a day on our journey

[Sister Alvear]

If I had not known he had once been in prison for hideous crimes I would have just thought he was just another preacher but there he stood smiling telling the people what Jesus had done for him, tears trickled down my cheeks as I beheld such a gentle kind young man. I am so thankful for the precious blood of Jesus that washes away all sins. Not only him but his brother had been in prison with him. His suit did not really match his tie but what would these poor people know about matching colors they are just so thankful to have something.
Pastor Hugo our national missionary had told us before service that no one had mentioned giving us supper so we would probably not have supper. That is fine we told him. After all God had given us many meals through these very poor people we were visiting…however as soon as the house meeting was over he walked up to us and said we have a pizza for you all to eat at my house so we followed him to his house and had a typical Brazilian pizza not quite like yours but ever so good!
We would stay one more day before heading out to the Brazil/Paraguay boarder to visit our church there and dedicate the church in Paraguay.
I have never felt so helpless as on this trip. We came without money…I really mean that. We came totally Depending totally on God’s provision. You may rest assured He who calls takes care of His own.
I looked over the fine group of preachers present. I wanted to know the story of each one. Brother Junior had once been a rough guy but God had transformed him and others have been robbers…I shuttered to think of their past lives…yet they stood taking care of the people changed and transformed by the grace of God.
One little Brazilian pastor asked me if I could not buy him a pair of shoes and a pair of pants he only had flip flops on…he had no shoes…so much for those that tell others what colors to wear…some would wear any color if they only had a pair to wear…Another preacher whispered to me he had only one pair of pants and an old torn one for day use…I wept…
I am tired of those that polish the same 100 people month after month…Jesus is calling His church to go the ends of the world with the gospel. It is not easy…the personal sacrifice is demanding.
I heard someone criticizing the movie the passion of Christ….yet they do nothing for world missions…when we were together I told them (please do not use this against me understand my spirit) Maybe it would do you good to see it! Have you watched it, missionary they asked me. No, I replied, His passion lives within my heart but your heart seems empty of His real purpose of suffering and dying.(Now please don’t run tell people I am telling people to go to the movies for I am not)

He did not come to for us to sit on padded pews and sing our 3 songs and jump a little bit. He came to change us to make us HIS disciples…to follow the footprints he left us to follow…
I cannot write more I am weeping….