A Love Banquet

Jesus is so beautiful!! His presence is so sweet and the way he moves is so perfect. And all that He does is for His glory. Even our very existence is to bring Him glory; we are made in His image. Sometimes we think we aren't able or don't have the talents to serve God or to fulfill a task that He is calling us to. I know I have many times doubted myself. But then there is GOD. He is the one who gives you every talent and ability you need, because after all....it is for His glory, and HIS ALONE!!!

Here at IRIS this month, our desire was to pour out that sweet presence and love over the women on the streets of Fortaleza by throwing them a love banquet. Most importantly was that these precious souls would simply be overwhelmed by the love of the Savior and that they would be set free in His name! Lorelei and her team of girls run a weekly evangelistic ministry to the prostitutes on the streets, so this banquet was a continuation of this ministry.

Only 6 days before the event, everyone here on base began preparations for the banquet. We split up in groups according to our gifts and talents and went to work. Elisio and I volunteered to head up the decoration part of the banquet and we had a team of workers so willing to help. With little money for each group it was a challenge but we were determined that God would provide and multiply and that He did! But more than simply the money, I doubted myself and my ability to lead something like this. And then God reminded me of why we joined IRIS in the first place: to get out of our comfort zones and grow in the things God is calling us to. So trusting in my Father, we planned and bought all we needed. And when we thought we wouldn't have enough money, God multiplied. We ended up buying a few materials for some of the other groups and still had money left over in the end. God is Good! Even the fridge was full of food with a magnificent menu set up to show these ladies the best that we had to offer them! When it came time to set up for the banquet, everyone's creative hands began working and helping; from timely small details to climbing ladders in order to hang fabric to hanging from the ceiling to create a photo booth. Our desire was to make the room look like a wedding reception in order to emphasize the love of Jesus as a bridegroom and how much He wants them!

So finally the decorations were all set, the food ready and smelling wonderful, the music was chosen specifically, the speaker was ready, and our prayer team was on fire to begin intercession for the girls.  The speaker was a former prostitute whom one of our guys met the week before the event. She left prostitution and drugs in the last 2 years and is now married to a pastor and has a desire to use her experience to help others. We began praying and waiting for the girls who had been invited. One girl showed up and we rejoiced! As we lavished love on her in our homemade beauty salon and massage parlor and photo booth, we continued praying for more girls. When no more girls came, we went out onto the streets to invite more. One more girl (this time a transvestite) came back with us. Again, we rejoiced and loved on her as well. Dinner was served, we went through the program and had a time of worship with the girls and then they left. It was tempting to become disappointed as our human eyes did not see the results we desired. But God is faithful and in talking to some of the girls from the Exodus Cry team, we decided that it was definitely worth it simply because of Jesus. I remembered while I was setting up the tables I had a strong sensation as if we were setting up for a wedding feast for real, and at the same time I had the thought "but who is the bride?" That's when JESUS came so plainly into my mind and we are his bride. So it truly was a time of worshipping Him and rejoicing at his love and greatness.

Some went to bed, as it was late, but continued in a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving. But others went back out onto the streets to invite even more girls. Thirty minutes later, the team returns with 2 young girls!!!!! We scrambled to reset the tables and heat up the food for the girls. Since there was less people, we had such a wonderful, intimate, and prolonged party with these precious girls. We began doing their nails and giving them massages, all the while talking and just enjoying one another! During a meaningful conversation of sharing testimonies, the Holy Spirit began touching their hearts in such a beautiful way, breaking down walls and softening their hearts to His love. His Spirit led them to a place of repentance and they both accepted Christ as their Savior, declaring that they desired to leave their life of prostitution and wanting everything God had to offer them. They simply said YES to Jesus!

We could not have planned a better outcome, all we could do what praise our Father and fall on our faces before Him. His ways are perfect! Even when we make plans, His are so much better. Wow!!