Beyond words...

Last night was my last night on the streets in Curitiba, Brazil. It was definitely a heart breaking time. I pray I am able to come back again September...but last night was special...it was beyond words, a night I will never forget. I was able to give some clothes and a blanket to my homeless friend Jair...The smile on his face after receiving a gift is something that will never disappear from my mind...I met another man named John. His story was similar to the many people who live on the streets...his mom died and he was placed in an orphanage by his father, He left the orphanage to live on the streets. He told us that his dad was abusive towards him beating him with belts and shoes...he held a lot of un-forgivness towards his dad, especially for placing him in an orphanage. We were able to talk with him for over an hour and tell him we were sorry that his dad didn't see his true value, but that he was loved by us and by God, it was a lot of him to take in, he was pretty speechless. By the end of the night he said that everyday is a new beginning and he needed to go forward with his life, I will continue to pray he knows he is loved and valued. You see the biggest problem I've seen in Brazil is not homelessness or prostitution, it's the lack of true identity...it's the lack of true love....most of my friends I've meet just don't know how valuable they are, that they are a beloved child of God, and no matter where they are at, God always loves them! Last night was so unforgettable, I prayed for John to be healed...from what I could understand from my translator was that he had polio when he was a child, so he had lots of pain in his feet and hands. I simply prayed for God to fill him with His love and take away all the pain, at the end of the prayer, he said he felt something pop and he had no more pain! I was astounded...this was the first time I prayed with someone and they were instantly healed...it was amazing...beyond words...I've truly been changed by my time here in Brazil...I pray that as I go back to the states I continue to grow with a passion to show God's love to EVERYONE...I thank each and everyone of you for reading this blog...I will probably post a few more blogs to come...please know that you too are sooooo loved, I pray for each person who reads this(even if you don't comment) Thanks for reading this and thanks for all your prayers!!