“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” Psalm 126:3
The following experience is related to us by Brother Edson Custódio, who at the time was the President of the North Brazilian Union.
God has been very good to us, and we see evidences of this on a daily basis. However, one illustration of this that I would like to share is an experience that has left a deep impression in our lives, and whose effects we are still feeling as the result of the power of God.
The work of education, in both a spiritual or secular sense, is of great importance. Sister White wrote much concerning our duty in relation to education. “For education is a work the effect of which will be seen throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity.” {6T 153,4}
The North Brazilian Union invested a considerable sum towards creating and maintaining a school known as CER—Centro Educacional Renascença. The school underwent a period of growth, and brought much hope of prosperity to the Education Department of the North Brazilian Union.
However, suddenly due to various reasons, the school suffered the bitter experience of seeing a decline in enrollment over the course of a few years. The year 2009 was a critical year for the school when enrollment dropped to 164 students. The low enrollment brought with it great worries to the school management, as well as the entire Union.
We decided to form a prayer campaign throughout the Union, asking for God’s blessings in order to change the school’s history.
To God’s glory and our joy, we enrolled 243 students the following year, 2010, and 340 students for 2011, thus reaching a growth of 103% in only two years.
With these positive results, our faith and hope has grown brighter, and we feel the need to thank God, as well as work so that the school may continue growing.
Founded in 1995, the school turned 20 years old in 2015, and continues as a shining light in Brasília, Brazil, educating children of members and non-members of the area today.
Are you in need of a miracle? A small miracle? A large one? It doesn’t matter the size, God cares for the minute details of your life, and our God is larger than any need we might have. Remember, “Man's extremity is God's opportunity.” {AA 146} If you have reached your extremities, pray and give God the opportunity to act for you.