For the past week we have been living in a slum here in Belo, and working at a school for kids between ages 3 and 14. We have spent almost all of our time at the school teaching the kids Bible stories, songs, games, English, and a little bit of math. We also had some opportunities to do house visits here, and those were awesome. The people we met encouraged and challenged us at least as much as we did them. And here at the school, the kids have done the same. They are so loving even though they all have very rough living conditions and family situations. I have so many stories I could share about the kids, but the people who have impacted me the most this week are the ones who work at the school. Though none of them speak fluent English, there are two of them who speak well enough that we can understand each other pretty well. Their stories are so challenging, and the way they live their lives is even more so.
Wanderson and Gisa are the two main people who run the school here. They are in their twenties and have been married about a year, and they spend almost all of their time pouring into the kids here at the school. When they aren’t here, they are doing other ministry in the surrounding slum area. Wanderson is the hardest worker I have ever met; between doing ministry and working at his job, he works 17 24-hour days every month, and the other days are long too. This is because all of their ministry is self-generated, so he works overnight shifts to pay for everything. It is ridiculous how much he pours into others, you can just see the love of Jesus all over him.
There are 3 others who work full-time with the kids here. Marina, Sabrina, and Camila are all in their early twenties, and all of them have completely devoted their lives to serving God, which for now is here at the school. We asked them if they get paid for working here, and they said they don’t. So we asked how they have enough money to live, and they replied very innocently, “We feel God has called us here to this, and so He has and will continue to provide.” Wow. That is a lesson in faith, because that is truly crazy by the world’s standards. They work about 11 hours a day, 5 days a week, and they don’t get paid for it.
There are two others who work here full-time preparing food for the kids and the workers. Alece and Marialena also volunteer 5 days a week just cooking and cleaning, so all of their work for the most part goes unnoticed. They have such incredible humility and faithfulness; it too has challenged me hugely.
Never in my life have I been surrounded by so many people whose lives look so much like Christ. They are all so humble, and they are so faithful just to serve wherever they are, and to trust that God will sustain them through it all. It has been such a blessing to be able to serve alongside them here at the school, and also in the surrounding area. God has definitely answered our prayers about wanting to be stretched more in faith. I am so excited at what God is working in all of our hearts thanks to this experience. Thank you so much everyone for praying for us, God has definitely blessed us hugely! He is such and awesome God!
P.S. – Sorry for how choppy this post is, it is hard to sum up such an amazing week in a short space, and also we are at an internet cafe and my time is running out!
