Matt recently returned from our last international trip of the summer to Georgetown, Guyana, accompanied by Miriam Wright from Ontario. Truly, they had a blessed and anointed time.
While there, Matt led a ministry Team Training and an Unbound Freedom in Christ Conference. Guyana, the only English-speaking nation in South America, borders Suriname and Venezuela. It has a large forested interior and one major city, Georgetown. Culturally, the Guyanese connect with the Caribbean nations. Guyana has the highest suicide rate in the world and one of the highest incarceration rates. It was the place where the famous Jonestown mass suicide took place. The Men’s Ministry in the Diocese of Georgetown invited us to this place which has great need for freedom and healing. We were eager to share the love of God!
Miriam gave several talks and connected beautifully with the people as she ministered. The training went wonderfully – the times of ministry were powerful as the leaders experienced freedom. Enthusiastically, the fifteen leaders from Suriname assured us that we will be getting an invitation to lead a conference there soon. Despite traveling many hours to be there, the Surinamers came filled with joy and compassion. Three medical students from Cameroon also joined our team, excited to receive and to be a part of the ministry.
Aside from the team, about 120 people attended the conference, including 10 men and 10 women who were on release from prison. Accused or convicted of serious crimes, including murder, they participated in the conference, and many received prayer. Even the guards sang and danced during our times of worship. It was a special gift to Matt to demonstrate the mercy of God to the prisoners through the Five Keys.
Some highlights:
The Bishop of Georgetown, Bishop Francis Alleyne, attended the conference. After the conclusion, he got up to share and told the people how needed and important it was for parents to learn how to speak blessing over the identities of their children. He later declared to Miriam, “It is so wonderful to see people come into the fullness of their baptism.”
One woman approached Matt after the conference and shared that she has been an addict for many years. No matter what she tried, she felt she was held back from freedom. Yet on her mother’s deathbed years ago, her mother had proclaimed that one day she would be free. After receiving what God had for her at the conference, she now believed that she could be free from her addiction.
Here are some quotes from those who attended:
“We saw the power of God changing and transforming many lives. We were blessed by Matt and Miriam’s selflessness and love…. as they laboured tirelessly ministering to God’s people. We are also thankful for all the training that we have received, enabling us now to be more empowered to help others.”
– Shellyanne
“Let me introduce myself to you guys: Kamdoum Kengne Arielle Vanessa, Princess of God.
Glory be to you Daddy, for showing me your majestic love .
Glory be to you for blessing me and so many people through UNBOUND MINISTRY.
Thank you Lord for my FREEDOM. I believe you will use me to show the way of your freedom to your people; I’m so HAPPY I can’t wait!”
– Arielle
“I have tasted and I have seen, the Lord is not only good but excellent. This weekend is the best I’ve ever had, and I am super excited and above all FREE IN CHRIST!!! The joy in my heart cannot be explained.”
– Wambo
Below is a short testimony:
I just want to share this testimony with you all because something like this cannot be kept hidden.
I used to think I was free, that I was okay, that I had peace of mind. Some months back, I realized I had this scar, and I asked God to heal me. What He did was send this wonderful team of Unbound: Freedom in Christ, and I discovered I had so much on my plate which really had a grip on me, not just the thing I wanted the Lord to heal me from. There were things that came up from when I was little. It was like going to a therapist, but the difference is my therapist was Jesus.
After talking and letting out the hurt, renouncing the devil and his lies and deceit, forgiving the people I had to forgive, and forgiving myself, I felt a great relief. It felt so good, and as the conference went on, I could feel the Lord in me; what a great feeling! For the first time in my life I felt the Lord using me as His instrument. I am free, and I know better how to put the enemy in his place.
The enemy uses the little things to fool us, to make us believe that we are not…we should not give him the upper hand. I am so grateful to God for Matt and Miriam for bringing Unbound to me, and may God keep blessing you in abundance.
A big thank you to those supporting this ministry and for your prayers during this summer stretch of travel and ministry. God is doing such wonderful things in the lives of people, and He is allowing us to share in His work and His joy. It is hard to believe that we are seeing the power of God do what we can only dream of.
We believe that God is going to take us further in love and impact as well as move us farther into the countries of South America, Asia, and beyond. Please pray for the advancement of His Kingdom, for wherever Jesus reigns, there is freedom! Pray that Guyana might be known for the love of God, and that the plague of suicide would be reversed in this generation. Pray that Unbound would be released into the prisons and that every broken life might be restored. Pray for open doors to Suriname and the Spanish-speaking countries of Central and South America. Give thanks to the Father for the faithfulness and love He is pouring out upon us all.