He's Rebuilding Again...

The first thing God told me to do when I stepped out to do this ministry was to pray once a week for the city. In these times of prayer, God has opened His heart about East St. Louis and let me see the good things he has for the city. Now, a friend comes on Thursdays to pray with me and it has been such a blessing! I'm praying for God to send more people who will join us in prayer. Each week is different. We start with worship and then go in the direction God is leading for that day. Sometimes, we drive around the city and pray, other times God will lead us to a location and we sit in my car to pray over that area, other times we stay in my apartment and pray. It's always an adventure! This last Thursday the prayer focus was;

Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV) Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper."

We drove around different parts of the city speaking God's peace and prosperity over the city. As we did this, we knew in our hearts that things were moving in the Spirit. One area we focused on was the downtown area of East St. Louis. Downtown used to be a flourishing area, but now there are many abandoned buildings. We prayed that God's great plan for downtown would PREVAIL.

There is an abandoned hospital building (Gateway Hospital) which has been recently torn down. I wanted to show my friend, so we drove past it. Anytime I see an abandoned building in this city and it gets torn down or sold, I rejoice! I know that it is a major victory! There are strongholds that don't want this city to be rebuilt for fear that it will become beautiful and people will be drawn to the city instead of repelled by it. This hospital has sat there vacant for 21 years. Over the past few months I have driven past it just to see the progress. Once I stopped to ask what the plans were for the land. They told me they are planning to build a park in its place. This is a miracle! Today as we drove by we saw piles and piles of bricks. I rejoiced because I know this is a picture of what God is doing in the lives of the people in East St. Louis. He is not only re-building the city but he is re-building the lives of the people in the city as well.

Below are some videos of during demolition and after demolition.