Apostolic Friends Forum - Almost died yesterday= another miracle

BRAZIL IN FLAMES
APOSTOLIC MISSIONS

BRAZIL ADDRESS
REV. RAUL & MICHELE ALVEAR JR.
C.P.250 ,CAMPINAS, S.P.
BRAZIL S.A. 13001-980

Yesterday started out like any other normal day…got up prayed at the church and went outside to walk over to the Bible school building and get my car and when I open the door walked in the garage two men with guns came in and held me at gun point stealing my car, my briefcase with all my money, credit cards, my brand new camera, my cell phone and a few other things.
I could not believe what was happening and at the same time praying no one from our church would happen to walk in and get killed….Danger and death faced me and every minute made it more apparent. I kept saying Jesus, Jesus under my breath, please help me and protect me…
I could see hate and evil in their eyes…I wondered if they were from the nearby slums or where ever…had they killed before? Why was I their victim…so many thoughts run through my mind…my wife, my baby my folks…our churches…it seemed forever…were they really going to shoot when all of a sudden they got in my car backed it out and took off at a great speed…
I walked back over to my house and told Michelle and she at first thought I was joking but seeing me so faint she suddenly realized it was the truth.
I tried to call my folks for prayer but they were traveling in the backlands and their phone would not pick up…I left to go to the police station in the mean time my wife called her mother and her mother said call the police right now don’t wait for Raul Jr to get to the police station…
She called and the police asked was our car a blue Volkswagen and she said yes…they said we have just found a blue Volkswagen that we knew was robbed because the owner of a bread store called and told us across the street he saw men stripping out things from a car and boxing up the things…
When the police arrived the robbers had took about everything… my camera, my cell phone, my bank cards, credit cards, etc. They took out the radio and cd player however without the accessories and my personal things the car was intact.
Thank the Lord for I do not have insurance as I cannot afford it. It is either buy milk and food for my wife and baby or have insurance
My folks paid insurance for a while for me but they are unable to do so now so we are all without insurance. The crisis has affected our support. However God has always made a way.
They took my bank cards and even my stateside bank card…I was so glad I did not have our passports with me which I often carry.
The police told me something I already know it is a miracle just to have my car back…and still be alive!
Some may remember many years ago a robber took my car at gunpoint, my brother Arlei was with me and his wife and later the bandit brought my car back and prayed through to the Holy Ghost! My folks had their car stolen and the money from the second car stolen all in the same day a few months ago…never saw the car or the money again…so I received a special miracle of protection…I think it was about 3 years ago a bunch of masked men broke in my parents’ home, kidnapped my brother stole t heir car and all their and the churches electronics…
Danger is on every hand here…The more we work the harder the devil fights but we know he is a defeated enemy. Thank you for supporting the work that we are doing in Brazil. God is making an impact in the lives of many people through your faithful support.
I would like to ask for prayer covering for our entire family. These attacks come at significant times of revivals and great outpourings of God’s spirit. My brother Ednei just told me in a new farm meeting they are having 50 or so people present every Sunday. My brother Arlei tore down the first building in Barro Branco and is building a new church there. Pastor Hugo is preparing to go to Paraguay and baptize two more precious souls.
Brazil is so advanced in many ways yet so poor in other ways...hunger often drives people to steal and kill...
It's hard to imagine a population living in such polar extremes. At one end are people living in squalid third-world conditions, struggling to get enough to eat. At the other end is the upper class with a lifestyle that few in the US and Western Europe enjoy.

We thank you as a UNITED family working for God for many years for your support and love shown to us.

Your Missionary to Brazil

Rev. Raul jr Alvear