International travel is always just a little difficult. After traveling through 4 airports and 36 hours, a handful of people found themselves 4,300 miles away from their homes. They were now in Cachoeira, Brazil and were hoping God would use them to make a difference in the lives of people they had never met. This small medical team was trusting God.
The roads in Cachoeira were impassable because of the torrential and unrelenting rain pounding the dirt into a thick mess. This made any travel hazardous at best. One day, this team travelled 30 minutes on a small boat down a peaceful river to areas that they could not reach by bus. After wading through three feet of water, this medical team then marched about 100 yards up a slippery, muddy mess of a hill. Some fell. Some lost shoes. Most needed showers. But all were excited to see what God was going to do. The trip was filled with adventure, challenges, tears, and transformation. You wouldn’t believe all of the “God” moments on that trip. The only reason I believe it is because I was there. Check this out!
One of the members of our team went with us as our pharmacist and handed out medicine to those of the Quilombola group of people who needed so much medical help. This was her first mission trip and she gave all she had each day. The pharmacy was modest. We found two tables, placed them beside each other, and stored the medicines in unzipped suitcases. Every day, we treated hundreds of people for worms, high blood pressure, diabetes, and provide simple medical exams. It was tiring. It was rewarding. It was humbling. To some degree….absolutely unspeakable.
Each night our team met at our hotel and discussed the day. It was really our own worship service. We read Scripture, sang, each person talked about their experiences from the day, and then we prayed. There was no shortage of tears as our team shared stories of the children and adults they met. So much hurt. So much depravity. So much need. But wait; there was something we didn’t expect. In their desperate need they were content. It was extremely humbling to us. According to our standards, they needed so much. Many wore the same clothes every day. Most ate food grown in their own back yards. All lived in clay and wood one room huts. According to our standards, it wasn’t much. According to their standards, they were grateful. To our amazement they cherished the simple things like balloons, small toys, cards, soccer balls, and just someone to play with. By the end of the week, the tears shed in our nightly meetings were really for us. We began to realize our own need to be more content with what God provided for us.
The end of the week came and we hopped back on the bus for the trip back to Salvador. The trip back was filled with the silence of physically tough and emotionally draining days. Once we got back to Salvador, we went immediately to a worship service. The church was a block building with open-air windows down the sides and across the back. Our team mostly sat in the back of the church or stood outside in the back because we were a little late and the place was packed! It was amazing place filled with passionate worship by Brazilians who loved Jesus. The icing on top was that I had the privilege to speak at that service and share the gospel with those who were there. What a great night. What an amazing way to end a week.
So, what about the pharmacist? Well, like I said earlier, the only reason I believe it is because I was there. She sat on the back row that last night as I shared the gospel to the Brazilians. I would speak in English and then the translator would speak those words in Portuguese. At the end of the service I asked people to respond to the amazing message of promise and hope that Jesus gives us through the gospel. Guess what? The pharmacist gave her life to Christ. I told you that you wouldn’t believe it. It’s true. And by the way, it stuck. It was real. She was saved that night beyond any doubt. Today, she now leads mission teams to Central America each year and continues to make an impact on the lives of those who desperately need to hear the life-transforming message of Christ.
I think back to that week and remember our bus driver, Andre, and his love for the Lord. Throughout the week he would play Portuguese praise and worship music on the bus. There was one song he played over and over. The title was “Poderoso Deus.” I would hum through the words to that song because I had no idea what the words meant. I didn’t speak Portuguese and I could barely make out what was even being sung. By the end of the week, I was actually singing the words “Poderoso Deus” while still not understanding what the word “Poderoso” even meant. I knew Deus meant God, but had no idea about much else being sung. When I got back to the states, I looked up the word and discovered that it meant powerful or mighty. All throughout this unforgettable week, God was allowing me to fall in love with a song that described the Mighty God that we serve.
When Isaiah spoke those words in Isaiah 9:6, he was describing Jesus coming to earth as Mighty God. It is also clear that never is the power of God more evident than when you are totally dependent on Him and out of your area of comfort. Jesus is our Mighty God. When I think about our pharmacist, she traveled 4,300 miles away from the safety and security of her home, friends, and work to be confronted with her real need and hope. She needed Jesus……her Mighty God who not only was born in a manger, but who also died on a cross! Will you recognize Jesus as your Mighty God this Christmas season?