• Oct 24

  Brazilian Trip update – Friday

  Filed under General News
  So yesterday was a different  day, but then we haven´t had an ordinary one yet. We´ve spent the day mostly laughting until we hurt and crying… actually the crying was just me ;o) I’m ok just get emotional about this place and the people.

  In the morning we went to see where the millionares live in Belo Horizonte and where the Pope visited, funnily enough he never made it to Washington Pires!

  Then this afternoon we had a long prayer time as a team which was great and then went to church. After that we prayed more and read some words given to us by Helen schofield &  the Wednesday group that meets at Dayspring. All their words concurred with things we had already received. It was amazingly helpful… I´ll try to explain.

  When you are here you wonder if you are doing any good as you don’t seem to be doing much in terms of physical help. We are busy and the days are full but just in a different way to what we are used to. This is very challenging for all of us on the team as we are all “doers” and also it’s a western thing.  However for Brazilians relationship will always, always come before task. So you can spend a lot of time talking, waiting, meeting people and changing plans – which has been difficult for the team to adapt to. Even though you can prepare team it’s only when they are here that they understand the challenges. This is not to be confused with Brazilians being lazy as they work very hard.

  So for the first few days the team were a bit frustrated but I kept reminding them that Elias met me at the airport last April with the words that my presence was the most important thing, not what I did!  And I kept reminding the team about the words ‘we need to be not do’.  Then we started getting words from you guys saying the same. Everytime we thought we’d cracked it another frustration came up but then another confirmation. It can be no co-incidence that the first real physical task for Phil came straight after the others understanding about being not doing… do you think God’s trying to tell us something?

  Then yesterday it became a frustration again for the others but then we got the Wednesday group’s words and also Phil had a strong word. Later in the evening Ricardo, who works very closely with Elias and has been with us all the time, just started talking about how our presence was so important to them, how the whole church were very happy we were there and how it was so important to the community and project that we were there alongside them. Also that my visit in April and this visit are the first for the church from ¨Missionaries”… as they like to call us!

  Seriously, what Richardo said to us couldn’t have written any better.

  Then last night we were taken out for pancakes… sometime it feels like all Brazilians do is talk, make & eat food!  The pancakes were amazing, more like canelloni, again we laughed loads – mostly about my visit in April and us all trying to communicate! It was so good to spend this time with our Brazilian friends.

  Today we have already had a full day. In the morning we took a service at the prison I visited in April.  There were 30+ men, it was great. They sang their hearts out, Elias gave a short word and then all the men were prayed for and anointed with oil. It was extremely humbling; the men were clearly receiving from God. This was a great time for Phil who’s still been feeling unwell and had to miss a bit of stuff. However he was really used at the prison to pray for people and was very happy to do so. Then we went for coffee in the governer’s office and I prayed for him and his staff:  it feels so surreal to do that there. They do a service there every week and also help with flip flops, tooth paste, bibles and helping the families.

  Then we went to a piece of high ground overlooking Washington Pires and several other Favelas. Elias explaned that this was used by christians to pray over the land. Whilst we were there praying several other people came and just started calling out to God for the land, it was very moving. Apparently on a Friday evening an open prayer time is held there and up to 1,000 people attend. We were then shown, at the same piece of land, where satantic offerings are made.

  Then we had a lunch with Dualo the rich business guy I met last time, who is still helping the project. It was great to catch up with him and he was pleased I had returned.

  Next we visited a large church nearby to Washington Pires that doesn’t have its own social project but has money and a heart to help. We went to present the project to him. Then I was asked to say something which was really scary as I had to do it all in Portuguese. I´m sure it was a mess but I´ve been told to be daring so…

  Then of course I was asked to pray, ha ha.

  It’s only late afternoon now and I’m not sure what the rest of the day hold, so watch this space!

  That’s another very Brazilian cultural thing, not to be told the plan and to give up our control and put ourselves in their hands. It’s very Brazilian that when you receive guests you take TOTAL care of them and it’s not important for the guests to know all the details. It has been very interesting to watch the others adapt to that, as I had to last April ;o)

  If you feel able/ inclined, prayer points would be for Phil to feel 100%; for us to experience what God wants us to, people are getting quite emotional but that´s okay; and to be a blessing, it feels very much that we are the ones being blessed! Pray also for protection over the next few days as they will be busy, just that we can give it our all whilst we are here.
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