Pastor Moreno always says that “Every Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday”, (meaning that, as servants of God Almighty, it is the highlight of our week in the proclamation of the Gospel and the Name of our Great God. Sunday is rarely a “travel day”. However, this last Sunday was one of those rare exceptions. I left at 9:15 AM from Calvary to take two families to Curitiba to begin their Bible college experience. I've written about these families before and so this is more of an update than a testimony about how they came to this juncture of their lives. Ronaldo and Adailza and their three sons: Mateus, Lucas, and Tiago, will spend the next two to three years studying for the ministry. Sandro, Gislene, and their sons:Juan and Josue will spend the next five years in that pursuit.
As I mentioned in my previous note on these two couples their move is a huge step of faith in God. They will prove His faithfulness in the coming months as they train to serve Him. On the trip down (Ronaldo and Sandro had left at 2:00 AM with the moving van) we stopped at a roadside restaurant to stretch our legs after about three hours of driving. We spent about twenty minutes there and then left. About five minutes down the road Adailza, Ronaldo's wife realized that in the commotion of our departure (trying to get three little boys corralled) she had left her purse next to one of the benches outside the restaurant.
It took us about fifteen minutes to make the return trip only to discover that the purse had “vanished”. We had all whispered a prayer of protection on that little black purse but it was gone! Things like purses left in public places rarely stay put, no matter what country your in. As I walked into the nearby shopping center to ask if a purse had been turned in I winced with doubt. But, praise be to our Heavenly Father, as I asked the check out girl if a purse had appeared the first word out of her mouth was, “Adailza?”
That was proof positive that they had found the purse because there are no other Adailza's on earth (or at least that I know of)! The manager of the store came out with the purse which still had her cell phone, her money (little though it was) and everything else a womans purse holds. He said, “MAN were you LUCKY!!!” NO! I replied, “... it is God's blessing and protection!” “Yeah you are very, very LUCKY!” he repeated. In his way he was saying that someone turning in a purse full of valuables was something that he had never seen before! He didn't understand that God was protecting our journey.
After nearly three more hours on the road we arrived safe and sound at just after 3:00 PM. As we stood in front of the Bible college apartments that these two families will call home for the next several years, Sandro said to me, “This seems like a dream! A dream come true!” Please rejoice with us that these two young couples have had the courage to dream BIG and have begun to see God move in their lives; preparing them for His ministry and His glory.
Mike
Don't forget that you can help them too by giving toward their studies. Write “National Assistance” on the memo line of your check to our account.
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