Deus e bom, o tempo todo!
Or, for those who don’t speak Portuguese, God is good, all the time! This phrase resonated deeply with our mission group on July 8th when our flight from Washington, D.C. to Miami faced multiple delays, causing us to miss our connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro. As we say on every FOCUS trip, it’s not enough to be flexible. On mission, we need to be fluid.
Find out more about FOCUS Mission trips!
After rebooking, we faced a 47-hour layover in Miami, leading to a two-day delay to our mission trip in Brazil. Surprisingly, this extended layover allowed our exhausted group—13 students, 1 chaplain, and 3 missionaries, including myself—to bond and prepare better as a team. During an evening holy hour and daily Mass at a nearby church, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.
Upon arriving to our mission trip in Brazil on July 11th, we traveled to Petropolis. We started our mission in the community of Carangola, providing dental hygiene presentations to local kids.
Throughout our stay, I experienced moments of doubt about my usefulness.
But God reminded me through prayer that the mission was not about me—they needed Jesus.
One touching moment was when a little boy, shy about praying, was encouraged to simply say, “Jesus, I love you,” which he enthusiastically repeated.
Our mission trip days in Brazil included a pop-up clinic and house visits in Petropolis’ Meio da Serra neighborhood. The house visits were particularly powerful, allowing us to connect deeply with the community and lead intercessory prayers. Our group’s witness, especially from newly baptized students, set a strong example of faith.
Cultural immersion days followed, where we made bracelets, learned traditional dances, and attended local festivities. A highlight was visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue and celebrating Mass, where, again, a profound sense of peace enveloped me.
Departing Brazil was emotional, filled with tears, goodbye hugs, and promises to stay in touch.
Reflecting on our experience, three words stood out: community, humility, and beauty.
The friendships, prayerful insights, and beauty of Brazil reminded us that, while we can do nothing without God, everything with Him becomes beautiful. These experiences remind us of the profound impact of God’s presence in our lives.
As they commonly say in Brazil, fica com Deus, which means, stay with God.
Additional Resources
Check out FOCUS’s curated list of examinations of conscience for your next trip to confession.
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