(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Thousands of people in Colorado Springs attended an event over four days to experience hope, unity, and healing — in a tent that has caught the eyes of many driving by on Powers Boulevard.
“We have a huge tent which Colorado Springs has seen,” said Jim Willoughby, executive director of Mario Murillo Ministries. “We do four-day crusades just sharing hope with people, sharing the love of God, seeing people come to a personal relationship with Christ.”
It is four days, which begins on Sunday and concludes Wednesday evening. But, Willoughby said the crusade really begins five weeks beforehand.
“We mowed 50 yards, clean them up, you know, in an area of Colorado Springs,” Willoughby said. “We went out, we served food.”
Then, the event begins with thousands packing the tent each night.
“Sunday night, it began with virtually every seat full and a few people standing around outside. So it’s been a phenomenal four days,” Willoughby said.
“It feels awesome,” said Alexis Sawvel, a young attendant, “because, like, where I go to school there’s not a lot of people that felt the same way. So, it’s awesome to like see a lot of kids my age running around with the Spirit of God.”
Over 5,000 people gathered under one canopy to find healing and purpose.
“Harvard just recently released a report where 18 to 29-year-olds — two-thirds of them — are fearful for their future,” Willoughby said. “And that’s what Living Proof is all about, is to show this culture that God has a great plan for their life.”
“Last year,” Jeff Johnson said, an attendee from Black Forest, “we prayed for a young man who was in a wheelchair. He got up and got out of the wheelchair. We’ve actually already seen that here when we got here early.”
The Mario Murillo Ministries is over 50 years old, and Murillo travels across the country doing these tent crusades.
“The first tent we outgrew it in one year, bought a bigger tent, outgrew it in one year,” Willoughby said. “This is actually the first time we’ve set up this brand-new tent. And, here in Colorado Springs, we’ve almost outgrown it now.”
A tent that is open to anyone and everyone.
“A tent is non-threatening. A tent is nondenominational. Our heart is to show people that it’s not about the name that’s over the door. It’s about the name that’s over our heart,” Willoughby said.
