Joseph and myself traveled together, he stayed in Patos and I went on to Cajazeiras. Joseph taught the book of Isaiah in an intensive class to SEARA (Servants Sent To Announce the Kingdom of Love). While in Cajazeiras, I taught around 15 people the first night about hell. I asked them if they wanted to go to hell, what they thought hell would be like, and who was going to be there. We read Revelation 21:8 and spent quite a bit of time discussing what type of people would be in hell. After a little over an hour class, one of the students commented about Jesus, as if to say, do you not believe that Jesus saves us from hell. I was happy with the comment because I felt like I was getting through to someone.
Most of the kids that were there are a part of the Right Step program where they play soccer and have Bible studies, but most of the boys seem more interested in soccer than in learning about God. Knowing this, I gave them a decision to make so that I could have a better idea of what they really believe or want. Since everyone raised their hands when asked if they believed in hell and did not want to go to hell. You would think that they would be interested in learning about heaven, who will be there, and how to get there. The decision I gave them was, if they really wanted to know about heaven and how to be sure one could get there, to come back tomorrow. "If you really don't care and don't believe, then you don't have to come back tomorrow." I explained that I wanted and hoped they would all come back. Only three of the young people showed up the next day and they are already Christians. I tell you this because I am frustrated with the lack of interest. We all know it exists and there may have been some circumstances that prohibited someone from coming but not all of them. It saddens me greatly. I would love to see these teenagers in Christ. I can not force them. I am saddened and frustrated because of all the work and effort not by me but by Café and Leila, who work with them almost daily. How great is God's mercy and patience with us all, the only difference between myself and these teenagers is that I finally came around to believing. Some, maybe a lot, of these teenagers will never truly believe.
Please pray:
- that God may continue to be patient with these and others who do not believe around the world;
- that God may bless Café and Leila with love and patience for the lost, as well as myself;
- that God may bring these boys and girls to believe in Him fully.
Jeremy Newlin shared these files from Dropbox:
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