of corn farmers in the mountains would never save so much money. Las Flores isn’t even in his jurisdiction. What he didn’t know was that God had already sent the money. “When do you want me to bring it?” asked Juan and all the administrators laughed at him. The next week Juan returned and gave them a check for $9000 and said, “Here’s the first part. We will be waiting on Monday for you to start.” This time no one was laughing. They were floored! No one believed this project would go. But we did. God opened the doors. “Therefore I say to you, whatever you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them and you will have them. Say to this mountain, be removed and cast into the sea…” I don’t know about you, but I love being a mountain mover. I love being a part of big miracles, seeing the impossible become the possible. We have a big God. Every year I think to myself, what more could he possibly do? This must be the maximum, and then he plants a new petition in our hearts. Do not doubt because our Father loves for us to ask for big things. He invites us to ask for big things, things so big that they reveal how good he is! I pray for bigger things Lord. Give us more mountains to move. Amen.