Welcomed with Mangoes!

So it was really fun to have an opportunity to adventure with God yesterday to a place where we didn't know anyone or what to expect, and to just ask him to do what he wanted to do and to connect us with whoever he wanted to.  We went to a small community on a mountainside about 30 minutes outside of Fortaleza.  They were listed on the website as an unreached people group so we went to investigate :)  A man who gave us directions at the gas station in the town nearby said, "watch out for the arrows."  Which was funny except he didn't smile or laugh when he said it... but thank God, he was joking.  The people we met were very hospitable to us.  We weren't totally sure if it was ok to enter, so we just kept asking people on the side of the road as we went, "are we there yet, is this it, how do we get there, and is it ok to drive in further to visit...".  

When we arrived, we saw a church building, and were surprised!  Weren't expecting that.  The church has about 30 members, 20 from one family, and the rest from outside the reservation.  Its planning to close soon.  A lady was there cleaning and let us come in to tell us about the community.  

Then she introduced us to a 76 year old woman, Deuzete, who had an amazing conversion story and a mango orchard :)  She had lived there her whole life.  And about 15 years ago, was dying of throat and lung cancer and tuberculosis.  Her daughter tried to convince her to come to church to get prayer, but she said, "No, I hate believers!".  But she was healed, and now her whole family are believers.  And she is fearless.  She took anointing oil and prayed around a big tree where the village preforms rituals, one day before they were going to have rituals there.  And then they were all mad at her because they couldn't connect with spirits there!  But she said, "If my God is for me, who can be against me."

She showed us around her property and we picked 5 sacks full of mangos and other Brazilian fruits that I can't spell.  And she said, next time you come you can put your tents here, and we will have so much more to give you.  She was excited that for the first time a group of missionaries might come to her community.

They told us where the chief's house was so we went to meet him.  His wife, Luisa, welcomed us in immediately.  And talked to us, mostly looking at the ground, telling us about their community.  She and the chief, Daniel, don't really have an active faith.  They both claimed to believe in God in a general sort of way.  Their native religious leader just practices macumba now. (which is an african witchcraft/ idol worship which is common in Brazil)  And she was crying because thats not even native, nor the drugs that people have brought in.  Really it sounds as if they have sort of lost their identity.  And that their is almost no witness of the living God and real relationship with him there. 

We prayed with the chief before we left, for rain so that they can plant their crops (its been a super dry year in this state).  And he welcomed us to come back anytime.  

So we will pray for heaven's strategy for these people!  And can't wait to see how God wants to introduce himself.  It seems so crazy to have this little group, that no one has really gone to, right by a huge city full of many believers and all kinds of religion.  Like this tiny little forgotten people.  But they are not forgotten!  The light of the world is coming to them.

It was a simple and wonderful beginning.  A door cracked open...  What a blessing to participate.  Love will flood that place.  Thanks for praying for us!

Andrea

Fighting Terrorism - One Hug at a Time

We had a missions training weekend camp here a few weeks ago.  God brought some amazing Brazilian young people and youth who are really hungry for more of God in their lives, and we got to really encourage them in their dreaming with God.  It was a wonderful time of worshipping together and sharing our experiences and dreams and passion for adventuring with God.  I got to teach on hearing the voice of God, and we did some games to practice and stir up the gifts of God in each of us.  Then we took the bus to the beach for a treasure hunt :)

I decide to take a little notepad of paintings with me, in case I felt to give some art away.  Our enthusiastic friend Alyson, was talking with a young man for a long time, trying to excite him for a different life, with a God of love and joy.  While I watched them talking from a distance, I felt to give him a picture and took it to him and shared a word of encouragement with him, and smiled and blessed him and gave him a hug, and while I was talking with him noticed the tattoos on his arm:  the twin towers and a portrait of Osama Bin Ladin.   He seemed so touched by my simple gesture of blessing him, and his countenance seemed so surprised, and really affected.  It wasn't until the next day that I realized why he had been so surprised, and that he had tried to apologize for his tattoos.  I am clearly American.  And his arm clearly stated that he at some point in his life thought it was cool to hate Americans.  Little did he know, it was my greatest pleasure, and the most fun I had all day.  My favorite people to love, are those who aren't expecting it!  Because I think that is how Jesus loves, part of what is so good about his love, is that its so unreasonable and unexpected.

Neighborhood Stories

One of my favorite things to do in Fortaleza is visiting people in the community.  IRIS has a House of Prayer there that we rent from one of the old drug dealers.  He doesn't live in the community anymore, I think for fear of his life from rival drug dealers.  A couple months ago, someone burned down all his other properties, but they left our House of Prayer alone - they know that we are using it to bless the community and represent mercy and grace in that place.  God has given us so much favor and protection.  I never feel afraid there at all.  Of course I always walk around with friends, but still, our level of protection is ridiculous.

Last week at soup night, Ned and Herb sat outside the house of prayer on the sidewalk, praying with one of the neighbors and preaching the gospel to him.  He was very sick with Tuberculosis and thought that he was about to die, so he really was open to hearing about Jesus.  They prayed for him and promised to come by and check on him and share with him more when we are visit again.  Last week Ned and I saw him in the street, looking strong and healthy and with a bright shiny face and a big smile.  I couldn't believe it!  (But Ned just told me as I am writing this that he got sick again and Andrew took him to the hospital for care last week)

Rosie - One of my favorite women to hug and pray for there.  She has a really soft heart and soaks up love when she can get it.  She has two daughters and is really addicted to drugs, and begs and used to sell her body most of the time for food for her kids and herself and to take care of her addiction.  But everytime I see her she smiles and cries everytime I hug her.  One day I walked across the railroad bridge into the community to meet my friends there, and she walked up behind me without me seeing her and gave me a hug.  I would have thought it would startle me, since I hadn't seen who it was, but by the feel of her hug, I knew immediately that whoever it was, they loved me and had my best interest at heart.  It really was so welcoming!

Marcia - She is one of the most joyful people I have met in the community, she became a Christian last year, and got free of her drug addiction too!  Now she is a testimony to her family and neighbors of the power of Christ living in her.  She is really hungry for more encouragement and discipleship and I am hoping that God will show us more clearly how to help those who are hungry to grow up in him.

Thanks for praying for us and with us!  More of you Lord!!