It's hard to put this trip in a nutshell because our team traveled so many places and worked with many different ministries. So I will try, keyword 'try' (no promises) to keep it short and sweet, and if you happen after to be longing for more details then please, please email me, facebook me, imessage me, and I will be so excited to talk to you.
I left off talking about the house in Rio de Janeiro that we were trying to renovate. Well we did it! It took us three days to strip, sand, clean, & paint the house. It was a lot of hard work, but afterwards the house was shining. On the last day the lady told us how her and her daughter had been praying for so long that they would be able to paint the house, but they were never able to because of their finances. With tears in her eyes she hugged us and said "I will always remember the faces of you three girls, God bless you". It was such a privilege to be a part of practically giving back to someone in need, and being able to see the finished product. I felt so blessed that we could bless her. Glory to God for making all things possible, and for providing the funding we needed to get the job done.
After one week in Borel, the slum in Rio, we hopped on a plane to Fortaleza. It is in the more northern part of Brazil, where drugs, violence, child exploitation, and prostitution is something many of the people there face daily. It was a really wonderful time but also a real eye opener.We went to a children's school that is run by Ywam where they teach English, Mathematics, Music, Dance,and Jewelry making. We were able to get to know more about it as well as spend some time with the children. We also went to an all girls youth prison where girls from 14-18 years of age are places for crimes like stealing all the way up to murder. It was a crazy experience because it looked like we were going into a school, the girls were all so nice and kind. We were able to share testimonies with them and also hear their stories. Some girls had been in and out more than 6 times. We met one girl who was so on fire for Jesus, she shared how God saved her and how she wants to one day share her story and inspire others to live their lives for Christ. When another girl came to share her story the first girl just started preaching for a good hour sharing the love of Jesus and how all you need is Him, she told us how every opportunity she gets, she shares the gospel. It was really inspiring to see!! We also went to the Davis Lars Orphanage which was started by an American couple from California. I fell in love with the ministry, and had one girl, Raquel, clinging to me and holding my hand. It was such an inspiring day to meet the kids and the founders. It really lit a fire to see justice brought for the children who are parentless and alone,It's a struggle however with the laws here because the government does not allow for the children to be adopted. We are hoping to partner with them for our outreach to Brazil in January!
We then went to visit a home for children who have been sexually exploited. One more time God broke my heart. I heard stories from 10-13 years olds of abuse you couldn't believe. God opened my eyes to really how much He loves these children and how He yearns for them to be healed & restored. Each Child voiced how God had changed their lives and brought them out of horrible situations. The sad statistic is, is that "in Brazil the percentage of kids abused outside the church is almost the same
as those inside the church." My dream was always to start an orphanage but now it goes beyond that, my heart really breaks for the children who have been betrayed by the ones they trust most. I want to see children slavery end in my life time and homes opened up for the ones in need. I really hope that we will be able to partner with this ministry in the future! Unfortunately we were unable to partner with Iris ministries to evangelize on the streets, as they are located in the City Center and with strikes and the amount of violence going on it was just too dangerous for us to travel. It was a real bummer for me because that was the ministry I was most looking forward too. Overall it was a very impactful week, I love Fortaleza and I can't wait to see what God does in that city!!
as those inside the church." My dream was always to start an orphanage but now it goes beyond that, my heart really breaks for the children who have been betrayed by the ones they trust most. I want to see children slavery end in my life time and homes opened up for the ones in need. I really hope that we will be able to partner with this ministry in the future! Unfortunately we were unable to partner with Iris ministries to evangelize on the streets, as they are located in the City Center and with strikes and the amount of violence going on it was just too dangerous for us to travel. It was a real bummer for me because that was the ministry I was most looking forward too. Overall it was a very impactful week, I love Fortaleza and I can't wait to see what God does in that city!!
We then finished up in Foz de Iguacu, where we had debrief and team time. We talked about the way God worked the past three weeks, through us & in us. We also were confronted with the different challenges that come when working in a diverse team. It was a time we really needed, and thankfully a time we saw breakthrough in ourselves and in the team. Lastly, we finished up back in Sao Paulo where we caught our plane to fly back to Norway.
It's full day number two and I am feeling so blessed. For now we will be doing some practical things for the Justice DTS coming September 1st. However, I will continue posting, but not so much about my experiences, more about my thoughts and the things God is teaching me, so I guess you could say more personal.
If you want to get to know me more, stay tuned for the up and coming posts:)
I continue to thank God for all of your support and encouragement. May God richly bless each and every one of you!
In Christ,
Eliana Joy
Do Justice, Love, Mercy, Walk Humbly
Micah 6:8
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment