In October 2015 Andy Au, Kirsty Hallett and Jana L travelled to the USA for two wonderful weeks. Here’s Jana‘s report from the trip …
This was my first MIW trip as well as my first visit to the USA. I had heard about the positivity and generous hospitality of the people in the USA and especially the southern States, but my expectations were more than met.
As we arrived we got a very warm welcome by Rhonda Lynn Bonn and the rest of the wonderful MIW family in Tennessee. Even though they did not know me yet, I quickly felt connected. In Germany we say that “love goes through the stomach”. Therefore maybe the delicious southern breakfast with bacon, biscuits and gravy played a significant role in connecting us with one another so well ;)! Besides good food and fun times socialising and sightseeing it was very interesting to gain more knowledge about the historical background of Tennessee and to feel and sense the land as well as the people. During the week we had the chance to corporately do some intercession and prophetic movement on the land at historical places in Chattanooga. At the weekend Andy and Kirsty led a creative movement workshop. People were really open to move, worship and connect with God in creative and experimental ways. In the evening session we felt that God had brought together key people through the workshop. One of my highlights was an open-air worship session that we had in the City Park. The colourful week full of impressions flew by quickly and we soon had to say good bye to our friends and made our way to Mississippi.
In Mississippi we were again generously hosted. This time by a wonderful couple called Ruth and Billy Joe Young. We continued to have brilliant traditional southern breakfast and Kirsty was very pleased that Ruth taught her the family recipe. I felt straight at home again and was overwhelmed by the loving kindness of our hosts. During the week Ruth and Billy Joe took us to strategic places and we had the pleasure to worship and pray over the land at a place where three states come together. We felt a spiritual shifting as we moved and it was pure joy to worship God in his creation. We also made new friends with a couple who are potters and invited us to have a look at their masterpieces and generously gave us unique handmade pottery as presents. At the weekend we led a prophetic movement conference in Tennessee, the birthplace of Elvis Presley. A great mix of people attended, who threw themselves into the exercises and worship. It was also fun to have a bunch of lively children attending. The following Sunday we also got the chance to minister at the City Gate church in Tupelo. I especially remember the whole congregation joining in physical expression of prayer opening up all kinds gates of blessings for their City.
My personal high light in Tupelo was a prophetic exercise, where we were supposed to scan the room and ask the Holy Spirit for a prophetic movement to deliver to somebody else. Suddenly my attention was on the lower back of a woman. I didn‘t know what the prophetic message was about, but after a while I started massaging her back in the middle of her lower back. The woman started to cry, so I asked her what had happened. She explained to me that the exact vertebrae I was massaging used to be broken and with the event of breaking she had stopped dancing. Today was the first time she had danced again, even though her back had been healed for quite some time. While I was massaging her she felt God restoring the freedom and passion of movement and dance in her life. I can’t tell how much joy it was to find out I had just partnered with God in such a simple yet significant way.
All in all I can say that I absolutely loved my first MIW Trip and I am sure it won’t be the last one. Thank you Andy and Kirsty for this fantastic opportunity to travel with you.
Jana
