Brazilian Beggars

Last Wednesday was a cold day in Sao Paulo so when I went to my portuguese class at Mackenzie University I wore the jacket that P gave me for my birthday last year. It made me a target for beggars who tend to ask the more smartly dressed pedestrians for money because they assume that they have more money than the less smartly dressed pedestrians.

As I walked back to the metro from the university I was stopped by a small, middle aged woman who told me a long story about her daughter who was sick. I explained that I couldn't understand everything she was saying because I only speak portuguese a little. She summed everything up for me in one English word, 'Money'.

In these circumstances I always follow the example of Peter in the New Testament and I said, 'I can't give you any money but I do have Jesus. Can I say a prayer for your daughter?' The woman walked away as soon as she realised that I wasn't going to give her any money but her son and daughter looked surprised and a little interested. The teenage girl was wearing a face mask and her brother explained that she had a problem with her stomach. I don't know if that was true but I said I would pray for them in the street if they were willing. So, as I was praying for the young girl her mother continued to beg from other passers by and her brother stood beside her in support. The young girl closed her eyes and I prayed a very simple prayer in my simple portuguese that God would heal her and that she would know the power of the Holy Spirit in her life. I left her with a hug and a promise to continue to pray for her which I did as I continued to walk down to the metro.

As I was praying I asked God if I had done the right thing and I received a challenge. I have prayed with alot of beggars in the past two years who, I suspect, humour me while I am praying in the hope that they will receive something at the end of the prayer. I felt God saying it is good to pray for people but instead of just witnessing to Jesus why not ask them to put their own faith in Jesus? What really brings life changing power into a person's life? It's when they themselves put their trust in Jesus, repent of their sin and accept His forgivenes and love. When they are fully given over to Him then He is able to work in their life in an amazing and powerful way. I can be absolutely sure of that because that is what Jesus has done for me.