divine appointments with God
Love Stories from Colombia by Letícia Souza
As a first-time missionary, there was a lot to learn in those 6 months in 2023. I had the opportunity to love Jesus in such a sweet and carefree way, in the middle of this beautiful island called Hawai’i — an island He created with so much tender love and care; a place that overflows spiritual history in every corner -, and I got to see Christ moving in all of Colombia, a nation so close to His heart. I got to be a part of the Great Commission in the nations, and that is such a blessing and honor — I’ll cherish those memories forever. I collect a lot of testimonies from that time and I would love to share every single one of them with you, but there’s a special one that I honestly think I’ll never forget. It’s a story about how God, in all His Almightyness, knows our hearts and speaks to us individually. With a single word, we are encouraged and our lives could be forever changed.
Now, we are in Barranquilla — yes, Shakira’s homeland -, close to the Caribbean Sea. A place full of spiritual warfare, but also a place full of hunger and thirst for something True and Comforting. Young girls would open up their hearts to us, complete strangers, and reveal so much pain that they’ve been going through. It really moved me, changed me as a person, and their vulnerability made this my favorite part of outreach.
Meet Soledad: a deprived neighborhood, where a lot of young people are drug addicts and families are in need. We go knocking on every door, inviting them to join us in the square, for there will be activities for the kids and also free burgers to all. And of course, to preach the words of Truth and Comfort.
As I was praying over this kid, my hands locked on hers, crying out over her family — for this was her prayer request -, I saw my sweet friend and teammate, Jaylin, praying over this woman close to us. (Jaylin has such a beautiful call to women and maternity, and you will discover this soon enough, in her love story). The woman was balling her eyes out. There was so much pain reflected in her tears. That was a mother’s cry: her son was involved with drugs. His name was Kevin.
Sooner that day, our other teammate, Jonathan, was sharing the gospel with 8 young men. They accepted Jesus and were led into the salvation prayer. One of those men was Kevin. See, but the thing is: accepting Jesus is only the first step in this long and precious journey we get to walk with Him. There’s more to the story.
That night, we are back in our hotel and we get a call. It’s the pastor who is leading our ministry here and he shares something that blows our minds. Kevin had just committed a crime. He tried to steal an establishment and there were shots fired against the police. He shoots four times and could’ve been killed, but the police officer recognizes that he is too young and only arrests him. His mother calls the Pastor and says that she received prayer that afternoon. And that prayer was essential for her to feel at peace with that terrible situation. Her son was arrested, but not killed. He had accepted Jesus that day, and maybe now he has a chance to turn his life around.
That morning, we were together as a team, in prayer & intercession. We asked God to give us “treasures” to find during this ministry. I received the word “pregnant” and I was supposed to talk about identity. Okay, God, amen. We go to Soledad and there were a lot of pregnant women there. The curious thing is: I didn’t see any of them. Even though I kept vigilant throughout the whole ministry, the Lord covered my eyes so that only one stood out, right at the end of our time there.
She was so young. And her body was so small. As soon as I explained to her that I came there for her, that God wanted to meet her specifically that day, she started crying. She was wearing heavy makeup, her eyes were covered with dark shadow, and the tears streaming down her face were black. I told her that a lot of things could change, and would change, now that she is becoming a mother, but her original design as pure will never change — for that was how God created her. And in that multitude of voices, declaring who we are and what we were made to be, God’s voice is the most important one. She, then, accepts Jesus in her heart.
Not every story needs a plot twist, but this one has plenty. The pregnant woman that God wanted me to speak identity over, was Kevin’s girlfriend. She was pregnant with Kevin’s child. She was pregnant with that woman’s grandchild.
The Lord encountered this family that day. It was a divine appointment, orchestrated by Him, to meet the mom, the son and the girlfriend. The God who created the universe cared for those people, in that small neighborhood in Barranquilla. He sees them, He sees their suffering. He knows their hearts and their souls. And He met every single one of them in a different way. How creative is our God! He is the best screenwriter there ever was. His stories are real, full of Truth, and they lead to Eternity.
One year has passed. I don’t know how Kevin’s family is doing. I wish I did. But, as I write this love story, I pray that they are safe in the Lord’s arms, as their Father. I pray that they are walking with Christ, as their Friend and Lover. I pray that they are filled with the Holy Spirit, as their Counselor and Advocate. I pray for peace in their hearts.
And I also pray that you would be encountered by God’s love through this testimony. The God who moves in missions is the same God who moves our hearts in our bedroom, with the door shut. And He also wants to meet you today, and you specifically. He has a word just for you. Be intentional with your time, open your ears real wide for His voice speaking identity over you, and never cease to seek His face.
