Each week for the past 3 months we've been giving the chance for 24-7ers around Europe to tell a little of their story and give us an insight into how to pray for this amazingly diverse continent. This week we hear from Brian Heasley who is part of the 24-7 Prayer community on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

Just over 10 years ago Ibiza was heralded in a British newspaper as a modern day “Sodom and Gomorrah”.

We’ve never really liked the “Sodom and Gomorrah’ title.  We prefer to view Ibiza as a modern day Nineveh!  The people of Nineveh heard the word of God and responded to it; this is a much more faith filled approach and we pray redemptively over this island, that it hears the word of God and responds.

Ibiza is a beautiful, pine covered Mediterranean island, roughly 200 square miles in size and just 60 kilometres off the coast of mainland Spain.  Here you will find some of the world’s most stylish dance clubs, some great beaches and fantastic walks.

Known to many as the party capital of Europe, the year round population of 120,000 swells to around 440,000 in the summer months, with holidaymakers and seasonal workers. Ibiza’s main industry is tourism and like everywhere else in the world, it has been hit by the financial crisis. At one point this year unemployment reached 20% in Spain, and there has been a large decrease in the amount of people coming on holiday here.

Ibiza is a popular British holiday destination and so you find intense bar areas full of British pubs and bars. One of these areas is the West End of San Antonio, once  reputed to have the most bars and clubs per square mile in the whole of the European continent.  Mostly popular with 18-30s, this is where 24-7 prayer has chosen to be most present. We have a prayer room – The Chapel - and drop in centre in the heart of this messy yet beautiful little world.

24-7 Prayer in Ibiza

24-7 Prayer in Ibiza exists to practice a rhythm of prayer and mission; in doing this we aim to care for the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of the people we meet.

This involves offering our centre as a place for people to come and chill, to hang out and talk, to get some practical help or just to have a listening ear.

We also patrol the streets at night. Please pray for us as we frequently witness open drug taking, binge drinking, people vomiting or collapsed in the street, fights, nudity, people having sex in public places…… 

Our work is often messy and sometimes disturbing. But in it all, we see broken people who need to be cared for, people who deserve the chance to be introduced to and experience God, who loves them individually and passionately.

Salvation!

Before the season began, we had a strong sense that this year would be a year in which we saw some people saved.  In the first couple of months, 3 people have made first time decisions to be followers of Jesus!  For each one, God gave someone on the team exactly the words to say that spoke to their situation and unlocked their hearts.

Sunday Services

This year we started a weekly Sunday evening service.  At first, it was just the team, but since then various other people who work here have regularly attended. 

Among the regular congregation are our West African friends who work here as prostitutes; we still don’t know them well but are very slowly getting to know their stories. It has taken years to get to even this level of contact with them and it is truly a joy to have 6 of these ladies sit with us to worship God, pray and hear words from the Bible on a Sunday evening.  It’s strange to be giving them both Bibles and condoms; to see them as members of our congregation and then at work most nights as we drive home.  But first and foremost we want them to feel that they belong, that they are loved, and that mercy triumphs over judgment.  It’s a challenge, but one we feel Jesus would want us to take.  Please pray for the girls and also for us, that we would have wisdom and find ways to love and care for them.

Prayer for the island

We have also started fortnightly prayer meetings with other Christians on the island.  It’s been inspiring to have them join us in praying for our work and to pray with them about the people and things that are on their hearts, and for the island in general. We also pray on average 20 hours each week for Ibiza in our prayer room as part of our night time rhythm of work. This can be exhausting and at times feel a little repetitive  - yet we see answers and will be persistent in this.

Team

As a resident team of just 3 adults and two children we are blessed to have 3 extra people with us for the whole summer season. For some it meant giving up their UK jobs and for all of them a journey of faith, saving hard over the winter and trusting God to provide the rest. Our longer term team is further enhanced by 4 others coming for 2-3 months each.  We couldn’t do it without them.

We also have 6 two week teams who come and serve with us and make a significant contribution to the work.  In total, there will be around 55 people who physically come and serve the work of 24-7 prayer in Ibiza this year.

Prayer

Prayer has been and always will be key to the work in Ibiza.  Please join your prayers to ours – we value them so much.  

To join with Christians all over the world in praying for the prodigal continent of Europe visit the website 24-7prayer.eu where you can sign up to pray, for weekly newsletters and prayer resources. You might also like to read Ian Nicholson's article Restoring the Romance or watch our excellent European Prayer video.

If you've missed our earlier posts in the European Voices series you can catch up:

Euro Voices - Albania

Euro Voices - Bosnia

Euro Voices - Croatia

Euro Voices - Bulgaria

Euro Voices - Malta

Euro Voices - Hungary

Euro Voices - Czech Republic

Euro Voices - Finland

Euro Voices - Ireland

Euro Voices - Switzerland

Euro Voices - Portugal

Euro Voices - Turkey

Euro Voices - Germany