DAY TWO: Morning Mountain Mercies...

We were surprised this morning when we found out that we, as a team, were driving up to a mountain sight overlooking OAXACA to have our morning worship...and time with the Lord. Isabella, Russ and I decided to take this time to start our "Freedom Key" adventure. It was so powerful overlooking Oaxaca City & praying for freedom for the city, the people...and all that God would do in the days to come while we were on this mission trip.

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"I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." ~Matthew 16:19~

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We are LOOSING things here in Oaxaca -- FREEDOM -- loosing the chains of the heritage lands, the generational teachings, witchcraft, alcoholism, bitterness, anger, & death. We are calling forth FREEDOM & HEALING. This treasure hunt has turned into an incredible time of building our faith as we are laying down symbols in the "natural realm" as we bury keys --FREEDOM KEYS!!

We are believing that GOD is releasing the bondage chains within the land of Oaxaca!!

Isabella's first SWEET prayer over the overlooking Oaxaca City was sooo amazing as she prayed for the people, but emphasised that children in Oaxaca would be 'healed in Jesus name'...and come to know who Jesus was. Her belief and trust is so precious -- I see God teaching ME what it means to have faith of a little child. She definitely is being moved, and trusting God completely thru the Holy Spirit -- because I couldn't possibly teach her this...as I feel I am still learning this type of faith. I'm sooo thankful to be her Mommy. THANK YOU, LORD.

DAY ONE: Mission Compound...Training...& AMAZING FOOD!

OAXACA, Mexico or BUST!!

Our day was uneventful...and smooth.

THE FIRST TRAVEL DAY WAS GREAT!!!

And although we didn't leave for the airport at our original time we planned we arrived in plenty of time....and much of the team was not ther yet. (I was thankful for THAT...even though we were not planning on packing glasses, drops or medications within our luggage.

GOD answered all of our prayers....

• PLEASE PRAY – travel mercies (everyone in our team arrives, travel details, flight details, patience, Isabella will be peaceful and cooperative)
• Isabella was soooo great! She was sooo giddy and excited... she stayed awake until we boarded the plane!! (and before take-off promptly passed out!)
• PLEASE PRAY – we can sleep on the plane. (we arrive in Oaxaca at 7:30am)
• YEA!!
• PLEASE PRAY – that we will be able to check our luggage all the way through to Oaxaca City and go through customs there.
• THIS was amazing...all of our luggage went straight thru to Oaxaca - and customs was sooo easy & simple!
• PLEASE PRAY – that customs and immigration will go smoothly for all, that all our luggage will arrive safely. (Also, we are transporting over 1000prs. of glasses – that they will clear, and all equipment and medication will clear.)
• SMOOTH as SILK!!!

Praise GOD for the early stages.... for the most part all went well.

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Although I didn't sleep much on either flight....Isabella and I enjoyed the beautiful sunrise over Mexico City....where Isabella was determined we saw a VOLCANO! Later we found out it really WAS!! Volcano Popo...it's one of the twin volcanos surrounding Mexico City, her sister has the nickname for : ""The Sleeping Woman." Popo (formally known as: Popocatepetl) was letting off some steam!

Isabella's MINISTRY....

I believe that God is going to use Isabella in AMAZING ways for his Kingdom. She's so excited about this mission trip, I can only think that the Lord has enhanced this excitement and joy!
My first mission trip to Mexico was 11 yrs ago...I connected with the children by singing....I knew ONE SONG in spanish....and the kids flocked to me...and we painted DAY after DAY!! Well, my sweet girl LOVES ART....loves to color...
Many of you know that I'm illustrating children's books....and so I thought, what fun to illustrate some coloring pages...and buy some bulk crayons from Oriental Trading company.

Please pray that God will bless her time...our time.

IT'S RAINING KEYS....from Heaven!!! Hallelujah!!!

MY flesh wants to say, "OH! I'm not surprised." -- BUT, lets face it...when GOD does something - it's hard NOT to sit back in AMAZEMENT & WONDER!!

I REALLY did have faith, even if it was as small as a mustard seed. I KNEW I heard him deep within my spirit -- and I knew he would give us some keys...BUT THIS?? WOW!

To me this is a the simple picture of what God says in Ephesians 3:20....

He is the key to immeasurably MORE than ALL you could ASK FOR or even THINK of!

So here is the simple quick story.

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This MORNING...I was talking to my sweet neighbor-friend. I started telling her what we were doing, and she said she had found a keyring of keys - (11 keys on it) an we could have it. We already found 7 the night before....so you can imagine Isabella's face with now MORE than the night before!

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Around LUNCH-TIME...I ran across the street to Mr. Nasar's store to get some eggs. Mr. Nasar was standing in front and said, "I heard you were looking for keys?!" And he pulled 2 from his pocket!! I was sooo overwhelmed, I forgot to ask him WHO TOLD HIM?! He said one was on the sidewalk outside the door of his store....the other on the inside. I told him what God was doing...and that we were on a treasure hunt for keys! (He's Muslim, so we often talk about God - in the context of we BOTH LOVE the God, the God of Abraham Isaac & Jacob! -- another story...but GOD is moving powerfully there!)

Anyway.... I told him that we believe that there is a LOT to be "unlocked" in MEXICO, and that we believe God wants us to take these keys and bury them in the land of Oaxaca as a Symbol of FREEDOM for this land...the villages...and ultimately the PEOPLE of Oaxaca!! He then said..."WAIT HERE! I have MORE KEYS FOR YOU...." and he went in the back of the store and brought out a key ring of 10 more keys - we got 12 in ALL!!!

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Moving along... TONIGHT. I had an PureLife Executive Team Meetin in the city....so Isabella & I hopped on a train praying for more KEYS!! (you should see my girl on the "SCOUT for keys!!" -- she's like the pink panther (do-do.. do-do..do-do ta-do-ta DO...do-da do-DO....!)...leaving no stone unturned!! This girl LOVE treasure hunts....)

We're sitting in our meeting and my ladies on the team start handing me keys....2 old keys from a purse...one from the office...and then I get a TXT from one of my "key prayer warriors" (ha! no pun intended...she PRAYS for me...txts & IM's me...all the time. - I'm sooo covered with her on her knees! wowzzaa!!!)

SHE "has something" and is on her way to the location of the meeting....& wants to pray over us! She walks in...with a BAG of OLD KEYS!!! (84 in all....) I could've fallen OVER....Isabella eyes were like SAUCERS!!! This girl is a nanny...and she and her kids embarked on their own scavenger hunt...getting the idea of walking into an old locksmith store. She asked, "Do you have any old, unused keys? We are doing a "Key Drive!?" After asking how many she wanted - they said as many as you have....

WOW....

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So, in this...hears the rub! I'm JUST beginning to SEE that God is using this to SHOW me, he's doing something bigger -- I MEAN BIGGER....!!!

I can't even fathom how big, and significant this trip is for the Kingdom of God!

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I feel the words, "Keys to the Kingdom" rise up in my spirit....so I couldn't resist to see what is in his word about "KEYS"....

Matthew 16:19 ~ "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

OH WOW....

I can't even GO ON....I know GOD is LOOSING... I've been praying FREEDOM!!!!! The heartbeat of heaven is surely to loose the chains that keep us from freedom in Christ!

SIX more FREEDOM-KEYS found!!!!

WOW.

sooo fun.

Isabella & I are looking....tonight we stopped on the way up the slope and Isabella prayed, "ok God, send us keys from all over....on the ground...in the bushes...in bags....& boxes - in Jesus name - AMEN."

OH boy, I don't think it's ever taken us that long to walk up the slope to our apartment -- (and it's late 11pm, we're coming home from our Mission Team Dinner)!!Anyway...we are talking looking around bushes...and tufts of weeded grass....everything looks shiny at night (I was just praying we wouldn't get hurt on a piece of glass or a nail!) Finally, Isabella & I remember a key we found a few months ago on the subway platform...I let her keep it...we can't remember where it was...but then that made me think of a little box by the door of our door....which made me think about when our friend Miss Faith helped us get organized....we made a box of KEYS & LOCKS !! YOU should've seen Isabella's eyes when we found the little snack baggie of SIX KEYS!!! (WHY did I keep these???...I'm sure for this very moment!!)

She said, "SEE?! We are praying and God is giving us keys!! We found 6 and Miss Nicole found 1...we are gonna find a lot of keys...maybe like 20!"

We'll see..... Until tomorrow....

Let us know when and WHERE you find YOUR keys!!

This is a fun adventure....

Tomorrow I hope we find a shop or stoop sale with a bunch of old keys!!

I'll let you know!

Good night.

Now to Him, Deborah~

FIRST KEY FOUND!!

I got this amazing email from my sweet friend NICOLE!
Yea....this is soooooo fun! GOD IS SOOOO GOOD!! wow....
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DEB!!!! I FOUND A KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I read this e-mail in between laundry cycles tonight. After I read, I prayed.."God, send me a key. I am going to be on the lookout." I went to the laundry room to move the towels to the dryer. I looked on top of my washer and saw a SHINY SILVER KEY!!!! It was not there when I put the towels into the washer!!!!!

I am THRILLED...AMAZED...it is SO GOD!!
What an amazing faith builder that God is raining down keys for freedom.

I'm sending the key anonymously to Bella. :-)

Take care,
Nicole

OAXACAN KEYS for Freedom....

I'm continually amazed by the "faith deposits" God drops in my heart. I've been reading an amazing book on prayer....and just started reading about "prophetic acts"....doing something in the natural realm that brings a supernatural response. The book suggests that in doing and act like this causes and answer to come to the physical realm. (Many of us have done these very things like anointing our homes or taking communion...or baptism....)
In this moment of reading this... I remembered something the Lord put on my heart in March when I was praying for the villages of Oaxaca.

In March God laid on my heart that FREEDOM was my focus in prayer....
Freedom for Miracles - blindness, vision issues, diseases, illness....etc. Freedom for Sight: physically & spiritually Freedom from old Indian cults Freedom for Christians & favor for them within their communities. Freedom from political corruption….& police corruption. Freedom & Unity for the city government & the Believers

Then...God gave me the thought of burying keys in dirt....I literally brushed it off...as I wrote it in my journal....I simply thought..."those were keys to unlock the above things for FREEDOM!"
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So, last weekend when I was reading about the "prophetic acts"....God reminded me about the KEYS - my immediate thought was, I need to go buy some keys! Then, I felt the Lord say, "No....I'll provide them -- it will be like a treasure hunt!"
(if you've never heard of anything like this -- check out this amazing story about our little friend Sydney when she went on a "treasure hunt" with our friends Faith & Cara! Sydney wanted to find a pink polk-a-dot dog! AND GOD GAVE IT TO HER!!! it was a REAL dog too ----> CLICK HERE.
I got so excited -- just to think....God's going to help us find KEYS. I started thinking they'd be found on the street...they'd be keys we may have that are of no use now or we don't know what they go to....or keys given to us.

That's why I'm writing to you all....

PLEASE CONSIDER Joining us in praying & looking for our KEYS.
If you LOOK for them...& find keys....AND live here in the city will you mail them us??

Send no later than Wednesday to make sure we get them....
If you live out of the city...and you have keys that are out of commission...send them to us...and we are going to bury them all over the Oaxacan Villages as a prophetic act to declare and release FREEDOM from all kinds of bondage's.
We are sooo excited to see the immediate things GOD does as we are faithful in believing God for this faith walk!

Funny, I think about a few of you who are reading this -- I have to giggle. You probably think I'm a little "off my rocker" (I know about 3yrs ago I would've thought that!)
It makes me think of the Israelites while in Egypt...when they were told wipe blood over their door posts (natural realm act) as a "prophetic act" not only so the spirit of death that would Passover their families on that night, but also God used it as a "prophetic act" for the blood of Jesus & what that would mean for OUR LIVES in eternity.
I can only imagine what the Israelites thought...probably some thought -- "I look a bit crazy right now!!"
Trust me...I'm listening to God's voice....it's really Him. And I'm sooo excited to see what he does! Not only for my & Russ' faith -- but mostly for ISABELLA'S faith!
He's gonna do this! Too fun!

ISABELLA KATE'S Baptism: July 5th 2009 @ 4:35pm

What a blessing to be an observer, prayer warrior, & parent to this precious girl!

THANK YOU God! It's been so fun to watch her journey in knowing God, Jesus, & the Holy Spirit. From the night she said to me, "Where are you going? We gotta pray and get Jesus in my heart!" To...when she told us about her dream she had about Jesus dressed in white with a shiny-sparkly head, and declared, "He was putting the shiny in my heart!"

We've watched her grow in the fruit & power of the Holy Spirit thru out this year -- and finally after hearing the story of "Saul of Tarsus" and his conversion - she said, "Ananias baptized Paul like John the Baptist baptized Jesus. I didn't do that - I need to do that Mommy!"

Which brings us to this video...

"THANK YOU for Praying for...."

Oaxaca, MX. –

(Pronounced "Wuh-ha-kah”)
I want you to know –RIGHT NOW I am praising our God for YOU! Early on, when I began praying for this Oaxaca Mission Trip, the Lord laid on my heart that he had a strong army of warriors that would commit to be on our support prayer team. He also dropped in my spirit that it would be a small team – yet, a significant team. Your part on this prayer team, I believe, has and will have a significant impact. I know it will ‘help’ us in our PHYSICAL world, but I believe it will be MORE impacting & powerfully significant in the SPIRIT REALM (what I think of as “the war zone.”) Not to mention….many of YOU I’ve watched for years model integrity in prayer, (ie.)when you say you will pray – you WILL PRAY!) – We’re sooo BLESSED!!

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FRIDAY, July 17th – 9pm:
TRAVEL DAY – going to the JFK at 9pm….our flight leaves at midnight – and we travel thru the night.

• PLEASE PRAY – travel mercies (everyone in our team arrives, travel details, flight details, patience, Isabella will be peaceful and cooperative)


• PLEASE PRAY – we can sleep on the plane. (we arrive in Oaxaca at 7:30am)


• PLEASE PRAY – that we will be able to check our luggage all the way through to Oaxaca City and go through customs there.


• PLEASE PRAY – that customs and immigration will go smoothly for all, that all our luggage will arrive safely. (Also, we are transporting over 1000prs. of glasses – that they will clear, and all equipment and medication will clear.)

SATURDAY, July 18th – 7:30am:
ARRIVAL DAY – we arrive in Oaxaca City at 7:30am and are picked up at the airport by the missionaries and transported to the Mission compound. We’ll spend the day in orientation, team building, and organizing glasses/materials.

• PLEASE PRAY – travel mercies from the airport to the compound.


• PLEASE PRAY – everyone on our team will be rested.


• PLEASE PRAY – our health is protected – we will be protected in eating and drinking.


• PLEASE PRAY – that our team will be unified in spirit. – not everyone on our team knows one another well, and many are in different places with their relationship with God. (I suspect that some may think they are believers – but are just ‘church go-ers’ – pray for salvation for EVERYONE on our team.)

SUNDAY, July 19th:
DAY w/ MISSIONARIES – we will attend a Mexican church service in the city, have more orientation/training, get accustomed to the altitude (over 5000ft.), and make final plans to set out to the villages Monday morning.

• PLEASE PRAY – safety in the city as we travel.


• PLEASE PRAY – grace, unity, & worship.


• PLEASE PRAY – as we not prepare our ‘STUFF’ (equipment, agendas, etc.) – that God will prepare our HEARTS to meet the needs of the villagers.


• PLEASE PRAY – that the missionary doctors returning will be blessed by seeing their past patients and friends made in previous years. (I remember when we did mission work in Reynosa, MX…it was ALWAYS soooo important to me to see the families I grew closer to in previous years….it is a precious reunion moment….and to restore relationship does something miraculous that is hard to understand. It is such a GIFT from God!!)
  

MONDAY, July 20th:
VILLAGE DAY #1 – we are most likely will be working as one team…but may split into two teams to cover more villages.

• PLEASE PRAY – for the people in the villages
  *That they will PHYSICALLY see.
  *That they will see GOD in ways they never have before.


• PLEASE PRAY – FOR RUSS (these are his requests) & the other interns /doctors.
  *That he will have energy
  *That he will work efficiently, accurately & quickly
  *But also, that there will be a sensitivity to God and what HE may be doing in each moment.
  *That God will give him wisdom – not only in medicine, but in ministry.
  *That Russ’ Spanish skills will be restored
  *That there will be easy communication w/ the villagers. (translation to the indigenous Indian dialec of the village)


• PLEASE PRAY – for MIRACLES!!!!!!

Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and
forever.”

WE WANT TO SEE GOD IN THIS WAY!!

Mark 10:52 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The
blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see. “Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.”

We have heard of miraculous healing of the blind. (never seen by doctors…just thru prayer) We have heard of miraculous healing of bad vision, eye disease, and other health issues completely unrelated to eye health – etc.

• PLEASE PRAY – for ISABELLA (and her ministry to the children) – God is working powerfully in ‘Bella Kate’s life. She has declared on different occasions, “Mommy, we will lay hands on people and they will be healed, in Jesus Name!” Yesterday she declared , “people will see & accept Jesus in their hearts. “ She has been doing a bible study with her teacher, Miss Faith learning these scriptures (which she has memorized.) & different stories from the bible.
  -Mark 10:52 “Go for your faith has healed you.”
  -1Peter 2:24 “By His stripes we are healed.”
  -John 14:14 “If you pray anything in My name, it will be given to you.”
  -And I’m sure she will be sharing the story of “Saul of Tarsus” (Acts 9)
  

TUESDAY, July 21st:
VILLAGE DAY #2 – (again…) we are most likely will be working as one team…but may split into two teams to cover more villages.

• PLEASE PRAY – a repeat for the Villagers, Russ (& other Interns/Docs), & Isabella.


• PLEASE PRAY – for People to be SAVED.


• PLEASE PRAY – for DEBORAH (and my role) – I’ve been praying for this trip for a while now, and here are some things that I feel God has been saying about my role on this trip.
  **I am a Watchtower
  **I am a Mother
  **I am a Wife
  **I am an intercessor/prayer warrior


• These are some things I’m praying for myself (I trust that God will show you how to pray also… ;-)….thanks so much:
  -I’m praying FREEDOM.
  -Freedom for Miracles to occur. (& that God will build our faith thru them.)
  -Freedom for Sight: physically & spiritually
  -Freedom from old Indian religions.
  -Freedom for Christians & favor for them within their communities.
  -Freedom from political corruption….& police corruption.
  -Freedom & Unity for the city government & the Believers


• PLEASE PRAY – Health, Energy, Wisdom, Safety, & UNITY.
  

WEDNESDAY, July 22nd :
VILLAGE DAY #3 – (again…) we are most likely will be working as one team…but may split into two teams to cover more villages.

• PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY the above….


• PLEASE PRAY – for the blessing on people serving us.


• Missionaries, Cooks, other workers of the Mission, drivers.


• PLEASE PRAY – revival among the children


• PLEASE PRAY – Health, Energy, Wisdom, Safety, UNITY, favor
  

THURSDAY, July 23rd :
VILLAGE DAY #4 – (again…) we are most likely will be working as one team…but may split into two teams to cover more villages.

• PLEASE CONTINUE TO PRAY the above….


• PLEASE PRAY – Revival Freedom….(bringing in sheaves from the harvest! Ps. 126)

Psalms 126 - “When the LORD brought back the captives to Zion, we
were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O LORD, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.”

• PLEASE PRAY – JOY, WISDOM, LAUGHTER, PRAISE.


• PLEASE PRAY – Health, Energy, Safety, & UNITY.


• PLEASE PRAY – FAVOR for the missionaries & our team with the leaders of the village community.

FRIDAY, July 24th :
TOUR DAY – the missionaries are taking us to Oaxaca City to do some touristy things.

• PLEASE PRAY – Health, Energy, Safety, & UNITY


• PLEASE PRAY – as we walk thru the city….we will take the Spirit of the Lord with us wherever we are…that we will miraculously BE light in the darkness.


• PLEASE PRAY – for God to seal the relationships that we make…building and growing them thru our Christian walks. That we will not forget them….we will continue to pray for them…and their lives.
  THANK YOU!!!

SATURDAY, July 25th :
TRAVEL DAY – going to the Oaxaca very very early….our flight leaves at 8:30am – and we travel thru the ALL DAY…layover in Mexico City, MX. (we will not leave the airport – or most likely not even leave security)

• PLEASE PRAY – travel mercies (everyone in our team is healthy, travel details, flight details, patience, Isabella will be peaceful and cooperative)


• PLEASE PRAY – we can sleep on the plane…or have plenty to do…esp. for Isabella.


• PLEASE PRAY – that we will be able to check our luggage all the way through to JFK and go through customs there.


• PLEASE PRAY – that customs and immigration will go smoothly for all, that all our luggage will return safely.
  
  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES, AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED..." ~Luke 4:18
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  LASTLY….we need support financially.
  Please pray that God will bring in all the money we “NEED”….and that we trust him for anything lacking….or can be generous with the missionaries with anything exceeding. We have raised a 1/3 of our trip at this point and trusting Him. The cost of our trip is $3000 (airfare, ins., food, lodging, transportation, medical supplies & a love donation). Thank you!
  If you are supporting us financially here are the details:
  Make check out to FCO or “Fellowship of Christian Optometrists”
  Email me the $$ amount you are donating
  ALL donations are tax-deductible - and made to FCO - Fellowship of Christian Optometrists)
  If you have any other questions please feel free to email me at deborah.coates@gmail.com

THANK YOU Again sooooo much!
Thank you all for your love and consistent support in our lives, adventures, and all that God is doing in our lives!
You are truly a huge blessing in our lives & we love you!
Now to Him,
Deborah & Russ (and Isabella Kate)