As Tarzan swings through the rain forest, he lets go of his swinging vine. He is being launched through the air, pushed forward by the momentum he gained in the swing, until he hits the ground...
In the same way, our team hit Brazil – running!
For our first week abroad, we were hosted by various families of a congregation in Sao Paulo. We were split up into smaller groups, where each person had a very spesific purpose and ministry. Some groups were there to encourage, while others prayed for an entire community. We served at youth services and at a rehabillitation center, simply doing what God called us to do: to love His people! By simply loving, we got a first hand experience of the term “Jehova Shama”, which means “the God that goes before us”. Each team member departed from their “families” with hearts that were both glad for their kind-heartedness, as well as sad, since we were going to miss them! The time in Sao Paulo ended on a high note, with the famous Global Challenge airport sleepover, which entailed many laughs and countless good memories.
After our time in the Big City, we flew to the Amazonian city of Manaus. There, we encountered God's blessing, which was as numerous as the fire ants and mosquitoes. The week we spent at JOCUM (YWAM base), serving at an orphanage and sharing our lives with the local people, made us as a team so aware of God's love for the people He made, His desire to be known and His heart for us as His body! We've learned that we are called to serve like bond servants that are simply doing their duty and not like sons, doing favours!
God opened doors of immense favour, and we had the privilege to travel by boat from Manaus to Leticia, on the Amazon river for six days! We slept in hammocks, saw pink dolphins, swam in the Amazon, caught piranha-like fish and, most of all, we saw the Creator being revealed in His creation!!! God challenged us as a team to a fast, in which He came and made Himself known in wonderful ways! He met and exceeded every expectation, pouring His love into us as a group. We got to know our team mates and grew in understanding and compassion for each other as God established deep friendships, marked with His love for us!
As Tarzan swings through the rain forest, he lets go of his swinging vine. He is being launched through the air, pushed forward by the momentum he gained in the swing, until he hits the ground...
In the same way, our team hits Colombia - running!