This weeks blog is called "Tuwb" which is the hebrew for "goodness, fairness, joy and prosperity"
טוּב
This Monday we had another adventure to the lovely beach town Pipa. Was a day full of rest and blessing swimming in the seeing, kayaking with dolphins and having good times with good friends. Was one of the last big things that we were going to be able to do before Emily leaves so it was great to be able to set the time aside.
Tuesday we were back in the school Maia Neto. This week we did a recap of all of the stories we've done up to this point which was great fun, showing the kids how Christ is in the old testament. That little school is such a blessing. I don't know if I've shared this before but the school is on a street called "espirito Santo" (which means Holy Spirit) and every time we arrive at the school there is always a white Dove resting on it (a dove being a symbol in the bible for the Holy Spirit). Some people say that that is a coincidence but I don't believe in coincidence, I believe that God wants to use the small things as much as the big things to bless us and in this case to show his presence and favour upon what we're doing to bless that school.
The rest of Tuesday we spent doing are team bible study (on matthew 17:1-13) and prepare for the week ahead. What's really cool is that lesson planning used to take us hours but this week we prepare for 3 lessons in less than an hour and a half which means the rest of the day was spent resting which was awesome.
Tuesday night was one of the most memorable of my times here in Brazil. This Tuesday we were getting our new Capoeira Cords (basically getting a belt in Kung fu). It was a whole night filled with the culture of Capoeria. All the different types of Capoeira as well as the different music. There was just us and two other people from the group getting new cords but even so all the instructors and professionals from all over Natal came just for us. We showed them a sequence of moves that we as a group had practiced and after that we have the "baptism" (as it's called in portuguese). Basically you have to go up against one of the really good guys and they eventually trip you up for that you fall. Then they give you the cord! Was an awesome night learning more about the culture that is Capoeira.
Then when I arrived home my host Parents arrived from a trip they were on and gave me a pair of "Dr dre Beats" (copies). Needless to say an awesome Tuesday.
video of me playing Capoeira
This Wednesday we were back in the Maia Neto again. This week we were teaching on Identity using one of the first lessons we ever used at the start of the year. In this lesson I shared a little testimony of stuff that happened to me in school and we had another imagination time to let them know what Jesus had to say about who they really are. I really love prophesying blessings and love into the lives those kids, showing them whole they really are no matter what they hear from other people.
That night I was speaking in the Cell group (which I had completely forgotten) but I ended up sharing on Hebrews 4:11 "Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest," This verse is all about entering into the rest that we have in Christ. In Our loves we shouldn't have anything to worry about. Jesus died on the cross for every solution to every problem we could ever have. Entering the rest means in everything whether work rest or play we "rest" in the fact that Jesus has the answer to every problem we could ever have, and had before the problem existed.
This Thursday in Ferreira we were teaching the same identity question. It amazing to see how much more kids who are just slightly older can receive from these lessons about identity. In some of the lessons we had a kids crying through feeling God's love pour over them and I had the chance to talk to one kids who is going through a really difficult time at home these days. I just told him how much Jesus loves him and prayed that God would take hold of the situation.
Then we returned to the church waiting for Capoeira.
As the morning students weren't going to have class we had the morning of this friday to prepare some other little things for the coming weeks lessons. Then in the afternoon headed to Floca. Had a great cell group in the afternoon break time where one of the students shared a word which was awesome to see her understanding of the word. Then a lead a little time in worship.
That night Jared and his Menti Vitor came over to my house to just hang out and play "just dance 4" great fun and as the buses weren't running that late Vitor stayed in my house and got to hear a bit more of his story and how God is doing amazing things in his life (and he is doing wonderful things)
This saturday we spent the day as a team at the house of Jared's host family. His host mum (Tia Verhina) anti Vera as we call her, has been a huge blessing to us as a team so we helped her with a little project of food parcels that she was doing for homeless people and prayed for her. Was great to just hang out and love on someone who flows so much with God's love.
That afternoon I was able to hang with my menti hermes and go through a little bit more of the old testament stories with him. It's amazing how much Jesus is present in the old testament!
I would really appreciate it if you guys could pray for our team member Emily this week. She will be leaving us on Saturday so it's going to be a week of tears for her. Just pray blessings upon her as she finished her time here that she would be able to take what she has learnt in the next step of her life. It's so crazy that she's leaving already, which means that it's going to be a really weird month without her.
As well as this I've only got 4 weeks left her in Brazil which is absolutely crazy. Please send up a little prayer for that.
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| me and emily one of the first weeks here in Brazil |
This time next week I'm going to be at a Men's weekend in the church. It's set to be "intense" so please pray that I can really encounter God and learn from him for that weekend.
Thanks so much for reading everyone. Your prayers and support have been changing lives and will continue to do so for the next 4 week.
God bless
Shalom
Mark
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