Rocha attended parties, started drinking, and went to clubs until he ran into a friend who invited him to church. Then Jesus' love touched his heart.
I was living in an unacceptable way to God. As a young man, I began attending parties and drinking. I was also going to clubs. One day I was at home watching TV when a pastor came on and said, “If you ask God to show you His true people, He will show you His church.” I didn’t know how to talk to God or how to pray . But that night I prayed that God would show me His true church. That was Friday night.
The very next morning, as I went to fetch water. I met a friend who asked me where I was going. I told him that I was taking a shower to go out, so he invited me to go to church with him. I said, “Yeah, sure.” Then, I finished getting water, showered, and went to church with him. I’ve been in that church ever since and was baptized on May 1, 2010 .
TRANSITION
I work as a barber. It’s from this profession that God blesses me with an income to pay my transport to Caldeira where I go as a missionary. I first went there to preach and I simply fell in love with the people. So I asked my church to send me there as an assistant. Shortly after I arrived, the leader left and I became the main person to head this ministry.
It’s been a difficult journey but God goes before me. it can cost me 80,000 dobras round trip. When I can’t afford this, God gives me the strength to take the bike taxi there and walk the way back. When it’s a week of prayer, I do it alone. I go there without anyone.
Sometimes the meetings go until 8:00 or 9:00 because many people have questions and I don’t like to leave anyone with doubts. So I walk back with God’s company. He is the only one who can keep me safe. I arrive safely, nothing has happened to me. God has always guided me.
The people of Caldeira are lovely and like to listen to God’s Word. Our biggest challenge is the lack of a shelter to worship in. On Wednesdays and Fridays, we worship under a solar-powered light. On Sabbaths, we worship in a tiny house. We are praying that God will bless us to get a roof and shelter.
Jesus left us a mission. He said, “Go ye into all the world, making disciples and preaching the gospel to all creatures, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.” This motivates me to take the message of God to this remote group of people.
May God’s spirit bless us to further the work in Caldeira and to reach the communities around it. If you are watching this video, please pray that God’s spirit will assist us to win this battle and be able to preach the gospel.
