THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL CHANGES HEARTS AND MINDS - Prayer Alert September 2017

Interview with FARC Leadership

This past year, I was given the unique opportunity to interview Ivan Marquez and Jesus Santrich of the FARC guerrilla leadership. Russell set up this meeting and European statesman Johan Candelin also participated. I asked them the question, “How did Russell contribute to the Peace Accord in Colombia?”

Ivan Marquez answered, “For several years now Martin (Russell) has been helping boost our morale and praying for peace. He has helped us bring together the souls of those who have good intentions for the good of Colombia. This has been a spiritual help from Martin (Russell) and his friends. He transmitted force and optimism and energy for us to go forward, over the top of many obstacles. Fortunately, we have been able to move successfully and to move forward. I want to take a moment to thank all of you for this tremendous force, which has been above all, spiritual and has allowed us to move forward. We had a beautiful safe place to meet together on the boat to brainstorm and make decisions about how to face all these obstacles. The presence of Martin (Russell) was a great blessing for the peace process.”

Jesus Santrich said, “Martin (Russell) was an apostle of peace, in that, the motor that made all this run was faith and hope and that's how all this was generated. Thank you!”

The Gospel Transforms Minds

A few years ago these men were promoting atheism and now they are professing the power of prayer and God's people in the promotion of peace. This is a profound change of mind for these leaders and the history of Colombia.

The Word of God expresses how the Holy Spirit gives us the ministry of reconciliation. To reconcile something is to bind broken parts together. Russell and the Colombian workers have practiced the biblical principle of treating enemies (broken from God and others) as friends and loving the unlovable. Just as Jesus was “a friend of sinners,” Ivan Marquez recognized this characteristic of Christ in Russell. Ivan mentioned, “Martin (Russell) has helped us bring together the souls…” The gospel makes peace with others and ultimately reconciliation with God. 

The two FARC guerrilla leaders expressed and thanked the  “spiritual help from Martin (Russell) and his friends.”  Witnessing these lives and hearts changing is a great encouragement for all of us who have prayed earnestly for the peace of Colombia over the years. Ivan recognized the “spiritual” connection between us.
 
He also mentioned the blessing of the boat in Cuba and how it was a "safe meeting place."   (Russell took a huge risk by personally buying this boat with the help of some friends.) Ivan's comments are a confirmation of how God has used the boat as a refuge from a political and spiritual storm and for past enemies of Christ to engage the gospel. The Lord continues to build key relationships on this vessel. Please continue to pray for this outreach and the change of many hearts on the island of Cuba. 

Lastly, the head Ideologue of the FARC, Jesus Santrich said, “Martin (Russell) was an apostle of peace.” This is a beautiful witness to the Beatitude promise of “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God."  (Matthew 5:9) Russell continues to be an apostle of peace as the country is dealing with the difficulty of putting a splintered country of a 54-year-old civil war back together. 

Critical Funding Needed for the Gospel Work to Continue

Spiritually, there is a long road ahead for all Colombians. The news just came out that the cocaine production from Colombia this past year is the highest in history. While murder is down from the end of the war, violence continues from fragmented bandit groups and other ideological militia groups. Please pray for Russell, the Stendal family and all the Latin America workers as they continue to be ambassadors of peace. The funding for the Latin America work has significantly dropped this year.  In order to be strategic with our resources, we are giving a new Jubilee Study Bible and other key theological books to Christian leaders in Colombia. 

We praise God for the partnership of many believers in North America who have faithfully supported the work in Colombia.

​Watch the full interview here:  https://vimeo.com/230836011