After this intense week we were
given a flat owned by a bikini model whose father is a well known Brazilian
footballer for a few days…we may have been crammed in as our team went to over 30
people but the swimming pool and sauna on site was such a blessing! The team also got to do some sightseeing in
Rio visiting Christ the Redeemer statue and some of the famous beaches. We also met as a team a number of times to
resolve some issues and pray and discuss what to do with our vehicles…sell,
sail or scrap were the three main options talked about!
On our way to the North of Brasil
we stopped for a couple of nights in Porto Seguro, the ‘birth place’ of modern
Brasil as founded by the Portuguese. A
few of my team mates then volunteered kindly to leave early so that we could
make the drive to Salvador for my last attempt at getting my visa
extended..otherwise I was about to be in Brasil illegally! Thankfully when I went to the Federal Police
at Salvador airport on Day 89 (out of 90) of my original visa they dealt with
the matter promptly and I walked out of the office able to stay in this diverse
country till just before Christmas!
When the rest of the team arrived
we spent time praying in the historic part of the city, especially in the part
that was famous for being used as a ‘whipping post’ for slaves. As we were praying, local people approached
us for prayer, including one lady who had been on drugs for a number of years
and was desperate for a fresh start.
Truly humbling times.
After Salvador we then made our
last road trip to Fortaleza, on the north east coast. Here our organisation, Iris, has a base and
the day after we arrived were given keys to a new property. We have spent much of our time renovating
this new property ready to be used as a community house both for those wanting
to come out of sex working and off the streets as well as the missionaries
working alongside them.
We have also worked in the favela
close by, helped with the childrens work and gone out late at night onto the
streets to feed homeless people and speak and pray with sex workers who are wanting
a different life. Hunting for God’s
treasures in the darkness is definitely one of my favourite things to do!
A number of the team have not
been too well including myself which I think is probably related to just
feeling tired generally..our next and probably final stop in Brasil will be
Manaus, the ‘Amazon city’ before heading to Guyana!
Thank you for reading. God bless and love and miss you lots! x
