Sergio and I in the middle of flooded downtown São Paulo.
Bishop and I flew into São Paulo, Brazil early this morning and it was pouring rain. We had to take separate Ubers (taxi) because the cars were small and we had luggage.
My driver spoke only Portuguese but I understood enough to know he was saying something about the rain. Then I began to see that some of the streets were flooded. Next I saw that many of the roads were filled with traffic at a standstill. My driver kept turning at every corner looking for back roads to get around the traffic but time and again we found there was no way forward.
Metro tracks next to the river completely flooded.
After an hour and a half of this we started communicating via Google translate and he explained that the roads into the city were closed because of flooding and it would take hours to get to the hotel. Then he typed this, “I will take you to the train station so you can catch a train into the city.” At that he opened his glovebox and pulled out his Bible, and spoke a Portuguese phrase I knew “Eu sou um cristão! (I am a Christian!)”
With that he turned off his meter and said I will help you get to your destination. Then I told him that I was a Christian too.
All at once we were not strangers we were brothers. He drove me to the train station and motioned to wait at the door for him. He parked his car, came into the station, bought the tickets for the metro, bought me lunch, carried my luggage, and for almost 2 hours helped me transfer to the different metro lines. Finally when we could go no further because the metro tracks were flooded, he ordered me another Uber to bring me to my destination and checked on me repeatedly to make sure I arrived safely.
One of the many flooded streets in the neighborhoods around São Paulo, Brazil.
Every time I told him he did not need to stay with me or I tried to pay for something he refused. He said, “The Lord told me I would have a special assignment this week, and I think this is it.”
My brother Sergio, a construction worker, part-time Uber driver and elder in his church, demonstrated the selfless, extravagant, gracious and beautiful love of God in a way I have never experienced it. I told him I was pretty convinced he was an angel but he said he was just blessed to serve a fellow brother.
I experienced so much this week in worship, prayer, and hunger for God that fills so many in Brazil but my brother Sergio’s life spoke more to me than all of it.
Three weeks ago I heard the Lord say “Revival is not a place we arrive at it is a person we are becoming.” My brother showed me what that looked like, and this is one Uber trip that has changed my life forever.
Muito Obrigado, Sergio!
