“I would like to feel God, but I do not know how”, “There are not any youth prayer groups near me”, “Shalom Community is not in my country, but I feel attracted to this vocation”, “I cannot live Christianity freely in my country”.
These are some of statements expressed by some young people in different parts of the world. I was asked if we had a response about to how to give them Shalom Charisma. How could we share the love of God with those who simply wanted to have an experience with Him, live faith, or who wanted to find their vocation? I did not know how, but kept this in my heart and brought into prayer.
The Holy Spirit finally gave me an inspiration: start an online prayer group with all those who simply desired to encounter God and who wanted to discover their vocation. So, we recently began weekly meetings in hangouts which are broadcast via YouTube once a month. In the groups we pray, sing and praise the Lord, call upon the Holy Spirit and His charismas. We have a moment of sharing/preaching; the participants also give testimony and express their intentions, so that as a community we can keep praying and keeping each other in our hearts.
It is a great blessing to live these community and prayer moments, and it is beautiful to see people from all over the world- Malaysia, the Philippines, France, the Congo, Jamaica, etc.- with their different cultures and languages and find in all this diversity the richness and the gift of the love of God, He who brings us together. God is real and He has made us the online generation of seekers, the online disciples of Christ, for God’s love has no limits.
As Christians, we should not see the virtual world from a pessimistic point of view. Yes, it is true that it is a place full of risks, but it is also offers vast possibilities to build bridges to connect us. This is a richness that we are called to discover and that we are step-by-step realizing.
I can personally give testimony that the internet is a means by which I am sent on mission to the most distant places while I just sit at my desk. This does not take away the value of personal encounters- these meetings are meant to lead people to personal encounters.
So, will God come online to talk to me? Well, I invite you to have this experience with us! If you are interested in joining the online prayer group in English we would love to have you. Please to write us: vocations@comshalom.org.
See you soon! Shalom!
Barbara Melo
Shalom Life Community missionary, Panama City