Kidnappings in Cotobato & An Island Travailing

Many weeping in fresh dedication to the Lord

Midsayap, North Cotobato

This city fronts the eastern edge of what is geographically known as the Muslim territory of Mindanao and therefore has quite a large Muslim population. Sadly, Midsayap does not lack in its share of bloodshed as bombs, grenades and bullets have ended many innocent lives her.

Several died as a result of an hand grenade only days before our first visit and further deaths seem to occur every time we return. Our last visit, a few weeks ago was marked by another kidnapping. Strangely, one of the team felt led that we should urgently visit for prayer some business people friends they had in that place. These people had actually allowed us to stay in one of their properties when we were last in Davao but we had not yet personally met them.  They had received many great prophecies declaring future success in business and prosperity, which prophecies had actually come to pass already. Yet their success had not gone unnoticed and had attracted several threats of being taken hostage for ransom.

Not all kidnappings here and there certainly are a few are the outcome of rebels descending out of mountain forest villages heavily laden with AK47's and Rocket launchers desperate for cash to feed their family and support their cause. Regrettably, its often far more sophisticated in that politicians and leading business man have frequently been exposed as the masterminds behind the deed. Only two years ago it was exposed that in one of the major cities the kidnappings dropped to zero after the police chief had been implicated as head of a kidnapping syndicate. When his own police went to arrest him he point blank refused to be arrested and apparently remains so to this day. He never returned to his desk and coincidently the kidnappings ceased.

We arrived at the couple’s business establishment and met the wife. The husband was out. She told us that two days earlier a large white van had parked directly outside their store and stayed for several hours, the husband was away that day also. A guard armed with a shotgun and a side arm stands at the entrance during opening hours. That in itself would not deter a kidnapping team as many security guards have died in previous snatches & robberies.

However, when it seemed clear that the husband would not return to the office that day the van moved a short distance of 10 metres over the road into the forecourt of a local gas station. No one can say for sure that the van had any part in what happened next. But at close of the day, the elderly wife of the gas station owner and the three staff that had the misfortune of being there with her were all taken at gun point and not returned for many days until an officially reported ransom of USD $350,000 had been paid. Often the real figure is much higher than that but a publically printed lower sum may convince future would be kidnappers that it wasn’t worth the risk for that amount – Delusional thinking I’m sure since the average annual income is under $1,500, many surviving on much less.  As I’ve mentioned elsewhere we have personally met the “now Christian” former assassins that would have no problem accepting a contract to kill for USD $100. We know of others that will do this kind of work, frequently, for free. Can’t say too much about that at this time since we recently prayed with the wife of one such man and one of our team is in frequent contact with him. I can say this particular man is a policeman. Has been charged, sentenced and jailed for hit that was neither scheduled nor contracted. But was the result of a traffic disagreement and did not go according to plan.

That particular man recently became a Christian and was let out of prison for his water baptism (on his own) and to this day usually reports for duty most mornings – armed!

We have great friends in this place also, sold out for the King. On one of our many visits there our friends gathered a group from across the city – The message again tended towards “absolute surrender”. I remember prophesying to one woman in the crowd that I saw her as a fish with very bright shining scales. She looked like a moving mirror in the water, gleaming and glistening and parading for the other fish to see and admire.

But her hearts intent and motive had come to the attention of the Lord and I saw two large hands lift her out of the water and then as one hand held her down on a wooden food board the other hand began to scrape off all her beautiful scales as with a fish descaler. All the gleaming glory was scrapped off until there were none left. But the word continued that the scales would grow again and would shine even brighter than before, but this time they would with humility, not with pride or puffedupness, or seeking the praises of men.. She would shine again but it would be with the glory of God. It was quite a direct word. I was later told that this lady indeed had a large and successful international ministry with much acclaim but an unusual recent sickness and other factors and stripped away all the glory, crowds & finance and this dear sister was now walking humbly before the Lord. I am so thankful for the Lords rebuke in my own life.. Who he loves he chastens.

This meeting like many others closed with many on their face weeping, travailing and surrendering all to God. Although we see this often here, its not a thing we have witnessed in many other places in the world. This surely looks like an island in travail and preparation for the coming king. If I was asked “What do you think revival looks like”? I’d have to say I guess it begins like this.

It’s possible to read this and think because this is a third world nation that it’s much easier for them to be “spiritually minded” and surrender all to God than it is for those from the west. I can assure you they experience all the barriers to total surrender that we do – Pride, fear, doubt, inadequacy, fear of no support etc. We are seeing the amazing spiritual renewal that we are because of individuals making a personal decision for prayer, prayer & more prayer in their lives. Three people from this place later joined a 4 month intensive mission’s training school to be followed by outreach among unreached villages. We remain for the most part astonished and humbled that we get to witness the living God as we have never before seen Him in the lives of His children.