2 Days Until Christmas!

OK, this was really cool! We are staying at a small hotel (pousada) and every morning we get up, eat breakfast, and then we gather at a beach cabana area, where we sing worship songs and do our Daily Devotional. Sometimes I worry we are causing others at the hotel to wonder who we are and why are we ruining their tranquility (I am not much of a singer, but I compensate by being really loud!). However, this morning, there was a note at the front desk for us in Portuguese, which the receptionist had tried to translate via Google, so we'd understand it. The translation said "One houses that not that to identify itself it donated these gifts to help with the children in Abreu do Una." It took me a moment, but I finally figured out that someone staying at the hotel had wanted to give some presents for the kids/families we were ministering to at the Fishing Village and they wished to remain anonymous. While it was soaking in, the hotel staff started dragging bags of soccer balls out of the closets, as well as about 10 big wrapped gifts! Can you believe it! We were totally blown away that some guests were so moved by our meager efforts that they went out, spent their own money, and blessed us with gifts for the children. I love the way God gives us those "Attaboys" in life to let us know we are on the right track and to encourage us to keep pursuing Him. We think we know who it was, but that does not matter. What matters is that they were moved to a random act of kindness in the name of our Father. I know that makes God smile :)
We could not wait to get to the Fishing Village to share the "God Sighting" with the rest of our Brazilian Team! We spent 2 hours this morning sharing God's truth, praising Him, and praying over Pastor Josue, Ceca, Waska, and Kyria. It was a great time of encouragement and joy. We then finished our invitations for the Christmas morning Church service, so we could go around to ALL the homes in the Abreu do Una tomorrow and invite them to come celebrate the birth of our Savior. We have bags of food for over 100 families, thanks to our generous friends and family members, and at least enough children's gifts to cover everyone and then some! We wish you could be here to see all the happy faces, but we are so happy that you are allowing us to serve on your behalf.
In the afternoon, we visited 4 of the 8 homes that we had raisied support for to see the improvements that had already been done, as well as to deliver new bed linens, towels, tableclothes, and room dividers/curtains. Cindy had also thought ahead to prepare beautiful framed copies of the 10 Commandments in Portuguese, so they could hang them in their newly renovated houses. We took turns explaining that while we are still expected to keep these commandments, we are blessed to live under God's grace since we have all sinned and have fallen short, which is why God sent His Son to die for our sins, so we could spend eternity with Him, even though we could never earn such a reward on our own. Our dear friend Valeria is truly inspiring in how she lovingly tells these families the Good News and the true source of our salvation - Jesus Christ. Of course, none of this would be possible without Pastor Josue's meticulous preparations and good stewardship of the funds we raised. It was a "home run" kinda day! We ended it by celebrating Colin and Sonya's 15th wedding anniversary with a sweet ceremony, complete with flowers and a loving testimony exchanged (under duress from all of us) between the 2 honorees. I cannot remember who said it, but "it don't get no better than this!" Boi Noite and God Bless!