The Miracle in Rio

(This is a free version of one of the ten stories in GOLD, COMMON SENSE AND MYRRH: A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION). For information on how you can get a copy, see www.dwaynebuhler.com.

The frying pan spat microscopic bombs of olive oil as the smell of garlic and onions filled the air. Ana Paula added a cup of uncooked rice and stirred the contents, browning the grains before she would add water. Black beans simmered on the other burner of her simple gas stove. Each and every day she made arroz e feijão - beans and rice - for her family, but today would be different. She wanted the Christmas celebration to be perfect.

Ana Paula opened the single cloth drape to her kitchen window, looking over Santa Teresinha, one of Rio de Janeiro’s mountainside favelas. The slum was in the shadow of Cristo Redentor, the iconic statue of Jesus with arms open for a welcoming embrace. She closed her eyes and for an instant remembered a Christmas Eve from her past. She looked up towards the sky and said a prayer for a miracle from God.

It’s been fifteen years, she thought. She wondered if she would ever be able to forget, or to forgive herself. Fifteen years of trying to envision where he was, who he was with, and how he was doing. Just once she would like to be able to give him a Christmas gift or send a card. But there were too many things to get done before everyone would arrive. She needed to collect the clothes hanging on the roof, do one last sweep of her home, and go to the paderia. The tiny bread store would be closed on Christmas day and she needed to get pãozinhos, little French rolls baked fresh every day, for the morning’s breakfast.

In a matter of hours the small three-room house would be transformed and filled with joy. Daniela and João, Ana Paula’s 11-year-old twins, were at the neighborhood Assemblies of God Church, putting the final preparations together for the evening’s Sunday school presentation. Daniela was Mary. João was a shepherd. They looked forward to singing, reading the Bible and telling the Christmas story for their family and friends.

Ana Paula’s husband Roberto was at work. He’d be home later in the evening to drop off a package and meet them at the church. He worked at a hotel on Ipanema Beach serving rich tourists. Each year employees were given a special Christmas hamper complete with a small turkey, a pineapple, some mangos, and panetonne, the delicious fruit-speckled Italian Christmas bread. Ana Paula prepared beans, rice and farofa -a dish made of golden, gritty yucca flour, raisins, and pieces of bacon. It was a feast to be shared with family and friends. Gratitude flooded the house, and a sense that this Christmas celebration would be memorable came over Ana Paula.

A song began to flutter like a butterfly, coming from somewhere deep in her soul. She remembered hearing the words of Handel’s Messiah at a missionary’s home: For Unto us a Son is Given played in English on an old cassette player. Pastor Jaime, a tall African-American, came to Rio de Janeiro to work with the street children of Brazil. He’d tried to teach her all the words, but all she remembered was the one line in English. She wanted to learn English and, perhaps, one day visit America. But the reality was that most people born in the favela lived their entire life in the concrete block houses that rose up along the mountain.

Ana Paula let her mind wander, going back to her childhood. Life in Santa Teresinha was difficult, and most young girls didn’t go to school beyond the fourth or fifth grade. Her mother made her go to work in a restaurant in the business district, cleaning dishes in the kitchen. She worked hard and was forced to turn her money over to her father, who drank more than he worked.

At fourteen she ran away from home and lived on the street. Ana Paula joined a gang of a dozen kids who taught her about the dark side of life. They claimed a corner of an abandoned factory building as their own. Cardboard was collected and piled to make a mattress. Food came from scraps and garbage bins. The boys in the gang learned to pick-pocket unsuspecting tourists, gathered at the beaches or at the Cristo Redentor train station. The girls washed car windows on street corners, begging for a few coins for their service. Some of the group sniffed glue, while others scraped together enough money to buy drugs from older street kids. Ana Paula had to hide some coins to buy food for her and her closest friends.

After less than a year on the street, Ana Paula was pregnant, expecting a child with one of the leaders of the gang. She was told to either get an abortion, or leave. She argued and fought with her boyfriend and was ready to abandon the gang when one of the boys told them about a man who offered to pay five hundred dollars for newborn babies. They would be adopted by wealthy foreigners and live a life of luxury. None of the gang members had ever seen that amount of cash, and so it was decided that Ana Paula did not have to leave.

Only once did Ana Paula meet the man who took her baby. He met with her two weeks before the baby was born, asking her to sign documents. When the time came, the man sent a taxi and she went to a small clinic on the outskirts of the city. The nurses were mean and upset with her, as it looked like they would miss their family Christmas celebrations.

A baby boy was born on the afternoon of the 24th of December. She never got to hold the baby and left the clinic with the same taxi driver. She never saw a penny of the money paid for her child.

Upset with her boyfriend, Ana Paula left the gang and began to look for a place to stay. She heard about a youth center where street kids could spend the afternoon and sleep if they had no other place to go. The Lar Esperança - Home of Hope - became her safe haven from the cold reality of living on the street. Pastor Jaime was the first person she met when she walked through the doors. Her life began to change.

People said that Pastor Jaime once played professional baseball in the United States. His career ended when he was nearly killed in a car crash. That is when he turned his life over to God. He came from a Christian home but wandered far away from the ways of his family during his years of playing baseball. He promised God that he would live the rest of his life helping street kids if his life was spared. Then he met his wife, a Brazilian girl who worked in the hospital, and they came to Rio de Janeiro.

Two years after Ana Paula entered the home for street kids, she met Roberto, another resident of the home. They both accepted Jesus and were part of the church youth group. Roberto loved to watch American movies and learned enough English to get a job working as a bellboy at a hotel. They were off drugs, leading Bible studies for groups of kids who came from the street, and living a life with purpose and direction. They were married on New Year’s Eve and moved into a small rented house in Santa Teresinha.

“Mãe, Mãe, Mãe!” João sprinted through the metal door into the tiny courtyard. Daniela was close behind, frustrated at losing the race to her brother. “The lady missionary from the Central Church came looking for you! She says you must come to meet someone.”

Daniela appeared at the door, catching her breath before she added, “It’s very urgent, she says. There is a person who wants to meet you.”

Ana Paula tried to settle her children. “Wait, wait. Who wants to meet me?” Both children began to speak at once, but Daniela insisted on talking first. “Pastor Jaime brought the lady missionary to the church. She met an Americano who found your name on a piece of paper. She says she has to talk to you!”

Ana Paula turned the stove off. The rice could simmer and she would prepare the farofa when she got back. “You kids need to stay here. I will come back as soon as I can.”


Pastor Jaime sat on a wooden bench, talking to his missionary colleague. He held a folder in his hand. They both looked up as Ana Paula entered the sanctuary.

“Sister, how good of you to come! Do you know Carolina? She is a pastor at Central Church.”

The women greeted each other, offering two quick kisses on each cheek. The tall American woman was in her fifties. She was called Sister Carolina by all of the pastors of the city. Her reputation as an evangelist and church planter was celebrated, as she came to Rio de Janeiro before it was popular to be a believer in Jesus. Stories were told of her standing up to drug gangs. Many people came to her for help with their addictions and were delivered from evil curses and spiritual bondage. She lived in the trenches of the poorest sections of the city and was respected by Christians and non-believers alike. She was gracious and caring, but the many struggles and disappointments of working with broken people were etched on her face. Yet her smile reflected something of heaven.

“My sister,” Carolina began in Portuguese. “It is a joy to meet you. Pastor Jaime told me something of your story, and your children were a delight to meet.”

Ana Paula nodded her head. “Yes, thank you.” Jaime took a document from the file folder and handed it to Ana Paula. She froze when she saw the title, then her teenage signature at the bottom of the page. She began to sob and both missionaries held her in a warm embrace. “Where did you get this? I don’t understand.”

Ana Paula wiped tears from her eyes. Pastor Jaime was the first to speak. “A lawyer from the United States contacted Sister Carolina and asked her if she knew anyone who lived in Rio de Janeiro that worked with street kids 15 years ago. The lawyer represents a family that wants to find a young girl - someone who gave up a baby for adoption. Sister Carolina told him about our work and our church but didn’t make any promises. The chances would be far too small to actually find this person. It would be a miracle to find her in a city as large as Rio.”

“The lawyer sent me this copy of the birth certificate and I talked to Pastor Jaime this morning. We both couldn’t believe it when Pastor Jaime read your name.” Carolina smiled from ear to ear.

“Where is he? Where is this family?” Ana Paula still could not believe what she was hearing. “Do they know about me?”

“The family lives in Ohio, in the United States. They do not know about you. Not yet. We wanted to talk to you first.” Pastor Jaime took out another piece of paper from the file, with a picture of a beautiful family. A tall young boy stood in the middle. He was darker than the others, with tight curly hair.

“Is that him? What’s his name?”

“His adopted parents called him Daniel - a name that is the same in English or Portuguese.” Carolina showed her another document in English.

Ana Paula paused, collected her thoughts, and chewed her lower lip. “Can he ever forgive me for what I did? I was - I am - that boy’s mother. How can he ever forgive me?”

“There is only one way to find out,” said Pastor Jaime. “Would you like me to phone the lawyer in the United States?”

Ana Paula nodded her head. “Yes. Please tell them that you have found the mother of their son Daniel.”


The evening service went late into the night. The Sunday School presentation was flawless, with each child remembering their lines and each song blasted at the top of the choir’s collective lungs. Daniela beamed in her role as Mary. João bolted out his line, “Let’s go see this thing that the angel has told us about!”

The church was filled with visitors and families from the neighborhood, excited to celebrate together. Pastor Jaime spoke about the miracle of Christmas: that a child was given to be the savior of the world. The birth of a little child born in Bethlehem was the hope of all those who would call on his name and look to him for salvation. “Jesus is still doing miracles today” was the one line that Ana Paula cherished the most. Roberto and Ana Paula sat in the front row, waiting to be called forward at the end of the service to give a special testimony.

“Brothers and sisters,” started Roberto. “Many of you know our story. You know that we lived on the street. We were much like many of the children that still roam our city, abandoned and hopeless. We lived a life without Jesus and did things that displeased God, our Father. But we found Jesus.”

Ana Paula corrected her husband. “No, when he found us." She came over to the microphone and began: "We were like the child born in a stable, with no place to call home. As street kids we saw things that no child should ever see and did things that today we are not proud of. Some people here know my story, so I won’t tell you everything, except that one Christmas, fifteen years ago, I ... I was all alone. I gave birth to a baby boy that was sold to a man who took the child to a family in the United States for adoption. I had no idea what became of that child but - by a miracle from God - we spoke to him this afternoon.”

People in the congregation were visibly moved, tears coming to the eyes of many. “All these years I’ve prayed for him, hoping to one day find out what happened to him. Was he well? Did he go to a good family? I prayed that one day he would find Jesus. I thought that if we couldn’t be together on this earth, we could be together in heaven.”

Now Ana Paula was crying. Roberto stepped up to the microphone. “His name is Daniel. We spoke to his adopted parents this afternoon. I was able to translate for my wife. He is a teenager, and he and his family are Christians. They want to come and visit us as soon as possible. God willing, in the New Year they will be here with us and stand before you to testify to the goodness of God.”

“This is the second greatest gift that I could ever receive,” added Ana Paula. “The first greatest gift was to know Jesus and receive the gift of his forgiveness. The second greatest gift is for all my family - even a lost son - to know Jesus, too!”

Pastor Jaime invited people to come to the front of the church to offer their lives as a gift to God. “At Christmas we often talk about the gift of Jesus, that God sent his son into the world. But, this Christmas, we can give our lives to him as the only gift that really matters; we can give him our hearts.”


Ana Paula, Roberto and their children walked back to their home, exhausted and exhilarated at the same time. They would gather around their simple kitchen table and eat a midnight supper that could only be described as luxurious. The small turkey was decorated with mango and orange slices, smothered in a rich fruity sauce. One of Roberto’s aunts left earlier in the evening to have everything ready for the family when they came home from church.

Music and firecrackers battled for the family’s attention as they turned a corner and started up a steep set of stairs leading to their house. In the distance they could see the statue of Cristo Redentor lit brightly against the black tropical sky. There were no words for the gratitude that Ana Paula felt in her heart, only a song that sprang up from within: For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given.

To the End of the Earth: Introduction

The Romans of Jesus' day referred to Cabo de São Vicente (Cape St. Vincent) as the "end of the world." In their minds, this point along the southwestern coast of Portugal was the limit of civilization, and anyone who ventured beyond these rocky cliffs could expect to face certain death. It was from this point that the Portuguese explorers were commissioned to seek new lands "for God and country."

In the month of March and April, 2011, Rhonda and I will take a trip that leads us to the "end of the earth." Starting in Barcelona, Spain, we will visit friends and ministries along the way, stopping over in Madrid, Gibraltar, and eventually ending in Lisbon, Portugal. We will take the ferry across the 14 Km Straight of Gibraltar and spend a day in the city of Tangier, Morocco. Our trip is a part of our 25th wedding anniversary celebrations, and allows us time away from our daily commitmens and distractions to seek the Lord and hear God's voice.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told his disciples; But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. This reinforce the Great Commission, found in Matthew 28:19, 20 - Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

We believe that God will use this time to speak to us, comfirming that which we already know and revealing things that we need to know. As we go to the end of the earth we invite you to follow us on our journey. Weekly postings will be accompanied by photos of the places and people visited. Let us know if you've visited any of these places. Make your comments and keep in touch as we make this trip.

Dwayne & Rhonda Buhler - Surrey, BC, Canada

DAY 31: Behind Every Successful Woman

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than riches. Proverbs 31:10

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Put on your hip-waders, I’m about to step into a bit of controversy. I hope that the waters won’t get too deep.

We’ve all heard it said that “behind every successful man is a good woman,” but let’s invert the equation. It’s one thing to use Proverbs 31 as a measuring rod for the ‘ideal woman,’ but how often have men stopped to think that about our role as husbands to give our wives the freedom to be this kind of person.

The first readers of this passage would have marvelled at two things: First at the wonderful example of what we have come to call a virtuous and godly woman, but secondly at the husband who treats his wife differently than the prominent view of the culture of the day. This was a radical thought in the culture of King Lemuel, the author of this chapter.

Paul’s understanding in the New Testament was equally radical for the culture of his day. After he encourages us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), he goes on to say that this filling will be worked out in a husband who will truly loves, cherishes, and encourages his wife (Ephesians 5:25-32).

Is Proverbs 31 an idealistic model for our wives to reach? Maybe. But it is also the standard of a man who sees the true value of his wife, seeking her advice in their decisions, and encouraging her to be all that she can be. This puts the shoe on the foot and asks; who can find a husband of noble character?

For further investigation, read David Sanford’s article by the same title:

http://www.crosswalk.com/1265037/

DAY 30: Godliness with Contentment

Give me neither poverty nor riches ... Proverbs 30:8b

The context of Proverbs 30:8 is a request for contentment. Agur, a nebulous character who more than likely was an Assyrian Ruler, says:

Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God.

The fame of Solomon reached to many nations, and Agur is more than likely one of many dignitaries that visited Jerusalem during his reign. The Queen of Sheba (modern day Ethiopia) also visited and marvelled at the wisdom of Israel’s king. Solomon’s story of his dream (I Kings 3:1-15), was likely told to these visitors. For visiting rulers it was amazing to think that Solomon would ask for wisdom to rule, as opposed to long life, riches, or fame.

The Apostle Paul dealt with the same issue. He experienced the extremes of poverty and plenty, and came to this conclusion:

For I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. (Philippians 4:11-13)

Paul hits the nail on the head when he said, godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Timothy 6:6).

It is one of those areas where once again we need the direction and filling of the Holy Spirit. Our sinful nature would lust after things or covet what our neighbour possesses. It is only through the presence of the Spirit in our lives, that we can learn to live content, not being caught in the traps of riches or rags.

DAY 29: Trapped

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Proverbs 29:25)

Did you ever go out to the woods as a kid and build a trap? It might have been the box with a string variety, or a noose in the middle of a path, or trip wire. You may have gone so far as digging a pit covered with a thin layer of twigs and grass. My traps never produced much in the way of animals (thankfully!), but they did teach me a thing or two.

The best traps are the ones that you don’t see coming. They are veiled and hidden from plain sight, or placed in the blind spot of an intended victim. They often entice you with a morsel of something that invites you in for a look, and then catch you unaware from behind.

I think that the traps of sin are much the same. They promise “greener grass” or swifter returns, but end with devastating outcomes. They disguise themselves as good, but end in compromise.

The fear of what others think – living for the approval of those around us – is an example of the later. We can rationalize that it is wise to please our family, wife, boss, or friends. That’s good, isn’t it? But if this takes our eyes off of the Lord, or compromises our beliefs, it can become a snare to us and trip us up.

The focus of Hebrews 12:1-3 reminds us to “keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” This is my prayer for today, as there are many other pressures and demands upon my life today.

Day 28: Ya Gotta Pay the Fiddler

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13)

There’s a Texas saying that always reminds me that my actions have consequences. I can imagine an old, toothless cowboy saying this out of the side of his mouth as he haggles with a potential customer: “If you wanna dance ya gotta pay the fiddler.”

The problem is that we live in a world where many times it seems that the unrighteous prosper; that their actions don’t catch up to them. However, this is far from the truth. Listen to the words of the following verses:

The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion. (Prov. 28:1)

A man tormented by the guilt of murder will be a fugitive till death; let no one support him. (Prov. 28:17)

He whose walk is blameless is kept safe, but he whose ways are perverse will suddenly fall. (Prov. 28:19)

But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the LORD; and you may be sure that your sins will find you out. (Numbers 32:23)

The Proverbs teaches that sin cannot be concealed. It will reap a harvest in due time. But the offer of the Gospel is that those who confess their sin and turn from their ways find freedom. This is the message of I John 1:9 when it says: If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

This is not to say that there are no consequences of our sin, but the fiddler is paid from Another’s pocket. Jesus came to pay a price we could not pay, and erase a debt that was not his. This is the gift offered to those who will believe in Him and call on His name.

Day 27: An Open Agenda

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth. Proverbs 27:1

There are two extremes that seem to identify who we are in our approach to life: First, there are the laissez-faire types with the motto “Let go and let God.” Life happens to you and there’s not much you can do. Second, there are those who are planned and controlled, who reflect the mantra, “God helps those who help themselves.”

Somewhere in the middle is the possibility of planning, dreaming, and seeking God as we make plans and chart our course, allowing for the unexpected circumstances or opportunities that God may bring our way. Life is neither a predetermined plot from which we have no escape, nor is it a free-flowing river that’s never been navigated. Two truths are held in tension: There are choices we make that affect the outcome of our lives, but there is also One who walks with us and guides in the midst of our circumstances.

As I read this verse there were two other verses that came to mind, reminding me that I need to live with an open agenda:

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34

Now then, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast and brag. James 4:13-15