Lights flashing, tyres screaching, first policeman jumps out of the car, gun already in hand, second policeman jumps out, gun also in hand, first policeman trips due to his focus on the young boy ahead and not seeing a chain separating the road from where the boy sleeps with his brother and friend, under a bridge.
The policemen grab the boy pushing, pulling, kicking and punching to get him into the car. The boy yelling, "não deixa eles me pegar, eles vão me matar!!" (don't let them take me, they're going to kill me!!). Grabbing hold of the chain the first policeman tripped over in a desparate attempt to not be taken. Police begin to use the taser on him (Electric shocker gun-the noise still rings in my ears). The young 16 year olds brother yelling "ele é menor" (he's a minor). Confusion and then eventually the police get him into the car still beating on him and speed off. Shock. Terror. Anger. Tears. Prayers.
This happened just last Tuesday while our Rescue House team was on the streets. Usually our team focus mostly on one large group of street kids but this year God has been putting it on our hearts to search for other pockets of kids. On Tuesday God guided us to do just that. This is one group that God lead us too.
Sitting under a bridge on mattresses with a few dirty blankets hovering together from the cold (you may think - Brazil - cold, nah!! But it can get cold here especially at night time). Our group approach the boys and present ourselves. Seeing the guitar with us they ask hear a song. We sing in english and then translate the words for the boys, this leads to a time of ministring into their lives, telling them how God created them, He loves them and He has a wonderful plan for each of their lives. This life of sleeping under a bridge is not why they were created. The boys were so receptive, so open, so thirsty.
A few more songs as a few more street people arrive. Johnatan (16 year old) disappears with another boy and 10 minutes later just as we are saying goodbye to the group he comes running back, breathing heavily, with out his flipflops. He grabs one of our team members arms and desperately pleas for us to stay and not go. He then explains 2 nights ago he stabbed a security guard at the supermarket and the police are after him. In that moment the police car arrives and takes the boy in the form described above.
Justice is, they have a right to take him, he did wrong. But there is so much corruption here that these boys and the brazilians in our team knew that this boy was not being taken to prison. He was being taken to be murdered. By the look on the faces of these men I could see that this was true.
BUT, our God is a good God. He is a God who is in control of everything. That night was not to be Johnatans last night, no, our God led us to this boy, our God ministered in the life of this boy and our God used our group to intervene and pray for the life of this boy.
He did not die. He did not go to prison. He was heavily beaten and then set free. Speaking with Johnatan on Friday evening he says, "Deus me livrou de morte." (God delivered me from death). Johnatan can see that it was God who did everything that night. He and his brother are now asking for rehabs and a new life off the streets. A life in search of Gods plan for their lives. How good is our God!!??
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| Johnatan with Erlon (one of our Rescue House team members) |