Adventures in Brazil: Part 9

     Today I went to the Ceia do Senhor, the Lord's Supper, with the church at a place in the country that I purchased some years ago. There are several buildings on the property but the church has too many people to fit into any of these so they set up a sound stage, and hundreds of the ubiquitous white plastic chairs that one sees all over Brazil. Then followed an blessed blending of worship, testimonies, prayer, and teaching.
   First we worshipped beginning with a song called "Jesus, in your presence" written by Asaph Borba. Even though I have never seen the lyrics, i have sung this song so many times that I am beginning to know them. Then at least twenty people who had received baptism in the last month came and were prayed for. An elderly woman gave a testimony about how God had healed her cancer. More testimonies, prayers and sharing followed.
    Then a humble brother named Nilson, one of the deacons, who had just returned with his wife from a two month ministry trip to Scandinavia, preached a strong message about faith. Matthew 7:29 says that Jesus spoke as one with authority, not as the scribes, and Nilson followed His example. Then Moyses, one of the spiritual fathers of this church, who was instrumental in starting it some decades before, got up and spoke. The temperature was about 95F, and those on the stage had no tree shadow to protect them from the sun. Moyses is eighty-eight years of age yet he spoke with vigor for some time in preparation for sharing the Lord's Supper.
   At least 25 men had prepared to serve the bread and the cup. The beautiful practice here is to share your bread with others around you. Afterwards the cup was served by the elders and others. Again the love was powerful. Following the Ceia, God blessed me with conversations with a number of people including Abner, Elias and Raquel, Ana Quezia, Timoteo and his wife, Eduardo, Eduardo and Bruno, Calebe and Romi, Nilson, Rogerio,and i probably have forgotten others.
   Tonight the Lord has provided a team of 12-15 people to return to a little church outside of Porto Alegre. May He be glorified, and may His will be done.