Salvation on the Streets

The "Red Light District" of Belo Horizonte is a neighborhood populated with brothels, porn theaters, and lost souls… it's the perfect place to do ministry! We went there several times on this trip, each time bringing worship, the Word, and the presence of God. Our first night in the Red Light District, during our second or third worship set, a man who was either going to or coming from a brothel was drawn by the music and stopped by to see what was going on. A few members of our team approached him with a translator to talk and share with him. After a few minutes of conversation, the man put his hands over his face and started to weep uncontrollably. His sobs were audible even over the music! Then he dropped to his knees and just started crying out to God, confessing and repenting of his sins. This went on for several minutes. Once he calmed down a little bit, he stood back up shouting, "Jesus! Obrigada Jesus!" (which means "Thank you Jesus" in Portuguese). Without any hesitation at all, he joined in with us praising, dancing and just worshipping Jesus. While watching this man it was clear that as he listened to the worship music and talked with our team, he came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit and got right with God. He was born again right there on the street and he responded with exuberant worship. Some of our team joined him in singing and dancing, celebrating his new life in Christ!

Our New Brother (in the striped shirt) giving
praise to God! 

Sergio Saved!

The second Tuesday in Brazil we met a man named Sergio during our homeless outreach. After we introduced ourselves, he immediately began to tell us his story through the translator. Up until four months ago, he had been addicted to drugs. He had gone through multiple rehabs but it was of no avail. He needed something more than rehab. That's when he began asking God for help and, even though he did not know God personally, he began to experience victory over drugs. Now, four months later, he's free from his addiction and even going to school to enter into the work force, but he is still separated from this ex-wife and ten year old son who live together in a distant city.

Clearly Sergio was aware of God's existence and he recognized his need for Him, but he had never heard the grand story of redemption. His eyes locked on us as we began to share about the forgiveness and restoration that Jesus won for him on the cross. The good news was being presented to him for the first time! Once he heard about the necessity of repentance and faith, he began (with tears) to voice a humble cry to Jesus. First he asked for forgiveness for all the crimes he committed against God and then thanked Him for making a way for him to be saved and have new life. After this, Sergio excused himself because he was late for his class at night school, but then, about ten minutes later, he returned! He decided to skip class and spend the rest of the evening talking with us. We praise God for His faithful pursuit of Sergio and what took place in his life that night.

Let The Little Children Come To Me

There was much excited shouting and laughter Friday afternoon in Moore Park as we ministered with a team from Pennsylvania to the children. Wherever I looked I saw a few of our team playing with or chasing or being chased by some ecstatic kid! It was a sweet sight and even sweeter was the look of appreciation (and relief!) on some of the parent’s faces. Towards the end of the day a little girl and her cousin came over to me with the Beginner's Bible we set out by the face painting area. “Will you read us a story?!” She asked enthusiastically. “Of course!”  I replied and gladly shared the account of Jesus feeding the five thousand. As I told the story showing them the pictures, another kid came over and began listening. We talked a little more about who Jesus is and other miracles he did. As soon as I finished an older boy came over, grabbed the Bible, sat and began flipping through it. He is from a Muslim home and has shown a lot of interest in the Bible stories we have shared at other times, often asking questions afterward. He sat and read the Bible for about ten minutes before going off to play with the other kids. These were both quick exchanges, but I am so thankful for the seeds being sown little by little as we minister in this park. Thank you for your prayers for these kids and their families to come to know Christ as Lord and Savior! 

"Tell Me The Story From The Very Beginning"

Gifts from a recent outreach

We came down the stairs to the small, dirty, basement massage parlor one Thursday night to find that all the ladies we knew there were no longer working there. Slightly disappointed to not be seeing our friends, I began to pray and ask the Lord what He wanted to do that night. One by  one, all the ladies received a customer except a woman we'll named Melissa. We made small talk for a while, and then I told her that we were there not just because we love her but because God loves her. Her eyes opened wide, and she exclaimed, "You're here to tell me about God? Tell me the story from the very beginning!" She had heard the Gospel once before while she was visiting Shanghai, and God had been using the seeds sown at that point to stir some serious hunger in her. We spent over an hour with Melissa that night sharing testimonies from our lives and helping her further understand the Gospel.

Every time we would explain that God loves her personally and wants to do the same miracles in her life that He's done in ours, a huge smile appeared on her face and she got chills. At the end of the night we prayed for her, and she said, "I feel different, like lighter!" Then we invited her to the English classes we've been offering, and she said, "I'd love to learn more English but will the classes have enough time to discuss the Bible? I really want to learn more about the Bible!" Throughout our time with Melissa, we were blown away by her responses and her hunger for the things of God. That very night, she was on the verge of converting but was afraid of what her family, who are all Buddhist, would think of her decision. We lovingly explained that it is her choice, but to follow Jesus means to give up Buddha. She went to church the following Sunday, which happened to be Easter, with our translator. Just a few days ago, we received word that Melissa quit her job at the massage parlor because she wants to follow God! She is taking real estate classes, and I cannot say enough how thrilled we are at what God is doing in her life! Please keep her in your prayers, and we'll keep you posted!

Audley's First Prayer Station

A friend of ours named Audley joined us for his first prayer station several weeks ago and he had a pretty incredible encounter out on the street. He met a man named John who seemed to have a heavy heart. John began to explain his situation to Audley and said that he was having a lot of problems with his marriage. He is an American but his wife is from Ethiopia. The cultural differences have been causing a lot of tension, and to make things worse, she has been struggling with suicidal thoughts.

While he was sharing, Audley interrupted him in the middle of his sentences and asked him, “Do you know a girl named Krystal?” John took a step back, surprised by his question and said, “Yes, I do.” Audley followed up by asking, “Is she a short black girl?” John said, “Yeah… actually she is.” Audley said, “You’re never going to believe this, but my friend Krystal has been telling me to pray for her friend named John, who's been having trouble with his marriage because his wife is from Ethiopia!” It turns out that Audley and John had a mutual friend who had been telling Audley to pray for John. That day Audley actually got to meet the man that he was praying for on the streets! It was a God thing.

John was blown away and said, “Wow, there are millions of people in this city and you just so happened to meet me out here today.” Audley said, “Yep, God must be up to something!” Audley ministered powerfully to John that day and, when he left, he said; “Now I have something to smile about.”

Update On Rene

Yesterday I had the chance to speak with René again.  He is doing very well other than he may need another surgery on his knee.  It’s been four months since his last drink!  I also found out he is friends with another brother in the Lord, Otilio, in whose life God has brought about great transformation.  I had the pleasure of learning Otilio’s testimony several years ago.  This is wonderful to hear that René has other Godly influences in his life.  He no longer hangs around the guys that were a bad influence in his life.  He has been attending various churches several times a week and would like to find a church he can stay at.  King’s Fellowship is far for him, especially with his leg, though he would like to come.  It was very humbling when he said I’m the first one of his Christian friends for whom he prays.  Yesterday he shared with me how he can picture the Words from the Bible when he reads them.  God has been giving him revelation of His Word.  Lastly, René requested prayer.  He is so hungry for it and believes in its power.  What an amazing story of God’s continuing grace in René’s life!

Sharing Jesus With Joseph

Joseph is a homeless man who is usually closed off to conversation about the gospel, but this week things were different. He came to the park lamenting about his living situation and began his usual rant about how nobody can really know God. Ryan reassured him that this was not true, and that the whole reason Jesus came to earth was to reveal who God is and to make reconciliation with God possible. As the discussion continued, Ryan also let Joseph know that, not only is it possible to know God, but that God already knows us completely. He shared about how Jesus spent portions of his life as a homeless man (even without a bed to sleep on) and that Jesus had seen every moment of Joseph's life and could relate with his current situation. Joseph had never heard these things about Jesus before, and by the end of the conversation his attitude had changed and he was very grateful for the talk. 

We've been praying for Joseph a lot lately. It looks like God is beginning to open the door for the gospel in his life!