Blog nr. 10 On our way to Rio

The last time I wrote was on the day that we left Recifé. Now I am writing as we just have been traveling to Rio after spending three weeks in São Paolo.

First when we arrived in São Paolo we got to stay at an amazing family. They opened up their house to us (9 people) so we could go to the send. At the Sent it was amazing. Sometimes it was hard to follow because most of it was in Portuguese but, when God speaks to our hearts we don’t need to speak the language. It was super cool to see so many people and even the mayor of São Paolo went to the Send and has given his live to Jesus!

In São Paolo we stayed in a small outer town called Pirataninga (we also called it Pirate Ninja XD. It was amazing to be part of this base and to spend time with the people that we met there. We visited different initiatives in the area, different churches, different youth groups, a school and the streets. The past three weeks have been the most amazing but at the same time, the most challenging.

The first project we visited was Galpão. This is a place where homeless people can come and take a shower, brush their teeth, shave, take a new outfit and get a warm meal. It is so inspiring to see all the volunteers helping out at this project. It is so devastating to see the people from the street and know that some people chose to live on the streets for whatever reason there may be. But to know that there are people that care about them and give them an ‘’home’’ for some nights a week is so inspiring.

At the youth group we visited we got to share some devotions (small preachings) and testimonies. It is so nice to connect with the group. A youth group where we went three times. The last time we went, we got to share a testimony and pray for them. Together with Lucy, I got to pray for two girls. After we prayed for the girls, one of them said: ‘’’Thank you so much, I don’t speak English very well and most of the time I did not understand what you were praying, but I really felt the peace of God during your prayer. For God it does not matter which language we speak, it is God who moves.’’ This was so amazing to hear! Later on the evening she texted me that she still felt so much peace in the presence of God. This was so Awesome! God is good!

On Fridays we visited a school where we made a program for the teenagers (8-15 year olds) and the small kids (3-8 year olds). I had the joy to spend time with the youngest group twice. We played some games, got to share some about our countries and about God. In every smile of the children you saw God shining through. The staff was so happy that we came and were able to share about the love of God with the kids. We also got to pray with the staff which was amazing.

At the churches we often were able to share something about DTS and some worship. In the last church we went to Peter shared about the love of God and Meike, Julliët and I did worship and it was so nice to see God move in the room. To see how the love of God captured everyone, even through a language barrier. The Holy Spirit does not need us to speak the language of the country, He only wants us to move, than He will move.

On the streets we visited some homeless people to give them food and something to drink and just talk with them, see them as people and not just a homeless person. It was a really good evening.

CARNAVAL! On the Saturday of carnaval we got the privilege to walk along with a marching band and a lot of youth from different churches proclaiming the name of Jesus in the street. We met a lot of new people there which was awesome. On Sunday we went to Bauru. This is the bigger city near Piratininga. The mayor only banned all parades on carnaval so it was an ‘’calm’’ party. We prepared a flash mob. There was only no place where it was allowed to play very loud music. But after we prayed we were able to plug in our speaker at the McDonalds parking lot. Where we preformed the flash mob several times and also our drama on Everything. Afterwards we had a lot of good conversation and even someone’s knee got healed. It was an amazing experience.

All the staff at Jocum Vila were so helpful al the time! They translated where we needed translation, they helped us where we needed help, they prayed for us, gave us space in their community evenings and worship sessions, they prepared a lot of food for us! And really helped us searching for God! They also introduced us to Esfihras :O The best food EVER!

But I also had a really difficult time….. When we first arrived there were a lot of cockroaches. So the first week I haven’t slept, so finally I had decided to sleep in the living room and that helped a lot. But, there is still so much anger in me and I don’t know where it is coming from. Some of it I know but, I can reflect on that. Some of the anger I don’t know what to do about it and where it is coming from. So please pray for me <3

Now we are in the last fase of outreach in Rio. Thank you so much for all your prayers and all your love! I love receiving texts and telling about what I am doing or to receive prayer points! God bless you and Deus te ama (God loves you)!

Love,

Leonieke

Prayerpoints:

- That our new time in Rio will be amazing.

- Our group will have more unity and that we can grow as a group, not only as individuals but, as a family.

- That I will find my peace in this new place

- That I will find peace in my mind. My head is really messing with me a lot.

- That God will show me where the anger is coming from and that it may disappear.

- For the health in our team. Where a few have back problems and others are just a bit sick, it really is not nice and we pray that our team will be healthy and that God will come with His healing in our group!

- We are so thankfull for all the people at Jocum Vila, that God may bless them and their families.

- So thankful for seeing God work at all the places where we have been and that God may continue the work in the people that we met.

- Thankful for all the relationships we built with the people we met.

- Just more of God in our group and more of the Holy Spirit. That we really may listen to what God wants to do and not what we want to do.