Visiting Brasil was an eye opening experience. As an American going into another culture, it blows you away to see that God is not American J. He actually is God of the whole world and works much larger than my little world. It was beautiful to see the different ways that another culture worships and walks with God. It is the same, but different. We had a unity in Christ, but it was culturally different. It is something every culture needs to experience – going outside your own and seeing how God works globally. It will open your eyes and it really makes you think about what cultural is and what is not.
Visiting Master's Commission and Youth With A Mission showed a great blend of the two cultures. An example of this was looking at the boy's home (for ex-street boys). Those boys have walked through things in life that I cannot even imagine. When I saw them up at the altar praising God and seeking Him with such passion, it challenged me and my passion for God. Then, seeing the Master's Commission team walk beside them, I saw a little of the American culture that proclaims, "You can do anything". Americans have a great optimism, the idea that you can start with nothing and still become something. Well, when you add Christ to that – that is what Master's Commission is to those boys. They encourage them to dream and find out what God wants for them and to go for it. That mixed with Brasilian passion is a great thing! It is a beautiful blend of the cultures.
As far as visiting Brasil, I loved the way it challenged me to think differently about how God works, and to see firsthand the awesome way He works outside of my community. I think that it is something we all need to experience – God around the world.
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