One day in the Favela

Joining with a team of fellow Jesus-lovers in Fortaleza, on the coast of NE Brazil, I came to be sitting on the floor of lovely home, very well kept and clean, in the midst of a favela. On the outside, there was a sudden scattering as policemen were performing drug raids, their rifles ready and pointing while others sat outside tiny dwellings staring vacantly surrounded by the smells of urine, drunken hopelessness and other things. Yet, in the very midst of this, my friend Natasha and I, sat on a pristine floor in a beautiful home of one of the families that were receiving God's healing love. This home was like a sanctuary, a place of peace where you could almost forget you were in the midst of such brokenness. We were made to feel so welcome by the lady of the house. I remembered her from the worship service on Monday night, at the prayer house around the corner. She had held eye contact with me for a while that night and I had wondered if God had an appointment for us for something deeper...and here we were, days later, in her home. 

I learned that she had been a prostitute and also a drug addict. I saw nothing of that former life in the beautiful, strong woman that sat with us that day in her pretty flowered dress. As we prayed with her, I asked Holy Spirit what He wanted to do for her. He led me to ask her if she had sickness in her body, she did, she had syphillis. Holy Spirit sometimes manifests Himself to me in a sweet presence. On that afternoon, I felt Him come with such peace, faith arose in me and I knew God wanted to heal His daughter. So we prayed a simple prayer. I asked if there was some way she could check if she was healed because I believed she was. The only way was through a blood test. Then we began to talk about other things like the audio bible that Natasha had brought with her as a gift. Illiteracy will not stop God reaching His beloved. 

We then talked about the many pictures and even a figurine of Mary, the mother of Jesus, in the house that God brought my attention to. It turned out that this beautiful daughter of God had not made Jesus the Lord of her life, with the understanding that He was the only way to the Father. John 14:5-7

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

When asked if she wanted to invite Jesus in as Lord of her life, she immediately said, yes. Then we asked for God to fill her with His Holy Spirit which He did. There was joy! Great joy and such a sweet peace. Her husband who had been working a very long shift had fallen asleep on the carpet with the audio bible under his ear. It was a beautiful time. We we totally unaware that at the very same time on the outside, many shots were fired by police and fear ran rampant right on our doorstep. Natasha and I both, after learning of this, said, 'but we heard nothing, how strange'. It was like God had created an oasis for us in the midst of chaos, so He could speak without interruption to His beloved daughter.

A few days later, back at the missions base, Natasha came to me and said, Nikita, I have good news! I had no idea what she was going to say as there could be so many different possibilities. Then she said, the blood test came back and there's no syphillis! I whooped, I danced, I sang, we rejoiced! Not only that but the husband of the woman we had visited, had also had his blood tested and his results were clear too. So good! Our God is so good. This family's story is one of God's redemption. Their children have a better future ahead of them, a future of hope - not to barely survive in their own strength  - but with a living hope anchored in Jesus, the author and perfector of their faith, Who is their Strength. 

This family's door was opened to me that day because for years prior, the team that included faithful, patient Natasha, have served people in this favela. They have held on to the faith that says with God all things are possible and with His hope and strength they could indeed make a change, loving one person at a time, though one conversation at a time - giving their time, energy and attention. I honour them for their persevering faith in God. Thank you for faithfully serving me and others by translating what God spoke, speaking as His ambassadors. I love you all at Iris Fortaleza!