| Beach
Melon: A cruel deception
In Juazeiro do Norte, we call this wild flower,
"Rebenta Boi" (Bring down the bull)."
Even the leaves are covered with long thorns on the
underside... enough to double over any bull that tries to eat it. In
Iguape, the fishing village, it is called
"Beach Melon." The little round balls look like
miniature watermelons.
It may be attractive but it is just as deceptive as the lie that
Maria swallowed.
The lie took her down and held her there for 30 years.
**********
“If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
**********
Thirty years ago Maria (not her real name) believed a lie. She was fourteen then; and, a Believer.
For thirty years she had been a slave to that lie.
“My wife is quite sick. She doesn’t have long to live and she can’t meet my
physical needs. I don’t want to use prostitutes and I really need someone to
satisfy my physical necessities; and to prepare to care for my small children
when the time comes. You can be that someone.”
She knew it was wrong but in her rebellion, she swallowed the lie.
His wife is still living. Now he is old, impotent and has health problems.
His children take care of their mother but what about him?
Maria felt
obligated to do it. Besides he helped out financially.
She loves children and pled with us to start a Sunday School in our new
congregation. “We will need teachers. Would you be able to teach?” I
innocently asked.
“No. Oh, no. But I will invite the children and bring them. You’ll
need a snack. Children like snacks. I’ll provide the juice and cookies.”
Darrel was preaching on our freedom in Christ…purchased at Calvary.
He emphasized that as Believers we are free to live as sons and
daughters of God should live. But, Satan wants to keep us in his
bondage and he uses lies to accomplish this. He ended the message
with, “Are you believing the lie?”
By this time we knew that Maria had an on-going relationship with
a married man. “Sister, he is sick. I cannot desert him now. My adopted
children love him. He comes to see us every day. I try to separate but
he cries.”
Several weeks passed. We had our second baptism, but
she could not
be baptized. She could not participate in the communion services. Her
mother, a stern looking older lady, sat next to her
and watched her out of
the corner of her eye. She whispered, “Don’t take it. You can’t, you
know.” Maria sat there looking like a condemned criminal.
One Saturday evening, Darrel asked, “Does anyone have a blessing to share?
I haven’t seen you for two weeks. What has the Lord been doing in your lives?”
Maria looked around. She squirmed and giggled like a teen-ager. but said nothing.
Sunday evening he asked again, “Who has a blessing to share?” Again
Maria looked around.
She giggled, but still did not speak.
After the service I greeted her, “Maria, what’s your blessing that you don’t share?” I thought
I knew.
Her eyes sparkled. She giggled. “I did it. I’m free! I said to myself, Why am I living like this?
I don’t have to. I don’t have to be a slave to Satan’s lie. I’m free!”
Maria had watched our first two baptisms with longing. But now she was ready for the third one. After thirty years,
she was finally able to celebrate the freedom that Christ had purchased for her!
**********
It's been two and a
half years since we began the work in Iguape.
Zeneide, an early visitor, surprised us with a terrific
recipe for fish!
She came for a rest
and we put her to work teaching children, which is her
specialty. This year she came back and we did a
five day children's club in Barro Preto.
**********
STUFFED FISH
1 whole salt water fish, (4 lbs) cleaned, with backbone removed.
Dice the following vegetables.
2 tomatoes
1 cup green onion
1 cup cilantro
1 large white onion
1 bell pepper
Separate the vegetables in two equal parts. Rub the fish with one part, to flavor it.
1 cup of small shrimp, cleaned and pré-cooked.
In a frying pan, cook the shrimp in crushed garlic in oil, with a little paprika
for color. Add the diced vegetables (the ones you rubbed over the fish) to the
garlic in the frying pan and cook for two more minutes. Add manioc flour, just
enough to absorb the oil, and make Brazilian “farofa.”
Let this cool before using
it to stuff the fish. Lightly stuff the fish. Now butter the fish and cover it
with the remaining diced vegetables. Secure it closed with toothpicks.
Wrap loosely with aluminum foil.
Bake in an unbuttered
baking dish, medium heat, for 40 minutes.
Carefully remove the aluminum foil and serve the fish on a platter, decorating it with
slices of onion and tomatoes. It is delicious served over plain rice or rice cooked
with shrimp and cheese.
**********
Maybe you prefer your fish in sauce? Zeneide
prepared this recipe, too. **********
FISH IN CREAM SAUCE
2 qts. water in a large pan
4 lbs. sliced mackerel sliced in rounds and seasoned with Arrisco complete
dry flavoring. Let it sit awhile to absorb the flavor.
2 cups diced bell pepper
2 cups diced green onions
2 cups diced cilantro
2 cups diced tomato ,
1 large white onion, diced
A little paprika for coloring
Boil the diced vegetables in the 2 quarts of water for 10
minutes. Add the flavored fish. Do not stir. Boil for 10 more minutes. Use a
large spoon to ladle the broth over the fish as it cooks, but do not stir.
After 10 minutes, turn off the stove and add 1 cup canned cream.
This is delicious served over plain rice or colored pasta...the twisted kind. **********
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