Friday 7 October 2011
My week in Belo Horizonte (BH) was so many things. It’s hard to even know how to start writing a “summary” of my time there. It was only a week, but I come back feeling like I’ve been gone forever, yet realizing that it wasn’t really that long.
It was special being back in BH which has changed, yet is still the same 13 years down the road. I spent a month there in 1998 when I was doing my “Year For God”. As part of the conference celebrating the 25 years of the base we had a tour of some of the ministry houses (YWAM BH has 8 houses each representing part of the people that are reached through the work). Going back to Luzeiro, a community development project was really impacting. Seeing the slum which is located on hillsides and how it’s changed was such a privilege. And seeing how the project has developed and meeting some of the people who are loving Jesus in that place really blessed my heart. It was also special to see some people I remember from that time and remember the short 4 weeks I was there all those years ago.
The conference and seminar on Human Trafficking were good. “Not For Sale” did most of the teaching and what they presented was really good and practical. Still, it’s a different reality here in Brazil, where, unlike Europe and maybe even the USA, people really haven’t heard of the subject before. Some of the girls in the dorm-room I was in the second part of the week, commented after 5 days of hearing about the subject that they now understood what it was about. It’s a new reality for them and even more necessary to educate and raise awareness. Especially since Brazil is way up the list when it comes to Human Trafficking and with the World Cup coming to Brazil in 2014 there is a lot to be done!!
I was also encouraged that I didn’t learn huge amounts. Encouraged in the sense that I thought there was so much left for me to learn, but realizing that I do know a lot and it gave me more confidence to share what I do know and walk in knowing that what I do know is correct.
However, even if it was well-done, thorough conference/seminar and the information and teaching given was quality with substance and practical application, I really missed a focus on intercession and the part this plays. Some commented that we can’t let prayer be an excuse to not act, meaning that we need action; we need to raise awareness and tell people about the subject. Which is so true and “Not For Sale” do an excellent job in training and empowering people to step into action, clearly showing people that everyone can be a part of fighting Human Trafficking in some way. But my heart was saddened knowing that the battle against Human Trafficking is also a spiritual battle, and believing that intercession is also action. And I kept thinking: “don’t let action be an excuse to not intercede”.
I come back even more committed to fight the battle against Human Trafficking through raising awareness, reaching out to victims, training and empowering others to fight the battle, and to intercede. Join my cry with the cry of the oppressed, and see God hear and act on their behalf.
Then after a week of activity and (lots of) travelling around (on foot, by bus, by kombi and car) we were suddenly on the plane back to Fortaleza again. And it’s good to be back (especially to the warm weather- one of the days I was so incredibly cold it felt like the core of my bones were frozen).
I have less than a month to go here. My days are filling up fast. It’s good and I am excited about the things I have planned, but I also want to make sure I am fully here. I want to continue to have a posture of “listening”. Listening to God and listening to people. And I don’t want to slow down. I want to keep running well the rest of this part of my journey.