All Things Bruce Eric

“Clementia, or Meme as we call her, has lived most of her life in a house made of cardboard on a piece of a riverbank. We can’t imagine that she wakes up most mornings and doesn’t still feel tired from the day before. She has endured enough personal pain and physical abuse that some would say she has earned the right to think only of herself, but that is the last thing that Meme does.

She is always sharing her resources with people in the Rio that need milk for their babies, food for their kids or help of any kind. She has not let her childhood of being an abandoned little girl or of being someone who was mistreated by her ‘new mother’ stop her from serving the Lord. Her life has truly been a daily offering to God. She only received a 6th grade education but she has more wisdom in the ways of God than many of us. She can be seen walking around the Rio with a Bible in one hand and little pesos in the other, sharing God’s love and concern for those around her.” (This content courtesy of Back 2 Back Ministries, written by Kathy Couch, Beth Guckenberger and Greg Huffer.)

Tonight, during our de-briefing, each of us what was most memorable the day. Of the 12 adults, at least half of us talked of Meme and what she was doing in the Rio as most memorable. To me, Meme is the very face of Christ, she is truly His hands and feet and to think that all she’s been through in her life and she is still being used to impact the people living in the Rio in amazing. We had the benefit of having Meme ride in our van to and from the Rio and she exudes joy and contentment. This area has been dramatically changed as result of Meme’s work there. B2B comes alongside Meme and supports what she does there by building a small church, using groups like our’s to bring in simple supplies like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, diapers, vitamins and other things.

Here are some photos of Meme with her grandchildren, of her home and her neighborhood. This is an area where God’s love is being seen, his plan of redemption for each of us is being heard but there are still issues there. As we walked around to invite people to come to have lunch with us and get supplies, we were asked in to pray for one young man who had been injured two weeks before. His right hand was completely bandaged up but a good portion of his right arm was a very serious, deep open wound. His mother and brother were with him and asked us to pray for him. This young man apparently struggles with drug addiction and has been involved in gang activity. Please be praying for Meme, for her strength and safety, and for the people of the Rio.