The Good. The Bad. The Ugly: Sign Upon the Heart

There really ought to be a sign upon the heart,

Don't judge her yet, there's an unfinished part.

But I'll be perfect just according to His plan

Fashioned by the Master's loving hands.

He's still working on me.

Well it's official! I can now scratch flying off my bucket list of things I've never done. My heart's desire is to live out Isaiah 40:31. To soar like eagles. But trust me! At this point, my doubt was out weighing my trust in the Lord. I kept envisioning the plane ascending 1000's of feet with me in it! I even told my hubby to take care of my babies if I don't make it back. He did his best to assure me that I'd return home to them.

So it was a Friday around 4:00 pm when the kiddos and hubby dropped me off at the airport. We said our goodbyes. I cried. No surprise. So many emotions at this point…mainly fear. I've never left the state alone much less the country. Our flight was not until 7:30 pm, so we had some time to kill once we checked our luggage in and received our boarding passes. One last stop to McDonald's for my $1 Dr. Pepper before I boarded three different planes and arrived in Brazil on a Saturday morning to begin Project 70.

We traveled by bus all day Saturday to our first town where we would be for three days. Sunday. Monday. Tuesday. On Wednesday we would travel to a new town where we would be for another three days. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. There are many teams to Project 70. You have your evangelism team, visitation team, pastors team, communication team, praise and worship team, cooking team (we have to eat right?), medical team, and Vacation Bible School Team (that's me!). Let the work of the Lord begin!

In Brazil, the small towns have squares. Almost like a food court, but outdoors. When we would arrive to our towns in the evening we would kick off the three day crusade with worship and preaching in the square. Let me tell you my Brazilian friends know how to praise and worship our King. To see men and women cry out to Him and raise their hands and fist in praise. Simply amazing! At that moment, I knew I was in desperate need of revival, friends. Drowning in distractions.

After the first service, we got our sleeping assignments. We were told it would be in a hotel. Hallelujah! They had told stories on the bus ride that had me a little nervous as to where we would be sleeping. I'm not going to lie. I had culture shock! No AC. No door to the bathroom. A mirror opposite of the door that gave perfect view into the bathroom. And are those wires I see hanging from the shower spout. Why, yes. Yes, they are! Americans, we are spoiled to say the least. 

My days consisted of waking up and having breakfast at 7:30 am. Breakfast was a roll with hot chocolate or coffee. Devotional at 8:30 am. We would go to two schools in the morning. Have lunch at noon. Devotional again at 2:00 pm. Go to two more schools in the afternoon. Around 5:00 pm all the teams would meet at the square where we would march around the town singing hymns and inviting everyone in the streets to our evening service at the local Baptist church supported by Project 70. 6:00 pm we would have dinner. Lunch and dinner would be rice and beans served with a meat, lettuce, tomato, and grape juice. Church service began at 7:30 pm.

Vacation Bible School was not like how we do it here in America. It was more like Children's church. We only had an hour. Me and four of my American church family members would go into the schools with the Brazilian Leader and their VBS Team.  Each American had a task. One of the Americans would introduce us Americans (we had a translator), give the Good News lesson, share a testimony, and teach a song to the children in English. The Brazilians did a cute skit, Bible story, and led them in Bible songs.

Finally, my favorite part, the Brazilian Leader would invite the children to invite Jesus into their hearts. I would watch them put their hand over their heart like a door. They would open the door and invite him in their hearts in their language, Portuguese. They closed the door. They dug deep in their pockets for their imaginary key. They locked the door and threw away the key. Big smiles the entire time. The first two days the Americans took turns doing the different parts. By the third day, my job was no longer to introduce the Americans. They saw my gift to teach children. I was blessed to have the opportunity to teach and share the Gospel Story each session. The leader even added my magic trick! Humbled to say the least.

There were a few times we weren't able to go into schools, so we went into the hills. Poverty like I have never seen before. We would walk the streets and invite the kids to the square for face painting, bubbles, balloons and of course the Gospel story and Bible songs.  The children flocked to us. I got to teach them American games and they taught me Brazilian games. At one town, a brave Brazilian teenage girl knocked on the door of the school across the street from the square and asked if the kids could come out and join us. They did! This was one of my favorite memories.

By the time I got to the evening service, I was on cloud nine. The churches would be packed. Team members had to leave the pews to make room for the visitors flowing in. At the second church we went to in the next town, a team member whispered in my ear, "This church has never been packed." Tears just began to flow. God was moving indeed. When invitation came, there were more people in the aisles than the pews. No lie! Hearts were broken. Tears were flowing. Souls were being saved. 

Being away from home for 11 days was not easy, but was so needed. I have been hurting this year. Confused. Stripped of my identity. Not sure what to do next. I've been seeking God. Begging God to show me what He has for me this next season. Boarding the plane to Brazil I battled with my BIGGEST fear. What if God is done using me to minister to kids…God used the young twenty something Brazilian VBS Leader to speak to me. Boarding the plane to head back to America, I had peace. 

Sarah, I'm not done with you yet. I'm still working on you and through you. I have many more children for you to impact for my Kingdom.

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Well. I guess in time we will learn what His next plan for me is. All I know is it will involve children. Beginning with 4 little Rowdy ones…

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