Dear Friends & Family,
Happy Thanksgiving and an early Merry Christmas! I just returned from a two-week trip to Brazil.We had a very full schedule with events in many key cities along the southern coast. This was my first trip back in a year and it was good to be back with friends. I arrived in the state of Bahia in the city of Salvador to participate in a three-night event. It was like a reunion in many respects because three of the key musical performers who traveled with me a few years ago were present and we were all surprised to be back together again. Each night thousands of young and old filled the outdoor auditorium. Having done so much in the nation and because of our TV broadcast, I would find myself being recognized and cornered for pictures. I was honored, but I would quickly deflect all recognition to Jesus. Each night the Word went forth with great force and the altar was filled to capacity every service. It just never gets old seeing people respond to God’s Word in faith. We departed Bahia and headed down south to the city of Rio de Janeiro to have a service with my friend, Philip Murdoch. This was where my animal handler brought a new addition to our living examples, a 6-month old monkey named Abu and a horned owl named Victoria. Needless to say the crowds went nuts and the meeting took on a life of its own, literally. God moved in such a profound way that night, no one could deny that God was stirring the hearts of all in attendance. The next morning we met with friends, strategized about a new TV broadcast, picked up a few animals and drove 8 hours south to the state of Sao Paulo. Our stop was in the city of Campinas, where we held two nights of meetings. What an honor to see a young church embrace a heart for a generation and watch amazed as the Spirit of God was poured out on all who responded in faith.We then drove back to Rio and caught a flight to the capital city of Brasilia in the state of Goiás. This was new contact and was without question the wildest youth church I have been to in a long time. The church’s name was “Strong Arm of the Lord” and it showed in many ways. Covered in tattoos and with biceps as big as the snake, the people of this church opened their hearts to the message, and filled the altars, asking God to do more in their lives. The next morning we drove three hours to the city of Goiânia to meet with another new contact and hold three nights of service. As always, people would come to see the snake and the living examples but would have an encounter with Jesus that would change their lives in so many ways.
It was great to be back with Graca Filmes and my two friends who have done hundreds of meetings with me since 2010.
In each meeting there was always opportunity for personal ministry- Jesus was touching the hearts of the hurting in every service.
Three days later, we drove back to Brasilia and dropped off one of the animals we were using. It was interesting because my friend who let us use the snake was not a Christian nor was his family. His sister, however, had met us the previous week at “Strong Arm of the Lord Church” to drop off the snake we were going to be using. He began to tell me that his sister had an encounter with Jesus that night and could not stop talking about it and has decided to go to “SAOL” church regularly. I am always amazed when I receive reports like this. It shows me that everything we do is about “HIM”! You never know the impact your relationship with Jesus may have on a person’s life, even in the most unusual circumstances.
It was an amazing trip with hundreds receiving Christ and experiencing the loving embrace of a God who gave everything for them. We are continuing our plans to do even more in the nation of Brazil in 2015; please keep all we do in prayer! Thanks for helping us go!
I am so very thankful to Dave and Joyce Meyer for providing a copy of “Battlefield of the Mind for Teens” in Portuguese to each young person in attendance.