Looking back on the mission trips I’ve taken to Brazil, it’s difficult to pick one memory to write about. The Lord worked in so many ways, through so many people, and in so many situations that one memory won’t be able to incapsulate the true experience of these mission trips. From singing with kids to playing soccer with the community, every moment was a sweet blessing.

One memory that comes to mind is with a sweet Brazilian girl I met in 2019. She was a young teenager and shared some of her story about some difficult times she had been through growing up. Side note – she spoke Portuguese and I spoke English. Clearly there was a barrier that needed some outside help.

We had amazing translators, and the translator that was with me was very helpful. However, my friend who was with me on the trip, Marissa, spoke Spanish. Just so you know, they are similar in some ways, but also different (your typical “same-but-different” scenario). Our translator encouraged Marissa to translate for me from English to Spanish to see if this Brazilian girl would be able to understand. Marissa began to translate my testimony for this girl who spoke Portuguese. She would then translate Portuguese back to English for me.

It could not have gone better. I was able to tell my story of how the Lord provided so much love and grace in similar situations that she went through, all while being translated by my Spanish speaking friend. The Lord used both Marissa and me to connect with her in a way that made her feel comfortable and to show her that even though we are different, the Lord loves his people the same.

Even though we are in different parts of the world, we can struggle and are in a need of a Savior that will provide exactly what we need when we need it. He used 3 different languages to make his message known. He is a Way Maker.