Oi from Santa Terezinha, Brazil! While the day ended with amazing tales of changed lives - far beyond what we could have imagined - it began with a VERY obnoxious rooster who crowed in Portuguese LONG before the sun came up!! Hank, our youngest team member, was threatening to take that bird out!!
Today was a day made of wonderful memories and stories that we can't wait to share with you! One story in particular was told by Dr. Mike which gave the whole boat gospel goosebumps. A 24-year old man came to him and told him about a really bad dream he had the night before we arrived. In the dream demons were attacking him and then a Christ-like figure handed him a sword to fight the demons. Next a character like satan told him that he was sending a small boat of demons to fight him. However, the Christ-like figure said that he would send a larger boat full of angels! Then, he saw our boat the next morning and thought that we were the angels. Dr. Mike told him that we weren't angels but that we were definitely protected by angels and so are he and his two sons.
The leaders of the men's ministry each shared their life experience and witnessed more than 20 changed lives as men prayed to accept Christ for the first time. The women in the women's ministry were very engaged in listening to what the leaders had to say as they each shared their own testimonies with them. Jacy, one of our translators said it was quite apparent that women from very different cultures can share in the same types of struggles. It was great to see how this realization impacted the women of the village and opened them up to hearing the gospel.
In the children's ministry we hosted over 100 kids and taught lessons from the Bible. The team prayed that the kids would receive more than just a story but the true love of Christ. God blessed us by letting us know that we did minister to them because as our boat was leaving the children gathered at the shore to chant the names of the some of the team and to say "Tchau, te ama!" (bye, we love you!)! As you can imagine we each left a little piece of our hearts in Santa Terezinha!
We're looking forward to tomorrow and Paratins as we'll mainly be focused on Childrens Ministry. Thank you all for your continued prayers. We love you and miss you all,
Jamie, Susanna, Bethany and Mechiel
Oh, Hank, I can hear you yelling at that bird now! HeHe!
ReplyDeleteThose stories warm my heart. Especially all those children gathered at the shore to say good. What a blessing!
From my devotional to you all!:
June 17th
Then there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads as they stood with lowered wings. Ezekiel 1:25
What is the significance of these words: "They stood with lowered wings"? People often ask, "How can I hear the voice of the Lord?" This is the secret: these "living creatures" (v.5) heard the voice when "they stood with lowered wings."
We have all seen a bird flutter its wings while standing in place. But in this verse, we are told that "there came a voice as they stood with lowered wings."
Do you ever sit, or even kneel, before the Lord and yet are conscious of a fluttering in your spirit? If so, you are not exhibiting a sense of genuine stillness while in His presence.
A dear person told me of this very thing a few days ago,"I prayed about a certain thing," she said, "but I did not wait for the answer to come." She did not get still enough to hear God speak but instead went away and followed her own thinking in the matter. The result proved disastrous, and she was forced to retrace her steps.
Oh, how much energy we waste!! How much time we lose by refusing to lower the wings of our spirit and become totally quiet before Him! Imagine the calm, the rest, and the peace that will come as we wait in His presence until we hear from Him!
Then and only then, we too may speed "back and forth like flashes of lightning" (v.14), going directly to "wherever the spirit would go" (v.20).
Be still! Just now be still!
Something your soul has never heard,
Something unknown to any song of bird,
Something unknown to any wind, or wave, or star,
A message from the Father's land afar,
That with sweet joy the homesick soul will thrill,
And comes to you only when you're still.
Be still! Just now be still!
There comes a presence very mild and sweet;
White are the sandals of His noiseless feet.
It is the Comforter whom Jesus sent
To teach you what the words He uttered meant.
To teach you what the words He uttered meant.
The willing, waiting spirit, He does fill.
If you would hear His message,
Dear soul, be still!
From: Streams in the Desert, by L.B. Cowman
My trip to the Amazon is where the Lord first taught me what being truly still in His presence means. I pray that for all of you as you continually seek Him through this journey! Love to you all!! Hank, mom misses you desperately! (You too, Daddy!)
Love, Veronica