It is pretty cool when we have an opportunity to live out our religion as Christians. James 1:27 hit me tonight like an onibus flying down the road at 100 km/h, "Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."
I walked to the Lider Supermarket tonight to go get some suco (juice) for my buddy Paul. He is definitely a connoisseur of 100% juice. So I figured I would pick up some 100% exotic, 100% Amazonian, 100% fruit and 100% juice for him to try out. As I was leaving, I walked by this feeble little lady and her, maybe, 2 year old son. They were sitting on the side of the road. I walked by without thinking much of it. Afterall, there are so many poor people you walk by everyday that you almost become numb to it after a while. It was as if Christ was also walking by... "You just walked by a widow who needs Me." I stopped short and turned around to this little lady rubbing her stomach and her little son standing by her side. All I could do was reach down and say "vamos" (let's go).
She didn't understand. She couldn't comprehend. Nao falo Portuguese, Nao falo Inglis. Language didn't matter at this point. A man you could not have missed if you tried was standing near us. I asked him if he spoke English. Sim! I asked him to tell the lady to get some groceries. He didn't understand, but spoke English well. I soon realized this was not a normal occurrence - that it was strange some white boy was interested in helping out "the least of these." It dawned on him as if the "light in the attic" clicked on, "This man is going to buy the groceries you need." The lady smiled a little bit, and the entire supermarket stopped, turned around, and tried to piece together what was going on. They didn't see Logan though.
The first thing she grabbed was a toothbrush for her son and some toothpaste. She reached down on the bottom shelf and grabbed one for herself. I wouldn't have cleaned the floor I walk on with the one she grabbed. I easily took it out of her hand and handed her a Colgate toothbrush. Afterall, I would have used that one. Throughout the entire "shopping spree" I knew Christ was walking next to her. Not only could I feel His presence, but everyone in that place knew, whether they understood or not, something was different, something was strange. As if, for a moment, the World had been stopped for this lady. As if, Christ wanted everyone there to see Him, to see His Glory. Me, I just stood there, putting one extra bag of this or box of that in the buggy, because she wouldn't dare take more than one. After only a couple bags of rice and beans she said "ta".
"Logan, a couple of bags of beans and rice could hardly be considered 'looking after'." The lady was humble, she didn't greed herself to whatever she pleased. Christ projected out all He has given me right in front of my face. She deserved the best of everything she needed. Deserved is a big word. I guess none of us deserve anything. Christ was walking with her tonight- she deserved the best of everything she needed, but only because of Him.
We get to the lady who just rang me up for some fruit juices. I slammed my backpack full of juice and now I was standing there with enough food to feed 2 for a month. I can only imagine her thinking how this crazy American guy was going to fit all that in one backpack. I don't think she understood what was going on either. Two and two clicked, and the clerk just stared at me with a smile, running things over the scanner. By this time, a large crowd had begun forming at the front of the store. All of the managers stood around the register, I imagine, trying to figure out what was going on.
I put my hand on this lady's shoulder. I told her in Portuguese, "Jesus Christ loves you." It was all I knew how to say in the moment. She looked up in the air, with her hands raised and said, "Obrigada Deus (Thank You God)!" I walked away not knowing what else I could say or do. I barely made it to the parking lot before I realized this lady has a TON of groceries and no way to get them home. I usually keep 50 Reais on me in case I get robbed. Here, you can pay your robbers off with about 50 bucks. I walked back up to the lady, who was talking with the people in the store about how she was going to get all of the groceries back to her village. Taxi! We walked outside and right in front of the store, stood a man with a taxi. She told him where her village was, and he laughed. Muito longe! Very far away! You could tell in his eyes something changed his heart. He looked at me and said 50 bucks. I handed it to him and saw them off.
Christ was walking by Lider Supermarket tonight and saw a widow with her son in need. He bought her some groceries and some "Ben 10" shampoo, and got them back to their village safely. Your prayers, your money, your sacrifice allows us to be a light that shines the name of Christ. Thank you for being willing to serve Him. Thank you for supporting us in this ministry here in Belem. Thank you for standing behind us in prayer. Thank you for standing behind us in the good and bad as we strive to serve Christ for His Glory here in Brazil.
Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’"
I walked to the Lider Supermarket tonight to go get some suco (juice) for my buddy Paul. He is definitely a connoisseur of 100% juice. So I figured I would pick up some 100% exotic, 100% Amazonian, 100% fruit and 100% juice for him to try out. As I was leaving, I walked by this feeble little lady and her, maybe, 2 year old son. They were sitting on the side of the road. I walked by without thinking much of it. Afterall, there are so many poor people you walk by everyday that you almost become numb to it after a while. It was as if Christ was also walking by... "You just walked by a widow who needs Me." I stopped short and turned around to this little lady rubbing her stomach and her little son standing by her side. All I could do was reach down and say "vamos" (let's go).
She didn't understand. She couldn't comprehend. Nao falo Portuguese, Nao falo Inglis. Language didn't matter at this point. A man you could not have missed if you tried was standing near us. I asked him if he spoke English. Sim! I asked him to tell the lady to get some groceries. He didn't understand, but spoke English well. I soon realized this was not a normal occurrence - that it was strange some white boy was interested in helping out "the least of these." It dawned on him as if the "light in the attic" clicked on, "This man is going to buy the groceries you need." The lady smiled a little bit, and the entire supermarket stopped, turned around, and tried to piece together what was going on. They didn't see Logan though.
The first thing she grabbed was a toothbrush for her son and some toothpaste. She reached down on the bottom shelf and grabbed one for herself. I wouldn't have cleaned the floor I walk on with the one she grabbed. I easily took it out of her hand and handed her a Colgate toothbrush. Afterall, I would have used that one. Throughout the entire "shopping spree" I knew Christ was walking next to her. Not only could I feel His presence, but everyone in that place knew, whether they understood or not, something was different, something was strange. As if, for a moment, the World had been stopped for this lady. As if, Christ wanted everyone there to see Him, to see His Glory. Me, I just stood there, putting one extra bag of this or box of that in the buggy, because she wouldn't dare take more than one. After only a couple bags of rice and beans she said "ta".
"Logan, a couple of bags of beans and rice could hardly be considered 'looking after'." The lady was humble, she didn't greed herself to whatever she pleased. Christ projected out all He has given me right in front of my face. She deserved the best of everything she needed. Deserved is a big word. I guess none of us deserve anything. Christ was walking with her tonight- she deserved the best of everything she needed, but only because of Him.
We get to the lady who just rang me up for some fruit juices. I slammed my backpack full of juice and now I was standing there with enough food to feed 2 for a month. I can only imagine her thinking how this crazy American guy was going to fit all that in one backpack. I don't think she understood what was going on either. Two and two clicked, and the clerk just stared at me with a smile, running things over the scanner. By this time, a large crowd had begun forming at the front of the store. All of the managers stood around the register, I imagine, trying to figure out what was going on.
I put my hand on this lady's shoulder. I told her in Portuguese, "Jesus Christ loves you." It was all I knew how to say in the moment. She looked up in the air, with her hands raised and said, "Obrigada Deus (Thank You God)!" I walked away not knowing what else I could say or do. I barely made it to the parking lot before I realized this lady has a TON of groceries and no way to get them home. I usually keep 50 Reais on me in case I get robbed. Here, you can pay your robbers off with about 50 bucks. I walked back up to the lady, who was talking with the people in the store about how she was going to get all of the groceries back to her village. Taxi! We walked outside and right in front of the store, stood a man with a taxi. She told him where her village was, and he laughed. Muito longe! Very far away! You could tell in his eyes something changed his heart. He looked at me and said 50 bucks. I handed it to him and saw them off.
Christ was walking by Lider Supermarket tonight and saw a widow with her son in need. He bought her some groceries and some "Ben 10" shampoo, and got them back to their village safely. Your prayers, your money, your sacrifice allows us to be a light that shines the name of Christ. Thank you for being willing to serve Him. Thank you for supporting us in this ministry here in Belem. Thank you for standing behind us in prayer. Thank you for standing behind us in the good and bad as we strive to serve Christ for His Glory here in Brazil.
Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for Me.’"
it is an exciting story! it can be a example for us.
ReplyDeleteThis was truly AWESOME!
ReplyDelete