Letter from Cody: Brazil – August 2012

Clayton & Priscilla with the pastor and his wife (center)If we could only see as heaven sees, I am certain that it would completely change our perspective. How does heaven view the many people that we come across every day? Are the angels working to direct their paths to cross ours? Do we see in each and every person a soul to be saved for eternity or just a random contact? We know that heaven is occupied with directing honest searchers to the people of God. “There was a certain man in Cæsarea called Cornelius,… a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house… He saw in vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius… now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.” Acts 10:1-5. Peter had never met Cornelius before, but angels of heaven were busy arranging details so that Peter and Cornelius could meet and we see this repeatedly throughout the New Testament—Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, Aquilla and Priscilla and Apollos, and others. How many times is the Lord doing this for us? Are we taking advantage of these divine appointments? “All over the world men and women are looking wistfully to heaven. Prayers and tears and inquiries go up from souls longing for light, for grace, for the Holy Spirit. Many are on the verge of the kingdom, waiting only to be gathered in.” Acts of the Apostles, 109.

 

Rehab guests preparing for lunch by quoting Bible verses

I have just returned from Brazil where the Lord gave us many blessed experiences, but there is one that illustrates the divine appointments the Lord wants to do for each of us. Clayton and Priscilla Silva are a young couple working eagerly for the Master in the sprawling city of Rio de Janeiro. Like with Cornelius, the Lord brought a family across them in contact with family who is searching for more and greater light. Through another contact, they visited a drug rehabilitation program run by a Pentecostal pastor and his family. As they visited with this family, who were doing what they could to relieve suffering from the mammoth drug problem of Rio de Janeiro, they found a family with another need. While they were helping others recover from crack addictions, their health was deteriorating. Because of their need, they were willing to make drastic changes in their diet and they have now seen drastic results! Every week Clayton and Priscilla came and demonstrated how to prepare healthy, tasty, planted-based meals. As time went on and confidence developed, they then became willing to listen to the opening of the Word of God, as well. I was able to spend a couple days at the rehabilitation facilities. This dedicated family was happy to now be preparing a meal for us instead of the other way around and then we were able to break the bread of life to both the men and women’s rehab guests. As we looked at the work they were doing, we were happy to see a faithful family seeking to make a difference in our world. The facilities are simple, but there are many young people who are getting a new lease on life through their efforts and now learning more than just how to overcome their addiction. Not only has this family changed their diet, but also they are changing the diet for the facility of around one hundred at various stages of recovery. On the last day I was in Brazil, this pastor and his wife got up front at the campmeeting and gave their testimony for what the Lord has done in their life and how they are sharing the blessing with those to whom they are ministering. They also shared their conviction that they were now going to begin keeping God’s seventh-day Sabbath! By being open to those divine appointments, Clayton and Priscilla have been able to share the message of truth with a pastor, his family and an entire rehab facility! Please pray for Clayton and Priscilla as they work for this dear family and also for the many other contacts the Lord has led them to. If you would like to help with their work, you can mark your donation “Rio Bible workers.” May we be faithful in sharing with others!

 

Yours in praying and working for others,

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