He Makes All Things New

What an incredible privilege it was to serve and share the hope of Jesus in Brazil! Throughout our time there, God opened doors for us to share the Gospel in schools, at a homeless shelter, on city streets, and alongside a local church as they reached people in their own community. Altogether, we had the opportunity to share the Gospel with more than 2,000 people. We praise God that at least 75 people that we know of prayed to receive Christ!

On our final day in Brazil, before heading to the airport, we stopped at the beautiful Botanical Gardens in Curitiba. While walking through the park, I met a homeless man named CJ who was selling artwork he had made from old, discarded drink cans. I told him how much I loved his work and how creative it was. As I looked at what he had made, I was struck by a powerful picture of the Gospel: CJ was taking what most people considered trash— something used up and thrown away—and turning it into something beautiful I explained to CJ that is exactly what God does with us!

He takes what is broken and makes it beautiful. He takes what has been discarded and creates something new. For the next few minutes, I shared the beautiful truth of the gospel, and what Christ had done for him. And right there in the park, CJ prayed, surrendered his life to Jesus, and trusted Him as his Savior!

What a sweet way to end our time in Brazil with a beautiful reminder that God is still seeking the lost, changing hearts, and making all things new. Thank you to everyone who prayed, gave, and helped make this mission possible. Please continue to pray for CJ, for the 75 people who made decisions for Christ, and for the local believers and churches who will continue sharing the hope of Jesus throughout their communities.

-Jared Via