The following is a blog post of a testimony that we recieved immediately after leaving France. Carlos is a man that we prayed for on Sunday afternoon at the retreat. God dramatically set him free. This is his story.
The day I was born again
by Carlos H. Figueroa
There was nothing particularly special about that Sunday morning. Except for the fact that the church service would be held at a little place up in the Alsatian mountainside. So, without any expectations my wife and I hit the road. After an hour-drive, we had finally arrived and the setting was beautiful. Plus, the weather was especially nice that day.My friend John had mentioned that a group of American pastors (who were on their way to the Ukraine) would be sharing that day. I did not know what God had in store for me that day.The service took place: people shared, prayed, worshipped. You know the usual Sunday morning service that you would have on weekly basis. We even had communion, and to be honest, I was not even there. Physically I was but, my mind was elsewhere. So, after the service was over and once we were done with formalities, we sort of spaced out for a while, and waited for lunch-time. And it was then that John introduced me to his friends (some of whom I was supposed to have met a couple of days before but, had not), and after getting acquainted, they said that they wanted to pray for Violette and I. And then, BOOM!Ever since I was a kid, I had seen people being touched by the Holy Spirit in various ways: people speaking in different tongues, laughing, falling flat on the floor, prophesying, having visions and so on and so forth (Acts 2:2-4). But nothing I knew, nothing I had already seen, could have prepared me for what I was about to experience. As soon as the group of pastors laid hands on me (2 Timothy: 6), something surreal happened. I had never experienced God like that. I knew that I had a relationship with him but, I had never fully enabled His Holy Spirit to fill me up, shake me and turn me upside down. I had never experienced the power, strength and authority with which God's Holy Spirit pours down His grace upon us, and cleanses us from the inside. It came and it blew inside me, a new and refreshing wind of hope and peace. A power that knows no flaw. A power that comes with authority and takes no prisoners. A power that comes and wipes out everything which stands between Jesus and us. A mighty power which strikes so precisely that today, the armies of the enemy tremble in fear for they know that their time is near (Revelation 12:10).I could go on and on about what I went through, and what I experienced. And I am truly grateful for what God has shown me, and also, done in me. But I am not different from anybody else on this planet. I am a regular guy who pays taxes and has just realized that God has caught up with him. I do not deserve any more than you, or anybody else. I just choose to believe that God is real, that His relationship with us is real, and most of all: I believe that He can live in us and live through us.I feel that God is calling us to believe and get ready to see people being empowered by His Holy Spirit and become vessels of His will. We will see wonders and miracles being accomplished everywhere. And we can choose to just believe it, and that is fine. But, I believe that Jesus is compelling us to believe and live our relationship with Him.Let His Holy Spirit into your life, your heart, your soul and your mind. Let us become one with Him. Let us stop just being believers, and let us become living vessels of His love, power and authority on this earth.I want in, do you?In Jesus.
When I sit back and try and picture what I think Jesus may look like today, I can't help but picture Ivan and Tanya Benedyk. These two people are incredible at working to build God's Kingdom. Pray for them as they are in a time of transition. 
Today was a very full day. The team split up this morning and preached in different locations. Tonight we went to the gypsy church and held one last service with them. The room was absolutely packed with people. Pastor Tom spoke and we prayed and ministered to just about everyone in the church. We were able to do a wonderful Skype conversation with the church back home! 
Today we prayer walked in a city that is being considered for a church plant. There is a small group of people that meet there right now. We also looked at a possible location that the gypsy church could move to since they are exploding at the seams. The spiritual atmosphere here is unreal. The church services are powerful times in God's presence. After the preaching when the altars are opened, everyone in the church comes forward to be prayed for. God is moving in powerful ways in people's lives in the services that we have been a part of. God is using everyone on our team in a deep prophetic ministry. God is confirming the words that are going forth! God is so good. 
Well our travels have finally brought us to our final destination - Ukraine. In talking with people in the states, I get the sense that this is somewhat of a forgotten country. As I told people that I was coming to Ukraine, the question was usually raised, "why are you going to Ukraine?" That is a good question. I am not sure that most people could point out the location of Ukraine on a map - I'm not sure that I could 6 months ago. But it is amazing how God can take forgotten unknown people and change the world. The country of Ukraine is very depressed. It is economically depressed. For so long it lived under the crushing communist regimes and you can quickly look around and see the affects of that time. But it is not a spiritually depressed nation. I keep hearing that God is on the move in Ukraine. I'm not sure what God is doing in this country or in me, but as we crossed the border late last night I was impressed with two things.
