In August, God opened the doors for me to go on my fourth missions trip. It was a bit surreal as the details all came together. I was the little girl who dreamed of going on one missions trip and here I was, getting ready for my fourth trip. God is good! One of the highlights of this particular trip was having my dad and my cousin Elisabeth join me. This trip was Elisabeth’s first missions trip and I’ve asked her to share her thoughts today. -Abbie
What is one thing you’ve always wanted to do, that always seemed a little out of reach? Ever since I was young, like 4, I have wanted to go on a missions trip – to see the world from the vantage point of people like Hudson Taylor and Isobel Kuhn. Most of my earliest reading ventures centered on these people – fighting spiritual battles to give the gospel to regions beyond. My grandmother gave me the best birthday gift a nine-year-old could get – 30 books, almost all of them about missionaries, and I read them over and over again. As a teenager, I thrilled to hear about my cousins trekking to Honduras, Jordan, and Peru. Stories of mountain climbing, growing a beard to fit in, food poisoning, and orphanages brought me a smile. Would I ever do something like that? In a heartbeat. However, certain things seemed more pressing on my finances… violin lessons and COLLEGE. I shelved the idea of leaving the country, and focused on what I knew the Lord wanted me to do for that day – cook, practice music, give lessons, go soulwinning on Saturday, and go to church on Sundays. In fact, I became so busy that reading almost entirely left my world, except textbooks; and dreaming of actually going to give the gospel somewhere else was almost forgotten.
In February of 2017, I had a really good conversation with one of my favorite teachers, and at one point, he asked if there was anything pressing that I had really desired to, before – you know, marriage. 🙂 I couldn’t think of anything immediately. While cleaning lots of bathrooms that afternoon, I prayed and asked the Lord the same question – was there anything He wanted me to do? A missions trip! That was the thing – and the thought made me very excited. I knew that if the Lord wanted me to go, there were a lot of obstacles He would have to overcome. I talked to my parents that night, and they gave me permission to get a passport. I prayed about where I should go; and checked in with friends in Mexico. At first, they were very excited about it; but several details were not falling into place. It did not feel quite confirmed that I should go there. On top of that, my mom was not very excited about the idea that I go to Mexico – especially with no one but my very dear, and younger, friend. I continued praying about Mexico; and in April, Abbie visited our house. She had just been to Honduras, and was now planning on going to Brazil in August. As she rehearsed stories, and explained details, I saw my mom getting more and more excited. The Brazil trip was already organized by a team leader, in a much more populated area, and sounded less frightening. As I prayed about the options, Brazil was it. Everything that had been lacking in the Mexico trip, was taken care of by the Brazil trip, including a huge peace that this was from the Lord.
This past summer was a huge faith growing experience for me, and I really mean that. The amount of money I needed to bring in to go was easily brought in by piano students – until they started taking summer vacations and getting sick. I had already put in the first $1000, and the rest was not coming in. Many hours were spent in praying for the job opportunity and for awakening in Sao Paulo. However, little by little, gifts from the most surprising of people trickled in, to the very last week – things like a suitcase, a backpack, hiking sandals, and monetary gifts. The very last week, I had exactly everything I needed, plus $20. God answered very specifically, and at times I especially needed it. Our God is a perfect God, and His purpose is always His glory. On top of that, He delights in delighting us, but in a way that matures us, grows our faith, and gives Him glory. What a purpose to take part in!
People prayed and prayed and prayed, and of course I did, too. I was so excited about what God would do and I still am. Everybody said, “It’s gonna change your life.” And I would always think, “Sure, but how?’
The change started before I went to Brazil – although I have long loved giving out the Gospel, I became a great deal more soul-conscious, praying more for souls to be saved, and praying to see more the world the way Christ does. God broke my heart for an area that I now get to go soulwinning in almost every week. My faith grew a great deal this past summer, as I saw in a new and personal way, God answer prayer and do big things.
Now a few months later, I get it. It did change my life, my daily thought process – sometimes I’m pretty slow to get things. 🙂 I love those people in Brazil, and all people everywhere. I really truly want nothing more than I want God to be glorified and to see people saved – in places where the gospel has hardly been preached. Jesus really is The Answer – He isn’t an abstract idea that makes people feel good when times get rough. He is the Way, the Truth, the Life. There are many people who are searching for that Way, who need to know the Love of Christ.
When I got to Brazil, I saw people. To me, it was different, but more, it was the same. These people laughed and cried and married and had babies and shopped and ate and drove and carried on a human life. Their emotions were uniquely the same as every other human’s. One difference – these 150,000 people in 6 square miles had barely if any exposure to the name of Jesus Christ – let alone true Christianity. As people crowd you on every street corner, and sip their beers, or catch up on local gossip, they have no idea that a Saviour loves them, was crucified and rose again for their soul, and wants to save them from eternal destruction. That is horrific.
Brazil has a different government and a different education system. It is fascinating to me that Brazilian children are required to only learn Portuguese and mathematics, and these at a painstakingly slow rate. Can you imagine having no concept of a country outside Brazil and the United States? No concept of a round world or your nation’s history? No concept of Israel and 2000 years ago? Most of these children do not. Yet they are given hours of intensive gender-switching training daily. However, any organization can go and teach anything in any of their public schools for an hour. What an opportunity!
Music, in the classical sense, is almost nonexistent; and the children we were with in church had never seen a clarinet or a violin. They were thrilled to touch these things and make sounds.
All this, though we were in a comparatively rich area, complete with shopping malls, cars (everywhere, very close, haha!), phones, and American fashion.
We passed out some 25,000 Scriptures, and saw four people receive Christ as Saviour. Though immediate results have been bigger, this was very much a planting work in a rich city. The Word is even yet taking root in hearts; and for many, giving them a first exposure to the God of the Bible, and Christ, a personal Saviour. I am praying yet, and am confident, that God will do a great work in Sao Caetano de Sul, not because we are anything at all, but I know Who God is, and I know Him. What big things has He done in your life?
Our last missions trip together was to Lima, Peru in 2013. It was fun traveling with him again.
First glimpse of São Paulo, early Tuesday.
Daily activities included canvassing markets and neighborhoods handing out Scriptures, witnessing, eating (Brazilian food is amazing!), and fellowshipping.
The markets sell just about everything.
We enjoyed pastels and caldo de cana (fresh squeezed sugar cane juice) for lunch several days. Delicious!
Lee Johnson led this lady to the Lord.
The ladies of our team: Elisabeth, Abbie, Abbey, and Brittney.
I enjoy working with a local church on missions trips. The people of Igreja Batista Compaixão were so sweet!
Elisabeth and I obviously enjoying what we were talking about. 🙂
Sightseeing day
I tried fresh coconut water for the first time.
Our team with the missionaries. Left to right: Elisabeth Gordon, Phillip Allen, Alan Harris, Abbey Grimes, Brittney Johnson, David Meza, Allen Johnson, Abbie Sikma, Bryan and Rebekah Johnson, Jim Sikma, Elias Correa, Lee Johnson, David Johnson