Furlough/Itineration

I’m currently in the states for a year-long stay—my furlough/itineration year! My calendar is already filling up with invitations to speak at churches and tell about the amazing things that God has been doing here in Argentina and beyond through the ministry of Aguas de Sanidad (Healing Waters). If you or your church are interested in knowing more about the ministry, feel free to view the following videos or pass them along to your pastor. Both are available for download through YouTube as well…just do a search on my name and you’ll find them there. Thank you for your prayers as I make the adjustment back to life in the United States…

To contact me, please feel free to email me at renay.west@earthlink.net

Introduction To Graciela's new book, "Break The Silence: Family Violence & Child Sexual Abuse--A Spiritual Perspective"

I had the honor of writing the intro to my friend, Graciela Gimenez de Prein's new book. She asked me to include some history of our journey together in establishing the ministry of Aguas de Sanidad (Healing Waters). Until the book comes out in English, you'll have to just enjoy the intro! It is now available in Spanish as well as Italian...coming soon--the English version. I am so very proud of my friend!

*I remember the first day I met Graciela Gimenez. We met for coffee one afternoon. She had agreed to meet with me because I wanted to get to know her and I wanted to invite her to be a part of our upcoming Aguas de Sanidad Conference that we were going to be presenting in the Hotel Sheraton in Buenos Aires. As soon as we began to chat, I felt an immediate comradery—not just in friendship—not just because we had similar testimonies—but it was a comradery of the Spirit.

I arrived in Argentina in November of 2006. Within 24 hours of my arrival to Lomas de Zamora, my friends Rocky & Sherry Grams, directors of Instituto Biblico Rio de La Plata invited me to share my testimony to the students of the power of restoration and healing in Christ from a life shattered by sexual abuse and family violence. I shared it that day. The next morning I repeated it in the morning chapel service. The response was literally overwhelming. Afterwards, I remember counseling people, including some of the older married students, both chicos and chicas, from early morning until midnight or 1 a.m. for about two weeks. The stories that I heard were heart-breaking. But, I knew that something else was breaking: The silence. The silence was being broken—that loud, deafening silence that exists over the lives of “captives” being held in emotional dungeons and spiritual prisons because of the sin of others. Their ‘sentence’ as captives is perpetuated by the silence of those that are called to be the mouthpiece for freedom in Christ: The Church.

It was because of this great need, that I was inspired to put together a conference called “Aguas de Sanidad”. With the help and encouragement of Rocky & Sherry Grams, my pastors Edgardo and Silvia Munoz, and the intercessors and worship team of our church, Avance Cristiano en Temperly, Maria Valoy, Caro Lopez Greco, and some of the students of IBRP, we simply did what we could, with what we had – and we ministered to about 200 women in that first Aguas de Sanidad conference in March of 2007 on the campus of Instituto Biblico Rio de La Plata. We witnessed the Holy Spirit moving profoundly on those present: From a young girl of 17 years of age, to an elderly woman of 83 years of age, lives were transformed.

Almost a year later, I felt a stirring from the Spirit to begin planning another Aguas de Sanidad, this time, in Buenos Aires in el centro. It was in this planning process that I met Graciela. As we began to chat that day, in the cafeteria in the Shell station on the side of General Paz, I met a person who would quickly become one of my closest friends. We dreamed together about the Buenos Aires Aguas event—we prayed togethered, we weathered the storms that the enemy tried to stir up against the ministry, and we ultimately saw a loving God move intimately and powerfully on over 1600 people in the Salon Libertador of the Sheraton Hotel, Buenos Aires, in April of 2008.

In the time since then, I have ministered side by side with Graciela in many nations and in many different settings—from small churches, to one on one ministry, altar ministry and larger events of hundreds and thousands of people. The message has been consistent: Healing, restoration and complete freedom in Christ. This is the thrust of the ministry that we have been desarrolando juntas (building together)--Aguas de Sanidad--and this is the heart of Graciela’s personal ministry as well. I have been inspired and challenged by her walk with the Lord, by the sharp and clear prophetic Word that consistently flows from her spirit, even through her own process and journey of healing. I am amazed at how God uses her—even on a subway in Madrid, Spain when a young lady just began to open up and pour her heart out to Graciela—but am convinced that He uses her because she, first and foremost, truly walks with God, and secondly, she has a sincere love for the individual. For this reason alone, she has written this book—with the hope and determination that by breaking the silence that exists over the lives of the abused and broken, we will see a greater flow of God’s Spirit in the earth and in the Church than we have ever witnessed before in our lifetime.

My prayer for you is that you, through the pages of this book, are able to clearly identify your story or the story of a loved one and are also able to sense the loving heart of your Heavenly Father to intervene and to work a deep healing in your soul. May God richly bless you and speak into your life as you read.

Brenda's Story

I have wanted to write for a while, but just couldn’t seem to do it. I’d sit down to write and couldn’t get anything down on paper. And even as I start this, I know that I am not writing to ‘inspire’, but more to process.

But there IS one story that I really want to tell. It’s about a little girl named Brenda. She’s 13. She lives in a villa here in Buenos Aires. A villa is what we would refer to in the States as a shantytown.

A few weeks back, we did an Aguas de Sanidad (Healing Waters Conference) for Youth, in conjunction with a ministry called King’s Castle. We followed our regular format which looks like this: I share my story of childhood sexual abuse, family violence, etc…how God pulled me out, intervened when I was ready to take my life, and my ‘journey’ to healing; we then go into workshops where professionals talk about things like prevention, the process of healing & restoration, family violence, signs and symptoms to watch for in your children, etc.

We were entering the ministry time at the event where we let the participants respond: Express the inexpressible, express what has not been allowed to be expressed--a time where they can admit for the first time in their lives, that what happened REALLY happened—breaking the silence and shame of sexual abuse and domestic violence; this is a time where they are, for the first time, grabbing hold of hope and believing that God will enable them to start a journey of breaking the past’s (or the present’s) grip over their lives. Really, there’s no way to put into words what happens during this ministry time—it’s pretty amazing. Freedom…healing…I’ll try to leave it at those two words.

It was during this time that I felt a little hand reach up and tug at my arm. I looked down and saw this little girl. I couldn’t see her face; it was covered over by her thick black hair. Literally---a hair ball! I knelt down in front of her and went on an expedition pulling her hair back so that I could see her face. I finally found her in there! She had a blank stare and spoke to me in a monotone voice—not even ‘engaging’ me with her eyes, if that makes sense. She matter-of-factly said, “I want you to pray for me--I’m in a psychiatric hospital because I try to kill myself.” I told her, “Baby, of course I will! But, why would you want to kill yourself? ” She said, “Because they are raping me.”

If I could insert a long silent pause here in my writing I would. Because that’s what I felt…I felt stunned…punched in the stomach. I don’t know how to explain it either. Because it’s not like we don’t hear these confessions (and worse) every single time we take our team and minister this event. But…she was just so little…and so hard…and so broken...so detached…so wanting help.

Brenda was invited by someone to come to the Aguas Conference for Youth. She was on a weekend ‘pass’ from the hospital so she could be at home for the weekend, and ended up spending her Saturday at our event in a converted warehouse that serves as a ministry center for King’s Castle. She told me her story. But she changed the “THEY” (“…because THEY are raping me)to “HE” as she spoke. It took her a few meetings with our team before she could admit that not only was her uncle raping her (her mom’s brother), but her stepdad has been raping her as well. For the past 5 years. She didn’t want to tell us this, because she didn’t want to ruin her mom’s life (quote) and marriage.

In September of last year, Brenda dove out the 4th story window of her school building attempting to commit suicide. Instead of landing on the ground, there were two teachers on the ground who literally broke her fall…breaking their arms and legs…but Brenda’s life was spared.

That was when they took her to a public psychiatric hospital in Buenos Aires.

And nobody asked a thing.

Nobody said, “Why would this 12 year old little girl dive off of a building?” “What’s going on in her little mind?” Nobody examined her. They just medicated her and left her there. The system, as well, utterly failed her. A few short months ago Brenda told a doctor in the hospital about the sexual abuse. Even though the doctor was legally obligated to disclose the abuse and notify authorities, the doctor did nothing. I could go into more details here, but I won’t…suffice it to say that the authorities at the hospital also took advantage of the family’s abject poverty—and did not divulge valuable information as to resources that could have greatly assisted them. Because of their obvious social status, those who COULD have just didn’t intervene.

And now…Brenda is 3 months pregnant—by either her uncle or her stepdad.

It really IS a tragic situation. But there is an amazing side to this.

It’s amazing that this little girl from a shantytown in the middle of a city of 14 million showed up at a little event in an obscure location on the other side of the city. It’s amazing that something inside her still had the strength and courage to come up and tug on a stranger’s arm. It’s amazing that this tiny little creature is even still standing!

We prayed over her and ministered to her for a long time that Saturday. She never shed a tear, but clung to my hand.

When Brenda broke the silence that day, it started off a chain of events. My team and I were able to intervene in her situation. One of my team members, Malena Manzato, is a social worker and psychologist who also works for the government of the city of Buenos Aires. She has been instrumental in investigating Brenda’s situation, and helping get more help for her. I sat in Malena’s office, along with my friend Graciela Prein, who is a vital part of Aguas, as we met with Brenda’s mom, gently revealing what was happening to her baby girl in her own home….with her husband, and with her brother. We sat with her, prayed with her, and counseled her.

And the journey continues for them. They are now a part of a local church; I know their pastor and his wife…and they are working with us to help intervene in the lives of this family.

Brenda has gone to a couple of more events with King’s Castle…is friends with the directors’ daughters…texts them when she is feeling bad…asks for prayer…and now prays on her own too. Her mom is attending the church and developing new friendships with people who really care.

There’s something that I repeat over and over during the course of an Aguas conference: Healing is a process. It’s sometimes a painful process. God intervenes in our lives—many times there’s a dramatic and emotional beginning.

For me it was May 7, 1987 when I was ready to take my own life—out of hopelessness—out of isolation in my own anger and hate. I had lived for 10-11 years in absolute silence with my secret of having been violated as a 10 year old girl. I had accepted as normal the constant trauma of family violence in my own home all growing up. I accepted the lie that abuse tell it’s victims—that I was worthless; that I was ugly; that I had something inherently wrong with me; that I wasn’t worth defending; that I could not love or be loved. That was the state my mind and soul were in when God literally intervened in my life—when, even though I had been so angry with Him, I cried out to Him that night and asked Him to change my feelings; heal my mind; help me. And He did. And it was a process! There was a dramatic beginning—and then some very real, feet-in-the-dirt steps that I had to choose to take afterwards to continue that journey towards restoration and wholeness. God is faithful. And, even though the Bible is an antiquated book—it is truly the Word of God breathed and expressed on paper that, when applied, is able to transform lives—heal our souls.

Even though, as a minister, I love to communicate, to minister to people, to pray for them…I also realize the need of getting our ministry out from behind the pulpit—to put some feet on it—feet that are willing to walk with people on Monday through Saturdays, not just on Sundays. I am thankful that God has given me a great team to work with—I’m thankful that we were able to do more than just pray for Brenda (which is a critical part of her journey)—we have also been able to walk with her a little bit…

When you think of her, pray for little Brenda…that the Lord would continue to pour out medicine on her wounds and give her hope for a good future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Aguas Chile - The Water Flowed

My team and I just got back from Chile on Monday night—after an incredible 2 conferences in the cities of Concepcion and Santiago. About 1100 people attended the conferences. These were the 7th & 8th Aguas Conferences that we’ve done in a little over a year—they were some of the most challenging ones yet, as we were organizing everything from across the border in neighboring Argentina…but WORTH IT ALL!

Here are some of the highlights:

1. In Santiago, a young lady responds in the ministry time—through her tears, she begins to tell us that this is the first time she’s been able to confront the awful truth of her childhood. Her father having died when she was 3 years old, her mother, as a way to make money, began to prostitute her out to adult men when she was just 6 years old; many times, with her mom standing in the doorway of the bedroom, and her daughter begging for help, with no response. God began a deep healing in this young lady’s life on March 14, in the Telethon Theatre, in Santiago, Chile. Thank God for the 2 professionals we had as part of the Aguas Ministry team who were able to assist her as she started her journey to restoration and healing.

2. Another young lady came to the conference as a last resort. A friend paid her registration and convinced her to go. After the morning service, she told us that God had surprised her—intervened in her plan to commit suicide. She had planned on taking her life on March 14—but left the theatre marking the calendar for another reason—on March 14, she gave her life to the Lord and felt marked with a new hope for healing and freedom from the wounds of past abuse.

3. In Concepcion, southern Chile, in the final service, a young man stands broken and weeping. Soon two young ladies join him at his side, and they huddle sobbing. They are a brother and two sisters; he recently graduated with his engineering degree. Each of them, including one brother who wasn’t present, were horrifically abused by their own father. We stood with them, even wept with them, but also had the opportunity to minister personally, praying over them, and through the ministry of Aguas, we saw them leave with a look of joy and hope on their faces. I just received an email from this young man—and God has made a definite change in his life!

4. Because of scholarships given from people in the States, we were able to give a family of 5 free entrances to the conference in Santiago---in reality, they heard about the conference in southern Concepcion (5 hours to the south)—and out of their desperation, they made the trip to Santiago to attend. Out of the 5, only one is a Christian—recently having given her life to the Lord (about a month or so ago). The family was a group of sisters and one of their daughters…all adults ages 35-60…deeply broken and crippled by extreme violence and sexual abuse in the family. In the ministry time in the morning, and again in the final service, God moved POWERFULLY and ministered deeply to their wounds—it was AMAZING watching them literally physically respond to the very Presence of the Lord as He washed over them with hope and healing. They will continue to receive help and ministry through a local church in Concepcion that partnered with us for the event there.

5. The government agency for women, SERNAM, contacted us requesting to be present at the event—it was an amazing opportunity—we were able to honor the director of SERNAM for the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, as well as the director for the region and city of Concepcion. After greeting the crowd, we were able to pray over them, asking for God to give favor, fresh vision and blessings in their efforts to impact their nation.

6. Because of the high security risk, in the end we were not able to go into the women’s shelters where women and girls are literally hiding for their lives—escaping human trafficking situations and extreme family violence. We were, however, able to prepare and gift an entire packet of all of our materials (DVD of the entire conference, notebooks of workshop materials, other forms of resource helps) to the directors of these agencies so that they can be delivered to the homes themselves and kept as part of their ‘library’ of resources.

7. One of our conference workshops speakers spent time counseling a pastor’s wife who was finally able to break the silence about the physical violence of her pastor husband…telling of the constant threat under which her and her children live. We believe God has started a healing work in her life, and also giving her strength and practical resources to help in the decisions that lie ahead. Breaking the silence is the biggest step towards change, healing, and freedom.

8. One little girl, 15 years old, came and stood by me in the front during the ministry time…when I turned to pray for her, she said she just had a question: “How did you do it?”. I said, “How did I do what?”---“How did you forgive?” She began to tell me in graphic details of horrific rapes perpetrated on her by her uncle…and how her mother was angry at her when she tried to tell. She had never been to church before. I talked to her of my own experience in the process of forgiving the person who had violated me; of God’s grace and help. Then, Graciela Prein and I began to minister to her after I talked to her for a long while. I emphasized to her that God wasn’t standing by waiting on her to forgive—that the main concern of God’s heart was HER heart…and that forgiveness is also a process. God touched her deeply—we stood with her and held her while she wept, alone there in the front. God began a deep work in this little girl.

9. We were amazed at the amount of men that attended in Santiago! It was incredible to watch them responding to the messages and coming forward to be ministered to. In the final service, entire families were walking through the prayer line together…many of the men weeping and receiving right alongside the women. Sexual abuse unfortunately isn’t limited to women only—we are seeing many men finally having an opportunity to break the silence of abuse in their past through the platform of Aguas de Sanidad (Healing Waters) Conferences!

I could write hundreds of stories more…but let me just say—I hope that through these small testimonies you can see and feel the deep impact of your prayers and your partnership with the awesome life and opportunities that God has allowed me to have in the southern cone of South America. THANK YOU…thank you.

The heaven’s are NOT silent---though millions feel that God no longer speaks—He has a voice as we speak up and reach out to those that are sitting in brokenness and silence, waiting for hope and help. If you’d like to be a part of the next Aguas de Sanidad Conference (the first specifically for both MEN and women) coming up in Buenos Aires, Argentina on June 13, please contact me at renaywest@earthlink.net

**to see more fotos of the events, see my photo albums "AGUAS CHILE" 1 & 2.

Love,
Renay

Where has all the hunger gone?

I am sitting at my desk in my little home office here in Lomas de Zamora, Argentina. I finally arrived back home after almost 6 weeks out of the country--for a vacation in Thailand, and then ministering in the States for a few weeks. It was an amazing time!

I'm reflecting on a lot of the things I saw and experienced. My time in Thailand was perfect...restorative...peaceful...lots of down time with good friends. Then there was the South Texas District Women's retreat, which was nothing short of incredible! Actually, that's what drove me to 'blog' in this note...

A really popular fad in church circles today--at least in the United States--is a new format for this new generation--this new generation of seekers. The music is outstanding (I love modern/alternative worship music: Big fan)...the casual dress is right up my alley. The preaching and sermons usually have to be more polished, at least in terms of timing...something like 10 minutes 23 seconds (kidding). We can move people in and out in an hour. It's been labeled "seeker friendly".

All of that is fine. No one can take one of those elements and Biblically rip it to shreds. And if you know me, you know I love trying to think outside of the box. I'm not always successful at it, but open to it.

There's only one thing that bothers me. In a word: Experience.

I wholeheartedly believe that people are looking for something more experiential than just a spiritual 'download'. Think the original "MATRIX" movie...hook in, press a button, and all the info is downloaded into the brain--and it's a done deal. That simple. I mean--we are downloading information to people in our church services...we are offering it all in a tight little package, but where's the experiential part? I guess I have to put in here that I'm coming at this from a "spirit-filled" perspective...where our emphasis has always been on creating an atmosphere where people can ENCOUNTER the Presence of God, and have time to respond. Where we recognize the New Testament value and precedence of moving in the Gifts of the Spirit so that people's hearts are pierced and they become convinced that God knows them by name, and is out to win their heart, and change their lives.

For those that were at the South Texas Women's Retreat...what made it "awesome"? What made that first night so explosive? It wasn't the preaching (sadly--I was the preacher!!! ha!) (but I didn't preach!)...it was the ENCOUNTER that we had with God. I believe people CAME with a HUNGER for God. And I can tell you, that as the minister, I prepared from a place of deep HUNGER to see God really 'manifest' Himself in ways that would leave us doubtless that we had experienced Him.

I really don't mean to pick on the seeker friendly format...it's not the format's fault. I just feel like we've lost our hunger. I see a trend of trying to bend God around our culture in order to make Him more palatable. When, in reality (or at least in my opinion), I think people are SEEKING supernatural intervention. As Pentecostals or 'spirit-filled' ministers in a North American context--I wonder what we are looking for? What's the goal? I know...to see people have a personal relationship with God. Pat answer.  But what is the 'ideal' that we envision if we could see our churches 'be' anything we wanted them to be?  Do we even still envision people experiencing and 'enjoying' (ie wanting to spend time in) the very real Presence of God...maybe around places of prayer throughout our auditoriums/sanctuaries/family centers/campuses (or whatever other name we might currently use for 'place where we get together to worship')?

Where do the gifts of the Spirit fit into our format? Where does a searing Word from the Lord come into play--one that HAS to be spoken for there to be Divine intervention and grace introduced into someone's life? What place are we giving to miracles in our services and ministry? Do we feel more pressure to polish--or do we pleasure in the pressure to seek Him beforehand in preparation, to knock until God opens our mind to the specific Word that He has for that particular place and time and people? Are we even intentionally giving time for seeking God in our services--"seeking God"--altar ministry, free flowing worship, time to respond and receive personal ministry, etc.?

Do we still believe that "these SIGNS will follow them that believe" (Mark 16:17)? Do we have any sense of necessity that the supernatural should or even COULD accompany our pulpit and personal ministry (Mark 16:20)? Do we still remember what Jesus said, "Greater things than these will you do because I go to my Father in heaven"? Has that promise expired?

So...where has all the hunger gone? The hunger to see the miraculous--or to even ASK for it...where has that gone? Where has the hunger gone--the debilitating hunger of 'need'--the hunger that can quickly contextualize your life--when you are so hungry (ie personal need...loneliness...brokeness...the meaningless of life laying like a weight on your chest...relationship crisis, etc) that you'll do whatever it takes to find the answer...even if it takes more than an hour. Spiritual hunger--isn't it simply "spiritual dependence"...an expectancy of Divine intervention and Divine partnership (ministry)?

Where has all the hunger gone? May spiritual hunger and not spiritual or personal crisis drive us to 'want' to experience God...the 'living' God...the One who really does still intervene in our lives...the One who wants our encounters with Him to simply be the norm and not the exception.