Missionary Report from Olho dAgua.  The 70th Missionary Project to Olho d’Agua was my second project with the Missão JUVEP.  In the beginning I was thinking about not going, because my experience in the first project was frustrating. I went to the first project trusting too much in my own strength, on my own knowledge, thinking that I was able to do the mission. Sadly, on that mission I didn’t go to many houses.  When I did go I didn’t know what to say, even though I studied and prepared a lot. Then I remembered that the Bible says that the Holy Spirit will gives us the right words, in the right moment. To study theology and similar courses is very important, but it can’t occupy God’s place – the Holy Spirit – in our hearts and minds.  I was very excited for this project – because while initially I didn’t want to go all – every day God was making me feel that He was preparing an special time for us in this mission. My spiritual preparation for this second mission to Olho d’Agua was this prayer: “May it be how You want, not how I want”.

When we arrived in Olho D’água, we were warmly welcomed by the locals.  Soon, however, we felt the spiritual resistance coming against us. This was the third project for Olho d’Agua.  The prior project in Olho d’Agua focused on a different part of town. But, after the two prior projects the city hadn’t changed much. After a few days the doors didn’t open anymore. The Catholic church was making the people reject us.  They were saying a lot of distorted things about JUVEP and about the Gospel of Jesus. But the Lord is sovereign and the curse became a blessing (Nehemiah 13:2). With time, the people themselves saw that the Catholic church was just creating a war against us (we did not fight back, we just kept preaching Salvation through Christ), therefore, they now were receiving us more frequently and with a desire to hear the Word. Their very little exposure to the Word was more than evident because they could pose a lot of questions about the Bible and about religious things, they were asking about how to get a living in heaven, asking about if what the Catholics preaches is really true, about the “saints” like: “Were they really saints?” and other questions like these.  This spiritual darkness in these people increased my love for these people ever more. I wanted to teach them everything I know [and teach them to love our Savior, Jesus!]

Our JUVEP missionario group is divided into teams.  Each team divides into doubles (two people) and each double has a street with the responsibility to evangelize.  In my street we visited frequently three houses and in two of them the owners were already believers. This made me so glad, because God always talks to me about how to make stronger the faith of those who already believe. This is my calling.  I felt myself well used to preach and teach to these people. The churches in small towns like Olho D’água need so much; a better method of teaching or to at least to have teaching. We can’t let the Church be mute.

I had two greater experiences in this project with God. God showed me that everything happens in His way and in His time. One of our goals is to hold some group service every night in different places.  That way we can reach the whole city. However, there were two days that we could not go out into the town because it was raining too much. And, this in the Sertao! So, we understood that God was inviting us for a special moment of devotion and prayer. Just the missionario team. We were strengthened! We needed this, since we encountered battles.  We needed more grace, so we can share with the town. We can’t offer what we don’t have. We must always come back to the King’s table to renovate our forces in Him.

My other and strongest experience was with an old man that since the beginning had much incorrect information about Jesus. I thought that he would never to convert to Christ in the short time that we were there.  But I told myself that it would be God’s way, not mine! I didn’t give up and kept evangelizing in a loving and determined way. On the last day he surprised us and said that he wanted a life with God and only God, not to lead the life of an idolater anymore. It was notable that he had been transformed and God used it to show me once again that He is the God of the impossible and I never should doubt of His sovereignty and power.

I feel called to ministry again. A ministry of teaching and discipleship. For me, the phrase that best defines my ministry calling says that if we don’t love people, we must get out of ministry. God is personal; therefore, we must be personal too and love people like He does. Love is patient – do not give up on the mission. In the last week in Olho d’Agua people looked at us and would say: “you guys have something different.” This doesn’t come from us, it is the treasure kept in clay pots (2 Corinthians 4:7) that God puts inside us to we can reach other lives. “Freely you have received; freely give.” (Matthew 10:8).

Ibson Carvalho Rocha

Mossoró, RN, Brasil

Brazil Church of The Nazarene