Searching for Treasures
What could be more simple than sharing the Gospel? Though the elements seemed so incongruous: abandoned building, trash everywhere, a few men gathered around and sitting broken cinderblocks, the presence of God was tangible. We kicked around a football (soccer) for awhile and then sang worship songs in Portuguese and one by one they came, circle ever widening and joy increasing. The visitors stood to share our stories one by one, and Rebekah and I sang, the sound echoing through the courtyard and into the hidden spaces of the broken building. Later, a man who squatted there gave his testimony of meeting Jesus through one of the pastors who visits regularly. Before leaving, bread was distributed to feed the stomach of those whom God had just filled with His encouragement and proven His nearness.
Our second stop was at a small bocaria (garbage dump) in the center of the city. We arrived and descended the slope into the pit as the sun was going down. Here we interceded for awhile and then began to worship. Two women and a child joined us from leanto shelters along the edges and we again shared testimonies. The Lord struck me with what I had been reading in Isaiah 45 and He allowed me to encourage the ones there with that word, that a God loves, values, and treasures each of them and will always pursue and search for the ones He loves. This was translated into Portuguese and we began to lay hands on the people there, His heart palpable, kneeling on the ground.