October 10, 2006

Pray for Emerson

Emerson is the brother of Emanuela, the hostess for our Cidade Feliz puppet show. He is 16. On Saturday he was walking home from buying some clothes when he was accosted by a young man--drugged out of his mind--who held a gun to his head. Emerson managed to duck and hold up the bag he was carrying just as the gun fired. That shot missed. Two more hit him in the side, one coming very close to his heart. The young man then fled. Emerson, still conscious, managed to hand the bag with the clothes to a young lady who was accompanying him home, then hail a moto-taxi and get himself to the hospital.

Itacyara and I just visited Emerson. He was operated on, and is doing remarkably well. His stomach is sewed up from where they operated to take out the bullets. Other than that and the bandages over the entry wounds, he appears fine. Yesterday he made a decision for Christ. We talked to him a little about what that means, and how it is obvious that God has a purpose for his life.

On the way home, we stopped in to talk to the family. They are doing well. Emanuela showed us the pair of pants that her brother had been bringing home. There are eight very neat holes where the bullet penetrated the folds. When she took the pants out of the bag, she found the bullet--the one that could have ended the life of her brother.

Today it was discovered that the assailant was an escaped prisoner who was intent on killing someone that night, just for the purpose of killing somebody. He is still at large.

Pray for Emerson, Emanuel, and the safety of their family. Pray for Emerson's spiritual growth. Pray for our church as it seeks to reach out to this family. Pray for the disturbed young man who perpetrated this crime.

Posted by Andrew on October 10, 2006 4:53 PM.