Christmas Cantata #1

Saturday we took the choir, Orchestra and actors to the Sao Vincente rest home for our first presentation. We visited São Vincente last year and we saw some of the same friends this year. Taís had asked me earlier in the year, “Pastor, do you think that Maria is still there?”

Just after the presentation we were making some visits and low and behold, seated at the very same table was Maria. The funny thing about this meeting was that Taís had forgotten what Maria looked like. I had to point her out. And though you might not be able to tell it in this photo, Maria really liked our visit.

Graziele came over to be a part of our chat and said, “Maria, if you died today do you know if you’d go to  heaven?” Don’t you just love the simplicity that children bring to a conversation? I do.

With that comment and just before we left I was able to share the Gospel with Maria Maria. No, I wasn’t stuttering. that is her real name. She, or her mother were SO Catholic that she named her baby, Maria Maria along with her last name!

Another visit that I was able to make was with Agostina. She must have been in her mid-90s and really loved sharing her life story with me. I must have been there with her for over a half an hour. During those long minutes I had to remind myself that she had no one and all of the time in the world. I butted into her conversation three times to shout the Gospel into her right ear. She acknowledged each time that she understood.

The picture at right is Joelma, Cris, and Leyde with a friend that they made yesterday. Over all we heard several great comments. The Gospel was presented to many and I believe that God was honored by the kid’s efforts.

One of the kids while looking at the picture I took of the Cantata deleted several of them! So, all I have is some of the visits we made. We have just seven more presentations so I’ll probably be able to get some more.