Funny the little miracles that God produces sometimes.....
I, Dave, went to a meeting with some others in a taxi and on the way there I was asked if I had any money because the person in question had forgotten to bring any to pay for the taxi. I rooted around in my pockets and produced a R$5 note (kind of bluish in colour) and I searched all of my other pockets but to no avail. We needed R$11. The person sitting next to me found a R$1 coin in their pocket so I decided to search my pockets again and the R$5 note had turned into a RED R$10 note!! So we had just enough to pay the driver. Cool, huh?

Often we learn most from when we fail, miss an opportunity which we know we should have taken, or simply have a hard time. It is during these times that the true nature of who we are gets exposed and we get to see our weaknesses.....often not a pleasant experience. But, also, it is an opportunity to grow, to ask God to continue to change us in specific ways so that we can be more effective in demonstrating love to those around us.
2 days ago I, Dave, went to take a DVD back. It was due to be back on Saturday but the shop was closed so I had to take it there on Monday. I had my excuse prepared in advance so that I did not have to pay a "late" fine. When I got there, I asked the owner why he was not open on Saturday because I wanted to take the DVD back but he was closed. He then told me that he had had some problems and needed to go to hospital. I asked him more and he said, in a quiet, embarrassed way that he has epilepsy and suffered from a seizure. I then said I know what it is like because I too have epilepsy and, as a result of this, we had a really great conversation about struggles and difficulties with the condition. He had fallen and hurt the entire left side of his body.
It was at this point that I missed the opportunity. I was in the shop on my own with him. I wanted to pray for him but didn´t because of 1) I did not feel confident enough with Portuguese to pray exactly what I wanted to and 2) It is difficult for me to pray for someone who has epilepsy when I have not been healed from it. These may seem rational and good excuses to the reader but to me, they are lame and pathetic. The focus of these excuses is ME. God is powerful and able to work in greater power through my weakness, when I can´t do it than when I think I am able. It was the IDEAL opportunity.....but has now passed.
I will ask God for another opportunity with this guy so I can offer more to him than empathy.
It showed me that there is still too much fear inside me resulting in a lack of faith. May God rip it out of me so I can be a more useful tool.

Yesterday I (Beckie) messed up an opportunity to give Jesus some clothes.
I had been out for an evening with a friend from another house here, we both popped into the bank to get some money out, as we climbed the steps there was a homeless woman huddled on the steps.
I thought she would ask me for money on my way out and had begun to wonder how I would respond. As I left (without money as the bank often doesn't allow us to withdraw money), I already had my answer. Then she asked me, "Can you give me some trousers or a jumper?". This wasn't what I had expected, of course I couldn't give her trousers, you can't get home without trousers, can you? A jumper? I had a thin jumper with me, it is one of my favourites, you know the sort that goes with everything? I didn't want to give her my jumper.
I left, and walked on, but I had such a conviction of Matthew 25:34-46....I had an opportunity to clothe Jesus, and I had walked away, because of selfish motives, I liked my jumper, but she needed it.
I had to return, I still didn't want to, but sadly when I returned, she had gone.
I pray that God will continue to expose my selfish heart, so that I can change.

Can you imagine the world cup in Brazil? I can't.... I'm waiting to see what it will be like for the game on Tuesday.... everyone is getting ready for football fever

We are still waiting for a permanent answer for the boy I mentioned. He is spending every day here, playing lots with Gideon and occasionally hindering the groups (he really doesn't manage well in a group setting). Many people have spoken to his parents, but they genuinely have thrown him out. It seems so crazy to me that social services are unable to do anything, because they have a lack of resources/ people. They know the situation of this family, but have not intervened.
Please keep praying for him, he seems to really feel at home here as is open to receiving the love offered by the staff here. Please pray that he will receive the love that his heavenly father has for him.