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SalvationsandMiraclesinAfricaAcoalitionofDenversmostpowerfulministerstookanunprecedentedstepPalmSundaywhentheygatheredaroundmayoralcandidateMichaelHancockandblessedtheballotsig-nifyingtheimportanceofnotonlyvot-ingintheMay3municipalelectionbutdeliveringtheballottoensurevictory.Thesymbolicblessingofthebal-lotcomesastheall-mailinelectionisinfullswingandpresentsitsownchallengesinanodd-yearspringelec-tion.ArecentDenverPost9NewspollshowsthatHancockChrisRomerandJamesMejiaarelockedintoathree-waybattleformayor.ItsallverysymbolicsaysKhadijaHaynesaDenverpoliticalstrategist.Theeventwasmeanttodrawatten-tionthatthisisall-mailelectionandtheballotmustbedelivered.MuchliketheIsraelitesroamedthedesertseek-ingdeliverance-somusttheballots.TheGreaterDenverMinisterialAllianceblessedtheMay3ballotdur-inganeventatNewHopeBaptistChurchheldinhonorofHancockwhoisinastrongpositiontobecomeDenversnextmayoraftergarneringacross-sectionofheavy-weightendorse-mentsincludingthatoftheAllianceformerMayorWellingtonWebbandCityCouncilwomanCarolBoigonwhobowedoutofthemayoralracethisweekandthrewherbackingbehindHancock.HanockisoneoftencandidatesvyingformayorbutheiswidelyviewedastheonecandidatewhohasacrystalclearvisiontoleadDenverasitstrugglestoclimboutoftheworstrecessionsincetheGreatDepression.Denversnextmayorwillhavetomaketoughandharddecisionsasthecityfacesanestimated100millionbudgetdeficitin2012.Votersarelook-ingforthenextmayortocreatejobsimproveschoolsandrestoreconfi-denceinthecityspublicsafetydivi-sioninwakeofrecentviolentincidentsinvolvingthepoliceandthesheriffdepartments.FormonthswevebeentalkingtoDenverresidentswhowantamayorwithmyexperienceanddedicationtobringgoodjobsandbetterschooltoeveryneighborhoodsaidHancockwhoisalsoservesasadeaconatNewHope.Everydaywehavecontinuedtogainmomentumsupportandvotesandnowwearecomingbacktotheneighborhoodslettingpeopleknowitistimetoturninthoseballots.Thesymbolicblessingofthebal-lotcappedoffaweekofhigh-profilecampaigneventsasHancockandhissupportersworktoget-out-the-voteasElectionDayfastapproaches.AdayearlierWebbjoinedHancockatCrescentParkinLowrytolaunchacity-wideneighborhoodwalkingtourpledgingtoreachouttothousandsofvotersineveryneighborhoodinDenver.WebbpresentedHancockwithapairofNikehightopsharkingtothelegendarynovelSneakerCampaignWebbmountedin1991inwhichhebeatformerDenverDistrictAttorneyNormEarlybywalkingdoor-to-doorsolicitingthesupportofthousandsofconstituents.Webbemergedasanationalpoliticalpowerhouseandwentontoservethreetermsasmayorfrom1991to2003asDenversfirstAfrican-Americanmayortransformingthecityintoaworld-classcity.WebbhashelpedcultivateHancockspoliticalandciviccareersincefirstcrossingpathswithayoungHancockmorethan20yearsago.WebbhaswatchedHancockgrowfromastudentleaderatManuelHighSchooltoformerCEOoftheMetroDenverUrbanLeaguetoaCityCouncilmemberemergingasastrongleaderinhisownrightonewhoWebbbelievesisreadytacklethecitysfiscalandeconomicchallenges.Thisisacloseraceandthevictorwillbetheonewhowillworkharderlongerandsmartertoturnoutthevoteinthisall-mailelectionWebbsaid.WithourhelpthatcandidatewillbeMichael.IstandwithMichaelbecausehewillunifyandfightforallofDenver.HeisthecandidatetrulydedicatedtobringingDenvertogether.WebbandtheMinisterialAlliancepraiseHancockasaprovenandexpe-rienceleaderwithanin-depthunder-standingofhowthecityoperates.HancockhasrepresentedCouncilDistrict11foreightyears.AspastCityCouncilPresidentHancockworkedinpartnershipwithformerMayorJohnHickenloopertoleadthecitythroughtworecessionstoclosebud-getshortfallsof350millionhelpedpavethewayforthemultimillion-dollarStapletonandNorthfielddevelopmentsandworkedtohelpbusinessmaneuvercityregulationsbuildnewrecreationcentersinGreenValleyRanchandbringoverdueresourcesandattentiontofailingDenverPublicSchools.AsmayorHancockpledgestorevampthecultureofthecitysthreepublicsafetydivisionsandrestorepubliccon-fidence.HepubliclystatedthathewillreplacePoliceChiefGerryWhitman.Healsohasstatedthathewillrequirealldepartmentheadstoresignandreapplyfortheirjobs.HancocksayshewillworkwithDPStoensureeveryneighborhoodhasanexcellentschoolbyformingtheDenverCompactaneffortthatwillbringtogetherthecityschooldistricthighereducationbusi-nessandprivate-sectorfoundationswithafocusedgoalofimprovinglow-performingschools.IamanexperiencedprovenleaderwhoistestedandreadytotackleourchallengesHancocksaid.AsthecitysnextmayorIwillfosteranopen-dooradministrationconsistentlyencouragingpublicinvolvementinanefforttoachieveourcollectivegoalsasacityandcommunity.ADenverPastorwhoiscalledtostadiumevan-gelismandwhohadhimselfbeensetfreefromdebilitatingphysicalinjuriesandailmentsinthepasthasbeentravelingoverseaswithotherevan-gelistsforthepastsixyears.HismostrecenttriptoAfricawasthefirstonethathetookonhisownandheadmitshewasabitnervous.OvertheyearshehassoughtGodonthequestionofwhysomegethealedandothersdonot.HehadseenGodopenblindeyesdeafearsandperformcreativephysicalhealingsaswellasdeliveranceandlargenumbersofsalvations.ManytimesGodwillsetpeoplefreespirituallyandbringphysicalhealingfirstandafterexperiencingHispowerandlovetheywanttoknowHim.ThatiswhenthesalvationmessageofJesuslifedeathandresurrectionareoffered.DuringthepreviousthreecrusadeseveryonethatPastorJimprayedforhadreceivedhealing.SohecouldseethatGodwasincreasingtheanointingandexpectationduringthemeetings.YetthiswasthefirsttimehewasgoingonhisowninsteadofbeingonsomeoneelsesteamandhewasnervousaboutspeakingtothelargecrowdsthatwouldundoubtedlygatheroneachsubsequentnightaswordspreadaboutwhatGodwasdoingintheirmidst.BackinDenverweeagerlyawaitedthenexte-mailofwhatwashappeninginAfrica.Andwhenhereturnedwewantedtohearthedetails.HereareafewofthethingshesharedwithusFirstofallhehasabout4or5messagesthathesharesoverseaslastingabout20-25minutesincludingtranslationtime.Anangelaccompanieshimandtellshimwhattoprayfor.Hedoesnotcalloutanythinguntiltheangelspeakstohim.OnthismostrecenttripPastorJimmetwithgroupsofpastorsinthemorningandthenheldlargestadiumeventsintheevening.Thefirstmeet-ingwaswith3500pastors.DuringthemeetingtheGloryCloudofGodappearedanditwasintheformofapillar.Whenaskedthepastorssaidthatyestheydidwanttowalkthroughthecloud.Theywalkedthroughthecloudsomegoinginstoopedoverduetosicknessanddiseaseandcomingouthealed.Somewentinwithcanesandcameoutandthrewawaytheircanes.Othersweresetfreeofdemonicspirits.SomefelldownunderthepowerofGodandweredraggedouttomakeroomfortheoth-erstopassthrough.DuringoneoftheeveningcrusadestheGloryCloudappearedagainandmovedtodifferentsec-tionsofthecrowdandpeopleineachsectionwereinstantlyhealed.Onanothernighttherewasagroupofabout30lepersinasectionsurroundedbyanareaofemptyseatsbecausesomeformsofleprosyareverycontagious.Someofthepeopleweremissingtheirnoseorpartsoffingersetc.duetotheravagingeffectsofthedisease.PastorJimwaslookinginanotherdirectionspeakingandsuddenlyinthiscrowdofabout60000heheardshout-ingandscreamingfromtheleprosysection.TheyhadallbeeninstantlyhealedbyGodPeoplebeganembrac-ingthemandcelebratingwiththem.Duringoneeveningtherewereabout30peopleinwheelchairs.TheHolySpiritinstructedJimtosayriseupandwalkandtheyallinstantlygotoutoftheirwheelchairsandrantowardthestageManyabout1000deafreceivedtheirhearingandabout200blindreceivedtheirsight.Therewasastackofcrutchesmanycannotaffordwheelchairsovertenfeethighatoneofthegatherings.Overthecourseofthe4daystherewereleast15000-160000salvations.Inonemeetingalonepastorshandedout50000packetswithbiblesandothermaterialstothosewhoweresavedthemostononenightandtheyranoutwithapproximately5-10000morebiblesneededthatnight.AfterthemeetingswereoverPastorJimmetinahomewithseveralofthelocalpastorstohelpthemplanhowtoprovidepastoralfollowupforthepeoplewhohadmadeacommitmenttoChrist.Therewasaknockonthedoor.Atthedoorwasamanwhohadcarriedhisdead8-year-olddaughterforfourdaysGodhadtoldhimtobringhertothis18BODYOFCHRISTNEWSMAY2011Get-out-the-voteProvenleaderPastorsBlessBallotEndorseHancockforMayorByIrisArmstrongELECTIONMINISTRYContinuedonPage22