Today’s reflection is more mine than yours, it is more of a learning experience, an experience so full of grace that I want to share it with you, my dear reader. These last few days have not been easy for me, days of great fog have arrived on my journey. My heart sank, in almost two days, I received more than six overwhelming news. An explosion of feelings, an unexplained inner pain, the forces were crushed, the heart ached, the soul groaned, some of these events caused fear, others embarrassed me, and there were those who started to cry; it was a moment when I came across my limitations and disenchantments. And the last one I received was the death of a very dear relative, and I was so distant from everyone, separated by countries so distant (they in Brazil, and I here in East Timor / Asia). Prostrate, tired … but it was in those moments that the Lord gave me the grace to be enchanted once again by the beauty of Christ’s bride, the Church. What a spectacular divine invention !!! How I was welcomed, loved, cared for. For some; I called, and with patience they heard me; others called me; some recorded prayers and sent them through WhatsApp; there were those who sent messages, one of them was: “count on us, in addition to praying for you, which is fundamental, we can be company, even from a distance”. There were also the silent ones, but I knew they were taking me in the arms of prayer, my intercessors, they are priceless. And so many other expressions of affection that made my soul happy. And in that glorious presence of the Church, I wish to tell you about a special visit that I received in the mission field in those days, for me it represented the visit of my Lord, welcoming me, getting up, lifting my tired feet to go on again. And it was, on a Thursday, at about 10 am, a dear missionary arrived at my house, a friend and shepherd of sheep, came to visit me, brought gifts from the field of her garden (banana, papaya, potato, eggplant) , offered in my life, shared what I had, even chamomile tea (lol); he ministered the Word of God, with great patience he listened to me for almost two hours, he also opened his heart, we shared experiences we had with our Christ along the way, we prayed. And when it was over, I was renewed, lifted up by the divine Holy Spirit, hearing that voice: it’s time to leave the cave, I need to continue the journey. My brothers and sisters, in these days the Lord has not only renewed my spiritual and emotional life, but also my vision regarding His Beloved Church. I was amazed by the Church, we are flawed and limited, I acknowledge; but it is undeniable that we are different, we have more than flaws, we have more than defects, we were bought by the Precious Blood of the Lamb, we have a bright future. With all my love, thank you to everyone who walks beside me, thank you to everyone who supports me in love, and can see me, despite my faults, a participant in this Body so well adjusted, so well connected, because we have Christ, as the Head of His bride, who is the Church. With love, Sandra Lima.