Valley of Blessing

THE LOVE OF JESUS THROUGH THE VALLEY OF BLESSING (February)

Through the years it has become clearer in our minds that the Valley of Blessing is not our own work, it is not the work of men and we did not invent it ourselves.
We did not have the financial resources to buy a site to build a small building for the Mission. We worked in rented buildings in Ipiranga, a neighbourhood in São Paulo city. Paying the rent each month was a big challenge and we had a little over each month to pay for other needs. They were very difficult years for us financially, but in the midst of these difficulties God prepared for us an area of more than 19 hectares near São Paulo.
When we came to this property, we put what we had into some existing buildings. We did not have money to buy blocks, sand, cement, stones, wood or tiles to build the minimum that we needed. However, in the midst of the poverty, the Lord started to send us in a miraculous way, the construction materials, financial resources and the people, so little by little we could build accommodation for the staff of the Valley of Blessing.
Today, when we think about the Administration Building, Central Dining Hall, School, Seminary, Accommodation, Prayer Centre, the Homes in the City for Children and everything else we are amazed. How was all this possible? Only 22 years after this property was donated to us!
When we arrived, there were just green fields without trees, flowers or any beauty. Today it is a village with roads, lights, a lake, buildings and many people.
Humbly we bow before our Father and worship Him; we bring our thanks to Jesus for His grace over us during these years. To the Holy Spirit we surrender everything in recognition of His action over us.
Besides all this, and even more surprising, are the hundreds of lives touched with the love and power of Jesus through the Valley of Blessing during these 22 years. Brothers and sisters who came to study in our Seminary and are on fire with the power of prayer. There are hundreds of missionaries in Brasil and other countries, doing the work of God, who were trained in the Valley of Blessing.
There are many testimonies of physical healing and restoration of the soul and spirit. People who came a long way to pray or receive prayer in the Valley of Blessing who returned home filled with the grace of God.
In addition there are the children and adolescents, hundreds blessed through this work. Many today are restored, have a family and are moving on in life. They arrived broken, abandoned and fearful, but in this place, they were touched with a love from heaven and were loved. Today they have a new life.
The Valley of Blessing has become a place of prayer; this is a mark of our ministry. Pray, pray and pray again. Then pray once more and return to prayer and pray more.
Where did all this come from? Ourselves? Is this the fruit of human intelligence? Why do we have this property? Where did we get the money to build? Why did people come? The grace, the miracles? From the bottom of my heart comes a feeling of gratitude, fear, reverence and brokenness that says IT IS THE LORD! IT IS JESUS! He has poured out His love over us; His presence has filled the Valley of Blessing all these years. The Holy Spirit has worked so powerfully in our favour.
While I write, I have the desire to say: Now to Him who is able to do more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations, forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3: 20,21).
Join us and thank the Lord for all his goodness to us.

posted by gary @ 10:36 pm