the last few weeks have been crazy but very good. Now we have already arrived in April and that means for me, the time of saying goodbye has come again. The last couple months here have been very precious. I came with a word I had received last year to come here to serve and I am leaving with the certain feeling that I have done so.
Last time I wrote I had been explaining a little bit about my day to day work here. Additionally, we have had some action filled weekends. We hosted a Youth Camp where, through outside games, worship, the Word and even a water slide, we could experience and pass on God’s good
love. On a different weekend we had the “Apple-Feast” here in Porto Amazonas which meant doing some extra shifts in the bakery to supply all the stands with sufficient bread. On Sunday we were raising money by having a food-stand of the ministry here. One weekend there was a course running here and I welcomed about 20 young people of a sister-ministry into “my house”. And on another weekend I had the chance to visit my friends in Curitiba. Over Easter we had a church retreat where the theme was Love!Here, I have been able to learn more how about to always be ready to share God’s Word or give a testimony and so on. Before I came to Brazil, a friend of mine had in prayer the word “Joker” for me, meaning that I can be used with flexibility like the wild card in a card game. That word has been totally fitting for my time here and I am glad that God had prepared my heart in advance. Therefore I could be always ready, and when I had to preach, give a testimony, devotional or sing a song with little or no notice, I have been able to do so because God is faithful to use us as His tools. Jesus is saying that when we are under questioning and pressure, the Holy Spirit will give us the right words and speak through us (Luke 12:11-12). Now I have not been under any sort of questioning here, but I have been experiencing the Faithfulness of the Holy Spirit in pressure situations.
And with that I also want to encourage you, God has written many stories with your life and He wants to use you, your life and your words to be proclaimed to others. Be always ready and willing to let Him speak through you, He definitely wants to do so!
Now I am going to Rio de Janeiro and there will be a very busy time. I had a virus and through that weakening, I then also caught the flu. I can feel how my body is still fighting but I feel more and more physically weakened. In Rio I will be preaching at least 5 times in my eight full days there. Please pray for strength, prepared hearts and that God will continue to speak clearly to and through me, also in the preparation. Rio has a high risk of the Zikka virus, so please pray for protection and that my body will be recovered by then.
Thanks for being a partner in this mission and remember - God wants to speak through you.
Raphael
