I call them Baby Bees. My kitchen has an open space on one wall, without screens, like a neon welcome sign for the fuzzy creatures who live in this concrete jungle. Every morning, unless it’s raining, I am always warmly greeted by a little bee as I go to the kitchen to make breakfast. “Good morning, Baby Bee!” I call, as he buzzes around looking for something sweet to pollinate. I eat as he wanders, exploring my kitchen. Soon, he leaves to do his work and waving good-bye, I go to do mine. This is my morning.
I’ve been here a little more than a month, and it’s been fun. My grandma and my mom were here for December, helping me to settle-in but also, getting a sense of the lifestyle here. My grandma was welcomed to speak and minister to small groups, churches, and pray one-on-one with some families here. So far we have heard everyone was blessed, loved and so encouraged by the words God gave to her for them. She became quite the missionary here! I loved it.
Small Group Ministry Time
One family, in particular, had a unique part to play in the opportunities opened for her. It’s the family of a close friend of mine here. She and her brother welcomed my grandma to speak at their last small group meeting for the year. She spoke the words God gave her, and it was dynamite. She invited people to come if they wanted prayer and everyone who asked for prayer, received so much more from God. It was especially beautiful because it ended up being my mom, grandma and I praying and ministering together for each person that came forward. What a gift to individually be used by God, but even more so to have the three of us together to pray for people.
And God provided a translator!
During the trip, my family said they were grateful for my translating skills, humorous as it was (Me: “I think the pastor said someone died and something was finished.” Grandma: “Katya, I think he’s talking about Jesus.“), but I was praising God He sent a real translator for this occasion. A girl came for the first time to the small group, and she knew English fluently. She offered to translate for my grandma and faithfully, without complaint, translated for three hours for her, my mom and I as we prayed. What a beautiful, sweetheart!
The host family (who opens their home every week for the young adults to have this small group) were also encouraged at the end.
After those three hours, it was midnight. Everyone else had a chance to eat while we prayed, but we stayed on our feet, just drinking water, and God sustained us. Once people left, the wife stayed up and served us homemade cake and Quiche. Then, my grandma talked with them, prayed with them and confirmed things for them. They cried, and it was a holy moment to witness the love of God being poured out upon them.
Friends, that was only one night during their time here.
“O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all gods, in whose hand are the depths of the earth, the peaks of the mountains are His also. the sea is His, for it was He who made it, and His hands formed the dry land. come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand.”
Psalm 95:1-7
House of Prayer & The Leg Miracle
The translator invited us to a House of Prayer meeting the next week, and the pastor welcomed my grandma on stage, and she ended up giving a powerful prophetic word to the people. I had brought my viola with me and was playing with the team on stage when my grandma came up. Originally during worship, I was playing in a corner where only Jesus could hear me (haha), but then the music quieted down, and suddenly, others could hear me too. The translator was singing with the band and came down and asked if I could go up and play with them. I was so nervous, but God said to me, “Katya, you are just playing to Me, with your brothers and sisters. Don’t worry.” I really had a great time. How many girls can say they get to be on stage with their grandma and be ministers for the Lord in a foreign land?! God is so fun!
Another beautiful testimony is when my same friend invited us to have dinner at her family’s home.
Her family made a beautiful meal for us, they gave us Christmas presents, and we laughed about adventures God has had us all go through. Near the end, my family and I ended up praying for them, and it was precious. My mom encouraged my friend’s mom. Grandma encouraged my friend. Then her brother specifically asked if we could pray for his leg because one was shorter than the other and it caused him pain in his body.
We sat him down on a chair, lifted his legs so we could see which was shorter. Then, we prayed for a minute. Do you know God grew his leg, right there in his living room? Friends, what an incredible gift God gave to this young man! He couldn’t believe God actually did it. He kept moving it around and feeling his leg. Jesus healed him!
Those were all incredible moments, but every day wasn’t like this. Typically, I would have breakfast with the bees then go to my mom and grandma’s place after school, and the three of us spent time together. We got stuck in the rain together, took Portuguese classes together, talked about God, met up with people, explored the city – that kind of thing. I would often remind myself to soak up this time because it’ll probably be months before I see my mom and at least a year till I see my grandma again. I was grateful they were able to visit my city here and see how life is lived here, for better or for worse, and bless these people God loves so much.
Alone, But Not Really Alone
Now, they are back home, and I’m currently on holiday, alone, enjoying my restful time with the Lord. The same family who made dinner for us, whom I so love and adore, invited me to go on vacation with them. Next week, we are leaving for 8 days to my friend’s aunt’s country home, where we will rest, pray, enjoy nature and maybe even go for a swim. I’m so excited and blessed. Who thought that by coming here to serve others, they would in turn come and bless me?
As I always say, what I love about being a Christian is that I can go anywhere in the world and I always have a family. We are united by our faith in Jesus, across cultures, across languages, and across lands. All because of Jesus.
“Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.”
1 Samuel 12:24
Lord, I thank you for what you did in the year 2017, the big miracles and the small, the lessons you taught me and the ways you have loved me. I am grateful to you and your love for the people here. Thank you for speaking through my grandma, mom and I and using us to do your will. I know it’s not because we are worthy, but because of your grace. You are wonderful, and I pray you would have your way in our lives this year. We surrender this year to you. In Jesus name, Amen.
Till the next adventure,
Katya
p.s. I’ve finished painting the cover for my music album! Praise God. The Lord helped me through every part of it. I need to work on adding all the graphics to create the real, digital cover, but it’s getting there! I’ll keep you all updated.
