First, thanks so much for your prayers for Stenio, Soraia, and Vitória. They’re still looking for another house to move into. Pray we can find one reasonably close to the church building and the brethren who live in that neighborhood to provide assistance and encouragement for them. Soraia only showed up once this week at her rehab sessions which is not a good sign.
Pray also for Stenio’s job. Even by Brazilian standards this place really takes advantage of their workers. Though there are several issues he could take them to court over, like most poor people who fear losing their job he’s just bowing down and doing the best he can.
Prazeres & her son Anderson
We also need prayers for Prazeres and her little boy Anderson. Prazeres lives under the overhang of an abandoned storefront in Derby Park. She manages to keep little Anderson in school most days and I have no idea how she has avoided the local CPS so far but she has.
We’re trying to get Prazeres into a shelter but the system is full so she’s on a waiting list. Pray that opening will come soon. She told me this Sunday she may be pregnant. The one good thing about a pregnancy at this point is it could get her and Anderson on a faster track to get into the shelter system. That’s how we originally got Soraia off the street.
By the way, as far as I know, Prazeres doesn’t drink or use drugs. There may be some mental/emotional issues, but mostly she’s just one more of those whose family doesn’t want her or aren’t able to help her. Her last partner is doing jail time and from what she tells me I doubt he’ll be much help when he gets out. Thanks for your prayers for Prazeres and Anderson.
On the brighter side, along with our ministry to the homeless and chemically dependent, I manage three Portuguese language websites. My favorite part of the sites are the daily devotionals and accompanying images. We email, free of charge a daily devotional to thousands of subscribers. Along with each daily devo I try to include an image illustrating a Bible verse in or related to the devotional.
I was especially pleased with the way today’s image worked out. Sometimes the image is just a background, a foil for the text. Other times I can weave the two together. Working with these images is one of my favorite things. We live in an age driven by and drawn to images. With each image I see myself casting a work of beauty or passion out into the world, planting a visual seed. Sometimes to brighten, sometimes to enlighten. I hope this one and the accompanying text blesses your day.
Hebrews 12:15
The Spite House
by Max Lucado
In 1882 in New York City, Joseph Richardson owned a narrow strip of land 5 feet wide and 104 feet long. Next door was a normal-sized lot owned by a man who wanted to erect an apartment building. He offered Richardson $1,000 for his plot. Deeply offended, Richardson demanded $5,000 which the builder refused to pay. The builder built the apartment building, assuming the slender lot would remain vacant and the view exposed. But Richardson built a house instead—blocking the view! Dubbed the “Spite House”, Richardson spent the last fourteen years of his life in the narrow residence that seemed to fit his narrow state of mind.
Revenge builds a lonely, narrow house. Space enough for one person. No wonder God insists we “keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent!” (Heb. 12:14-17).
From “You’ll Get Through This”
“The Spite House” by Max Lucado
