October 17, 2009
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We play Uno. a lot. anyone want to donate a game of Uno to a kid for Christmas? we can buy it in Brasil now for $6USD.http-equiv=”Content-Type” content=”text/html; charset=utf-8″> name=”ProgId” content=”Word.Document”> name=”Generator” content=”Microsoft Word 12″> name=”Originator” content=”Microsoft Word 12″>
“A good missionary means having really good eyesight. Or maybe it means teaching people to use their eyes to see things that have always been there; they just don’t realise it. You see God where other’s don’t. and then you point Him out”–Velvet Elvis
“God is in this place, and I wasn’t aware of it.” –Jacob in the Bible
My eyesight is still lacking.
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Emerson came to Living Stones with a maze on his head. At age 8, the guy already has three strikes against him—he is dirt poor, dirty (hates to shower), and likes to play with dolls. I don’t know what his mom was thinking. She took scissors and cut, in every direction, as much hair as possible. Leaving chunks and spikes and spaces and a big mess. The kids erupted with laughter when he came in. I had to work hard not to stare. Emerson and I went for a walk to the nearest barber shop. The barber looked at me “Did you do that?” and I said no with a shrug, and asked if he could help us out. Emerson was an angel, giving me smiles from the mirror. Ten minutes later we walked back.
I think being a missionary is about being there, where the need is, when the need is, and then being able to give what is needed…service, time, money. Often this is money. Unfortunately. To be able to apply the right money to the right place at the right time. It takes a lot of energy. More than you would think. Today, for $1.50, a need was met. For a little boy who would have had to endure weeks of laughter until his bad haircut grew out. Now granted, me getting here to be able to put that $1.50 at the right place was a more costly venture. But that $1.50 was beautiful.
Cacau asked me if I wanted the good news or the bad news. Good news was the food arrived from the government. The bad news was the rice and macaroni was so old and full of bugs that they had to throw it out. So I asked how much was 15kilos of rice. $15. The exact amount in my wallet at the time. That felt good. I really wish you all were here—all of you who support me financially or prayerfully or with your words of encouragement. I wish you were here to SEE the need and then POW—be equipped, by the generosity of others—to meet that need.
I told Cacau the money was from the generous people in the US of A, and felt bad that she couldn’t see your faces, and that you couldn’t see hers. I felt bad that I alone stood and received the gratitude that belongs to you. That belongs to so many. I feel unworthy. Because I am only here because of the investment of my betters. And so here, I am sending her thanks to you—and add my own thanks to it. God bless you.
We took a trip. To this famous old Catholic church with a big empty field. We played in the big empty field.
the girls won.
This is the begger guy who joined us. The kids started making fun of him…he was rather drunk. very drunk. and i told him i had a piece of bubble gum (that purple thing in his hand), and i would give him that and he should ask someone who had money, because none of us did. He proceeded to propose to me and tell me what a wonderful wife i would be. The kids thought it was great.
We had fun. it is impossible not to have fun with these guys. Cacau is the one with the black shirt. This is the first picture of her i took that she actually likes.
This is Marconi, my deaf boy. We tossed the ball around. for a long time.http-equiv=”Content-Type” content=”text/html; charset=utf-8″> name=”ProgId” content=”Word.Document”> name=”Generator” content=”Microsoft Word 12″> name=”Originator” content=”Microsoft Word 12″>
“My understanding is that to be Christian is to do whatever it is that you do with great passion and devotion.Your job is the relentless pursuit of who God has made you to be. And anything else you do is sin and you need to repent of it. The goal isn’t escaping this world but making this world the kind of place God can come to. And God is remaking us into the kind of people who can do this kind of work”–Velvet Elvis
