I traveled to Brazil recently for my work with Modern Day and I had one of those life-changing experiences. Before I dive into that moment, let me first give you some background. I’m part of a family and community that predominantly use midwives for home-births, breast feed their babies, eat organic food, and embrace many things people classify as “crunchy.” No, we’re not hippies, and we’re not legalistic about those things, but over the years I have learned the importance of these natural ways. As I live them and witness their fruit, it becomes more-and-more part of the fiber of who I am. I remember my sister telling me many years ago that she prays for nursing moms in Africa who have low-to-zero milk supply. I never even stopped to think that could be a reality. Her comments stuck with me though, and have hit home even more since my wife has nursed our two boys over the last couple of years. I even occasionally find myself, as a man, praying, “Lord, let those mommas have milk in Africa and let those babies get fat!!” It’s kind of funny, I know, but it’s true, and I pray it.
This leads me to the streets of Brazil. Only minutes from the ocean are the city streets that are a buzzing market by day and a devil’s play ground by night. On those dimly lit streets are all types of people. Those you may suspect: street kids, homeless, drug users, pimps, prostitutes, and various others, all converge evening after evening. Tragic and detestable things are done there, but what do we expect? It’s been happening generation after generation on every continent and in every people group. One thing I noticed that was out of the ordinary was that several of the street kids were holding plastic coke-like bottles up to their mouths and noses. I asked what was going on and was told that inside the bottles are industrial shoe-glue that is very cheap, and when inhaled, gives people a similar high as more expensive drugs. It was a hard thing to witness. I would try to engage some of these 12, 13 year-old kids, and it was as though they were not even on this planet. I have seen similar scenes but with different drugs on other streets many times in my life in various cities, however what happened to me on this night was a “moment.” A life-gripping, life-changing moment.
I was with a team of people on the streets of Recife, Brazil serving and loving people. We played music with them, painted their fingernails and toenails, talked about their lives, and shared the love of Jesus as we were led. There must have been 50-60 people on the streets that night, showing up in all different looks, sizes, and shapes. Each one with a past and a story that grips the heart. I had talked with several of them and offered my smile, hand-shake, encouragement, and love, when I turned my head and the “moment” struck me.
I turn to look down the street and about 10 yards in front of me I see an under-nourished young lady wearing minimal clothing, sniffing this toxic glue from a plastic bottle. When I look further I can see that in her lap is her nine-month-old baby, trying to nurse, as the mom gets high off of shoe glue. My heart sank. The tears started flooding my cheeks. What do I do with this “moment”? How do I respond? How do I handle it? Then the reality struck me that these are the women who my sister prays for frequently. These are the women that I pray for from time to time. The nursing moms! This mother is a beautiful young lady who has lived a tragic life, not by choice. I guess some people might choose that life, but I have a hard time believing little girls grow up desiring the street life. She has a difficult road in front of her, but as the moment passed I saw several young ladies from our team gather around her, trying to help in any way possible. There is hope for this nursing mom and her baby. I have to believe that the same Holy Spirit who moved me to tears of compassion for her can also move her to tears of healing and restoration.
Let’s pray for this nursing mother and her baby today. I’m believing for a “moment” in her life that will change her identity and set her on a new course!
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Marvin Slaton
Modern Day Director