The light shines everywhere

Brazil is a country with open, warm people. Even the animals seem to be part of this. On our first day with our friends, their dog was very happy to see us again after nine months. At breakfast, she was already barking at Arjan to be let out. This was the standard routine for these two close friends last year.

The home group led by Marcelo and Cristina is a wonderful group of Christians. They are very active in their faith and had just spent the previous weekend on a mission trip to a distant city with 15 people.
At a meeting, we were able to share the special things God had done in Malawi, and they shared what they had experienced on their trip. They told us with awe about a special encounter that the Lord had arranged.

They were able to pray for a man on the street, who later came back to them and asked if they would also pray for his son at his home. When they arrived at his house later that day, the man was not home, but his wife opened the door. She found herself face to face with 15 strangers who wanted to pray with her son. With wide eyes, she let the group into her home nevertheless.
The son, who was heavily addicted to drugs, was called in and came walking in like a zombie. They prayed for him and he was miraculously freed from his addiction and filled with God’s Spirit. The difference was obvious. He was happy, his eyes were clear. A totally different person.

Then they got talking to the woman and heard the whole story. She told them that at the beginning of the week she had had a prophecy that people would come from far away to pray for her son and that he would be healed. All this had happened exactly five days later! Everyone was so encouraged that they could be part of God’s work and spread His light. God is the great Orchestrator! The son is now receiving further guidance on how to be a follower of Jesus.

After spending a week in Brazil, we traveled on to the neighboring country of Paraguay. Paraguay is a somewhat unknown country in South America. It is surrounded by Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina and is 11 times the size of the Netherlands. With only 7 million inhabitants, it gives a feeling of space.
The country is relatively flat and rolling, with the highest peak at 842 meters. In the north, there is a savanna-like area where temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius (120 F). That is why most of the population lives in the south, where the climate is much more pleasant.

Paraguay became an independent state in 1811. The population consists mainly of a mix of indigenous peoples and Spanish immigrants. Over the past hundred years, many Mennonites from Canada, Russia, and Europe have also settled in this country. They founded various colonies, mainly in the north. As a result, German is even spoken in certain areas. However, the official languages are Spanish and Guarani.

Paraguay’s openness to immigrants can perhaps be traced back to the Triple Alliance War in 1865. No less than 60% of the population (and the majority of men) lost their lives, causing the economy to stagnate considerably. This created a demand for immigrants to help rebuild the country.

One of the reasons we are visiting Paraguay is to arrange a residence permit. With this permit, we will be able to travel easily in Brazil and a number of other countries in South America.
Earlier this year, the Lord brought us into contact with Stanley, a Christian who came to live in Paraguay and helps people with residence permits. He is part of a group of Christians who emigrated from Australia and live in a community. They bought a piece of land and are now building houses on it.

We spent a week with Stanley and this community of lovely brothers and sisters and learned how they practice their faith. They have started a coffee shop, which is doing very well. Unlike neighboring Brazil, Paraguay does not have a coffee culture. The local residents mainly drink maté, a type of tea that you drink with a shared straw. But due to the many immigrants from Brazil and Europe, there is certainly a growing demand for coffee.
We happened to be there at just the right time, because this community opened their new bakery that very week. So we could celebrate with them.
They use these ways to reach the local people with the light of Jesus. It is so special that wherever you meet Christians in the world, there is always a connection.

Fingerprints at Interpol

After the cold in the Netherlands, we are really enjoying the warmth, the palm trees, and the parrots. The application process has been set in motion, and we will see what the Lord brings our way.
The idea is to explore the south of this country this month and visit a Christian ministry run by a Dutch woman.