Militia march of repentance

On Friday 28th 2008, we had a training day with 200 militia who had repented after attending the workshops. Many more militia have repented, but these were chosen because they are now actively involved in churches and have already joined intercession groups. In the morning I taught on God’s weapon of love. It became very clear that there can be no lasting change in Ituri unless family life is healed. When we enquired, not one of these ex-militia had grown up feeling loved. As we explored God’s Father heart and His ideal plan for family relationships, many were deeply touched. We had a ministry time to receive God’s love and then to express it to one another. In the afternoon a Congolese brother taught on the effect on a nation of shedding innocent blood and of rape. Following this, they spent the whole night crying out to God for mercy, asking Him to cleanse and sanctify the land.
The next day, we all marched through Bunia waving Jesus flags, the ex-militia singing and dancing as we went. We ended in a public place where the ex-militia sang songs they had written. One song described how they were the ones who had troubled the region by killing, raping, and looting, but now they had found a great Saviour. Now they wished to be ambassadors of peace. Several of them testified of their involvement in the war, relying on the power of sorcery, but how Jesus had set them completely free. What an amazing privilege it was to be there! The teams will follow them up and seek to disciple them further.