São Paulo

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The Feast of Pentecost: The Birthday of Missions

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.-Acts 1:8

Not all churches commemorated Pentecost Sunday in Brazil. There is a strong anti-catholic sentiment among the evangelical Christians and they avoid anything that bears any resemblance to the Catholic Church. This, unfortunately, means that traditional feast days are mostly ignored in the evangelical churches. Consequently, it has impoverished them. We need to reflect on the important events of our spirituality. It reminds us of our spiritual vocation. Our team is made up of mainly evangelical Christians but we did not allow this day to past without reflecting on its meaning in our ministry. The presence of the Holy Spirit is crucial in our ministry. It gives our ministry a purpose and most important of all, it is a reminder of what it means to work in the power of the Holy Spirit.

In São Paulo, most people have grown accustomed to the presence of the homeless children and teens. A good Christian man who was not afraid to be honest and politically incorrect told me that most people in São Paulo are more disturbed to see stray dogs in the streets than to see children. He said that homeless children have always been there whereas stray dogs are something new.

None of us, including the only Brazilian in our team, are from the city of São Paulo. We are sent and supported by churches outside the city and country. Sometimes we feel like we need to justify ( this is perhaps a feeling just in our hearts) why we are serving in a place that has nothing to do with the reality of our sending churches. Why invest time and money in a Catholic nation where there are ample churches both Protestant and Catholic? Sometimes we feel like we need to justify our presence here and then it hits us. We are here because of Pentecost Sunday.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.”-Acts 2: 4-6

We cannot separate the speaking of different languages from the coming of the Holy Spirit. In some churches, the gospel is read in many different languages on this day. It is an important symbolic act to show that the Holy Spirit changed the way the first disciples understood the message of the gospel. God’s favor was no longer restricted to one people, but His Spirit is upon all peoples. The presence of the Holy Spirit has been with the Jewish people always, but now it is poured out to the world. The word for “Spirit” in Hebrew could mean “breath” or “wind” with which Jesus symbolically describes the movement of the Spirit in His conversation with Nicodemus. It is an appropriate symbol. We cannot domesticate or control the wind or air. It is free to go where it pleases. The church is only truly a church when it is willing to allow the wind of the Spirit to carry it to places and people to testify to the power of the gospel.

We cannot understand the reason for missionary work if we do not understand the power that comes from the Hoy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has only one purpose according to Jesus. The power of the Holy Spirit lies in this role. Our power comes from recognizing the work of the Holy Spirit.

He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.- John 16:14-15

Our power comes from recognizing the presence of Jesus in our midst. This is the only thing that makes the church relevant. If we allow ourselves to be distracted with other tasks, then we lose our authority and power in this world. If we make power our goal, then we lose all authority. Our goal is to testify to the work of the Holy Spirit.

The feast of Pentecost reminds us of this. The New Testament writings after the gospels are about recognizing the presence of Jesus in this world through the Holy Spirit. The apostles never wrote about doctrines; they just testified to the living presence of Jesus. The doctrines become alive and living testimony of the gospel’s power when we use them to recognize the presence of Jesus. They become dull and lifeless if they are end unto themselves.

The feast of Pentecost reminds us that it was the Holy Spirit who brought us to the red light district of São Paulo. None of us ever imagined spending the prime of our adult life walking through trash and filth to find homeless children and teens who might be too drugged out to talk to us. However, we wouldn’t be anywhere but here because the Holy Spirit brought us. This is the only reason we need to be here. We need to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost to remind ourselves of this Truth.

We are here for the sole purpose of testifying to the transformative presence of Jesus. Every encounter with the living presence of Jesus is transformative. This is why our power lies in recognizing His presence in this world.

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The Gospel in a Time of Turmoil Part 1

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.-Romans 1: 16

It has been a strange month. We have had protests in São Paulo on weekly basis and sometimes even two or three times in a week. Most of it happens right where we live. Recently we walked through a protest of almost thousand people who are squatters living in abandoned buildings in the old center. They were seeking government assistance for housing. These are mostly landless farmworkers who have earned below minimum wage all of their lives. Their wages are insufficient to pay the exorbitant rental and housing rates. Before squatting in the center, they lived in tiny crowded shacks in the outskirts of the city. They invaded the abandoned buildings in the center in order to have a stronger political presence. They want a place to live and they are willing to pay for it if it is affordable. They thought that the present left-leaning government would come to their aid, but they were mistaken. Tensions run high. We have to walk through these frustrated and angry people to work with the homeless children and teens.

Last weekend, there was another protest which has been organized every month and also known for its violent outbursts. This time it wasn’t poor landless laborers, but middle class university students and young professionals. They are protesting against the World Cup which is going to be held here in less than a month. Their grievance is that the government has been spending tons of tax-payers’ money to build stadiums and host parties for the World Cup Games while neglecting the education and health issues facing the country. The people are saying that they do not want the World Cup in their country. This is saying a lot for a country that is crazy about soccer. This group is even angrier and more violent than the landless farmworkers.

It seems like there is a growing frustration at every level of society. The sad thing is that their demands are not unreasonable, but actually quite basic. They want a better quality of life.

I am an outsider to these protests, but I am not a spectator. As we walk through this angry mob, it is hard not to be affected. We can see their faces and the frustration and desperation in their eyes. They are waiting for something to happen to make their lives better.

I am an outsider by choice and for a specific reason. I am here for the gospel. I am sent by the church for this purpose. The message of the gospel is not detached from the culture and political life of the people. It speaks within the context of our reality. It has to have something important to say in this time of turmoil.

The protestors want a better life for the future. The gospel promises Life in the here and now. However, I think most people believe the promises of the gospel are only for the afterlife. If this was true, then we have nothing to say for those who are frustrated and desperate in this life. The gospel would be inefficient for those who want to know if there is a path to happiness in the here and now. They are looking for answers in political actions and social change. Thanks be to God that the gospel is not a message for tomorrow, but it is a message for today. It is a message of abundant life for the here and now. It is not limited or restricted by powers and principalities. It is not held back by conditions or circumstances. It has the power to bring meaning to our lives when the world around us is in chaos. However, the problem is whether we believe the gospel is able to do this. This is when rational Christianity is not sufficient. The truth of the gospel must be experienced in our daily lives.

The gospel that the apostles preached was powerful even when the church faced unfavorable circumstances. It brought joy and peace to people even when they lost everything. It was sufficient for Paul in plenty and need (Philippians 4:11-13). The gospel does not need anything else added to it to become successful or appealing. It brings contentment in itself. It is this gospel that we need to rediscover to preach to those who are desperate and frustrated, whether they are the homeless children that we serve, or the landless farm laborers or the university students. They protest for a better tomorrow. The gospel offers abundant life in the here and now. We need faith to believe in the power of the gospel to fulfill what it claims.

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Success at the Foot of the Cross

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. I Corinthians 1:18

We doubt ourselves on a weekly basis. We wonder if we are making any difference in the lives of the people. We wonder if we are just wasting our time.

Day in and day out, it is always the same. Sometimes people are open and accepting and sometimes they are closed and drugged out. Sometimes they are friendly and sometimes they are hostile. However, their conflicting actions and attitudes do not make us question why. We are actually used to it. Sometimes we find ourselves being invaded by this sense of hopelessness. It appears as if we are not doing anything significant in the streets. We are actually trying to preach the message of hope to the homeless but it seems like the sense of hopelessness and abandonment is contagious.

Our friend and fellow team member told us that if the success of this ministry was based on numbers, then this ministry would be utter failure. In a way, we would be in good company because the ministry of Jesus would have been considered a failure as well. He did not really have the numbers to show any success despite being the Son of God. We can pick a prophet randomly from the Old Testament and he or she would be a considered a failure, too. Either the biblical standard for success is too low or maybe it is too high to be measured by numbers. Gauging a success of any Christian ministry by numbers is succumbing to the standards of the world. It is not the way of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ moment of success was on the Cross. It was the moment that he gave up His spirit when all his opponents were silenced permanently. It was at this moment that a centurion professed, “Truly this was the Son of God.” This was the moment of success. It is a mystery that can only be understood when one is struck by the power of Love.

The power of the Cross was not hidden from anyone. It was there present in a powerful way but only a few chose to see it. Those who saw it cannot keep it to themselves anymore. A new Light came into their hearts. It opened their minds to understand the new meaning of power and success.

Every week we question what we are doing. I don’t think this is wrong. I think it would be strange if we do not question ourselves. It would be strange if we were happy with the way things are. I don’t think that things are going to get better in my lifetime. However, our success is not based on whether we can eradicate the problems of society. It is about sharing this Light that we discover at the foot of the Cross. It is about seeing that even death and humiliation cannot hinder the power of Love to shine through into our hearts. The Cross is the power that gives us hope. We need to go to the foot of the Cross with all sense of failure and hopelessness and believe that the One who hangs on the Cross is able to transform them into opportunities of Life. If we can transmit this Hope in the Cross, if we can just direct someone to see this hope, then we are truly successful.

 

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Living in a Labyrinth

In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.- John 1:4-5

Yesterday, we met one of the most insightful men living in the streets of Cracolândia. His name is Tin and has been a crack addict and homeless for many years. In fact, whenever there is a journalistic report on Cracolândia, his opinion is always quoted. Despite being down and out, Tin has a cheerful disposition and yet behind his cheerful demeanor lies a profound thinker. He told us once that the best way to describe Cracolândia was to think of it as a labyrinth. He explained that everyone who enters here loses themselves in this place and they don’t know how to get out. According to him, we are able to come here and leave because we have a cord attached to us that guides us back to the world outside. He went on to elaborate that everyone who entered here at one time had a cord attached to them to guide them back to the Light. However, the moment they lit up their first crack pipe, the cord was cut and they can no longer find their way home. One of the missionaries then said that since we have the cord attached to us still, perhaps we can help them to return home. Tin answered without any hesitation that those who live this labyrinth are used to the darkness and now they are afraid to follow people like us who can lead the way out because the light outside is too bright and painful for them to handle.

They have grown so accustomed to darkness that the Light is difficult for them to comprehend. The light becomes something frightful.

When I heard Tin’s insight, the words of the above gospel text became alive in a new way. I used to think that people rejected the Light because they hated the Light. The truth is that people are afraid of the Light. Perhaps they are afraid to see themselves in the Light. Tin has spent so much time in the darkness that he does not comprehend the goodness of being in the Light. He does not like the darkness.  He is just afraid of the Light.

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.- 1 John 4:18

The only way fear can be overcome is through Love.  It is significant that Tin shared this insight with us. He thinks about his life. He is reaching out but he is afraid. Perhaps he wants to know if we are willing to guide him into the Light and help him overcome his fear of the Light. Our words alone do not suffice. Tin needs to see our love in action before he can trust us. Until then, we ask for your prayers. Continue to pray that the cord of Love that guides us to Cracolândia will be strong enough to guide people like Tin out into the gracious Light.

 

 

 

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A Christmas Gift from God

For Brazilians, the pinnacle of the Christmas celebration takes place on Christmas Eve. It is a great family gathering and it is the only time of the year when the city of São Paulo is quiet. The streets are deserted except for the homeless people. Sadly, it is also one of the times of the year where the homeless people really feel and know that they are excluded from society.

One Christmas Eve in 1997, a volunteer from a social agency decided to host a Christmas dinner in the streets with the homeless. He asked if we would be part of this meal and we gladly agreed.  We invited the homeless children and adults that we knew for the feast. My childhood friend from Singapore was visiting with me at this time and he joined us as well. At about 11 o’clock at night we had our Christmas meal with about 30 of homeless friends. It was strange to have a meal in the middle of the streets. However, on that night, I felt something deeply spiritual had happened. I felt like something eternal occurred and this moment would be one of the eternal treasures which Jesus spoke about.  Janaina was part of this group and she was fourteen years old then.

I remembered Janaina opening to us and telling us her life story. She was orphaned at a very young age. Her father died and her mother was a drug addict who gave up all her six children for adoption. Janaina was the youngest.  Her mother eventually passed away. The siblings were in an orphanage together and they made every effort not to be separated.  At one point, Janaina was almost adopted by a German family but she could not bear to be away from her brothers and she became sad and depressed. The adoption fell through. However, her would-be adopted mother never gave up. She is still in contact with Janaina after all these years. The siblings eventually ran away to the streets and in the streets what they feared the most became a reality: they were separated. Janaina lost contact with her siblings and she was alone in the world. She had never experienced a proper family life. She only knew how to survive in the streets. Janaina shared her story without tears or regret. It was just her reality.  My childhood friend was moved by her story and so was everyone for that matter.  He asked if he could pray for her. I remember clearly that Janaina’s face lit up when my friend offered to do this. It appeared to be simple gesture on my friend’s part but his sincerity and genuine concern struck a chord in her heart.

A couple of weeks ago, Mary and I were walking to the Cracolândia when we heard someone calling out our names. We turned around and saw Janaina smiling and looking very pregnant. She is thirty years old now. She was really happy to see us after all these years. She could not believe that we had decided to move back permanently to Brazil. She told us that she is married and expecting her first child. She is currently unemployed but she has been doing odd jobs here and there to help pay the rent. She had been off drugs for several years now and is actively involved in a local church. We invited her to our house for coffee or lunch and a couple days ago, Janaina showed up here with her beautiful smile and looking almost ready to deliver her first child at any moment.

A Happy Reunion

A Happy Reunion

One of the first things that Janaina asked us is whether we remembered that particular Christmas Eve dinner in the streets. I was quite surprised that she remembered that day. She told us that she could never forget that day. She was surprised that we chose to have a meal with those who were excluded rather than with our friends and families. These were her very words. She even remembered my childhood friend and that he prayed for her. I told her that it was a moment from God for all of us. We sensed His love for us all. We were all included in His love. This was better than having a meal with friends and families.

Janaina’s trajectory was a difficult one. She explained that she struggled to leave the streets because the streets were her comfort zone. She has many good memories in the streets because of the bond she had with some of the children and adults. She said that she wouldn’t have survived the streets if it wasn’t for these relationships. Some of these people who had been her support in the streets were drug dealers, prostitutes, thieves and addicts. God used them to help this little girl. God uses anyone who is willing to be His instrument of Love.

Leaving the streets meant that she had to leave the only family she had known.

Janaina misses not having a family. Since they were separated her brothers and sister  have become like strangers to her. However, she is learning that family in the true spiritual sense is not defined by blood but those who are willing to walk together with her in this life. She still struggles with the sense of inferiority. She struggles with feeling excluded in society. These are struggles that perhaps will never go away for her. Others who have left the streets struggled with similar demons. She spent the whole afternoon with us and she was open and expressive. We were amazed how articulate she has become, being able to verbalize and identify her fears and hopes clearly.

Janaina was God’s Christmas gift to us this year. It is a reminder that nothing is wasted in God’s economy. Every gesture or just a simple sitting together to have a meal could remind someone of their true worth. When we had the Christmas Eve meal together, we just wanted to spend time with our friends who were homeless. We did not have any other motives except to enjoy them. I would like to do this again and again but I cannot be stuck in a moment. We are not called to relive past moments. The same God who brought about that eternal moment fifteen years ago is still working here. He has a banquet prepared and He has sent out the invitation. Everyone is invited.

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