This is the amazing story of two cities, and one church. A small dying community called Algodao de Jandaira in the Northern desert regions of Brazil. A community of 2,000 folks who were barely existing. It had not rained in that region with any kind of effectiveness for 23 years. The water they had to drink was trucked into town and was brown and bitter. Most of the people lived in houses made of mud packed around sticks pounded into the ground. Those who lived there at that time had little to eat, and were often limited to eating cactus leaves. They described the area as "grey."
Because of the shortage of water, the children know nothing of hygiene. One could not even locate it on published maps of the area. It was a community unknown, unnoticed, and dying.
To the south some 3 1/2 hours drive, there was a small Baptist church in the city of Joao Pessoa. A church plant from a larger church in Sao Paulo. First Baptist Church of Valentina was a very typical Baptist church. It's pastor, Eneas Araujo was a fourth generation pastor, his wife Simone always knew she wanted to be a pastor's wife. Soon the fate of this church and the far away forgotten town of Algodoa de Jandaira would forever be connected.
It was their 7th Anniversary as a church plant and they were going to have 7 days of celebration. Esly, the worship director had picked a couple songs that were a little "edgy" for this conservative congregation. One was called "I want Revival," the other "Dreams and Visions." As they sang, the words, On a dry land, it begins to rain. A fresh rain that God sends down. He opens rivers in the desert, streams in the valleys. The rain of living waters, little did they know what God had in mind.
One Sunday as they sang those words, God began to move. At the end of the alloted time for practice they intended to close with the usual short closing prayer. Instead, the Spirit of God fell upon them and they spent the next two hours weeping in repentance. It was an experience they had never had before. The next week, the same thing happened to the dance team. Simone knew God was up to something.
The third week, instead of practice, Simone brought a CD for them to listen to. It was the testimony of a missionary. They were wanting to be more mission minded, they had made plans for a missions trip to Cajazeiras where Eneas had a pastor friend, so this would be a good thing.
That night Vtoria was planning on coming to resign the choir. The troubles with her father's ailing health were just too much for her. But as the CD played and she closed her eyes, Vtoria found herself there with the missionary, she could see all the details, everything! It was so impactful that she forgot to resign, and went home unable to sleep. She lay for hours on her bed praying for missions. Finally at 1:30 am, she fell asleep, and the Lord came to her in a dream. She saw a great wall in front of her and as the wall opened up, she saw a rocky, red dusty road...she instinctively know it led somewhere...then she saw the name, Algodao de Jandaira blazened across like a movie screen. Clear as a bell, the Lord spoke to her, It is not Cajazeiras, it is Algodao de Jandaira. I know, responded Vtoria, and the dream ended.
Next time...What God did in the life of this small Baptist church that would bring transformation to them, and a far away forgotten town.
ok, I am ready for part 2
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