Ethan is an 11 year old, who has been sponsoring a child through Compassion International, for three years. He works to send his $40 per month to help a little boy named Luciano, and his family, who live 2 hours from here, in the next state over.
Last Tuesday we travelled to Paraíba, with Ethan and his dad, Andrew, who are visiting from Ontario.
We were excited to have the opportunity to get to know the Compassion-assisted project, in the town where Luciano lives.
Compassion had arranged for a translator to be there, so we met Renato and spent the day at a school in Luciano’s village, that a local church runs, and Compassion sponsors.
The facility was bright and cheerful. The children love their school and the activities and lessons there that teach them about God’s Word and growing up to please and honor Him.
So many times during this visit, Mark and I just looked at each other and Mark said, “Someday.”
We feel anxious to start building God’s home for children here, and find it difficult to wait patiently.
We talked to Renato about the plans we have, and were surprised when he called us later in the week to say that he knew a lawyer that wanted to meet with us.
Yesterday we went back to Paraíba. We met with Vladimir, the lawyer. He is counsel for a huge project in João Pessoa that is currently doing street work and has a drug rehab center and many other outreaches, all with the goal of bringing the Gospel to the lost.
Vladimir is willing to help move this bureaucracy along; he’s done it before and has all the right contacts. Beyond that, he’s a Christian and has motives that only God can put in the heart. Before we left to drive back to Natal, I was struck, once again, by how God uses the most unlikely of us. If not for the heart of love of an 11 year old boy, we never would have met Renato and Vladimir.
How like our God to use a child from so far away, to be the catalyst for building His home for children, here in Aningas. How encouraging it is to know that three years ago, God connected Ethan with a little boy in Brazil, and this connection would bring him here to stay with us. And how like God to let me be here to see Him work.
We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. (Romans 8:28 AMP)
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