Irma Dulce Lopes Pontes: Two Pencils and One Keyboard

Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.” Habakkuk 2:2

“We are like a pencil with which God writes the texts He wants said in the hearts of men.”

Irma Dulce Lopes Pontes (1914-1992). A contemporary to the service of Mother Teresa (1910-1997) in India, we find Irma ministering in Brazil.

Mother Teresa is credited for saying, “I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world.” Today’s post is attributed to Irma. I like it because of the writing part. Someone asked me recently why I have written every day for 16 years. Yes, I am celebrating 16 year of Daily Meditations this week.

And why I have written or contributed to 17 books and counting. I often reply “I don’t write for money, I write for God. I can’t not write. It’s what he made me to do.” If Teresa and Irma are two pencils, then I am a keyboard, but not anywhere near the league of saint alongside those two ladies.

What has God made you to do? What are you? Reply to this note with a word like a “pencil” or a “keyboard.”

For example, if your word is “shovel” put it in the form of a prayer like this: “I am a little shovel in the hand of a gardening God who who helps people bear much fruit.” Let’s see ourselves as instruments or tools in the hands of God making music, writing words, or doing other good things to serve people in the name of Jesus.

And I do appreciate your prayers as my focus now centers on speaking in podcast and preaching settings and doing major events to activate a task force to form a peer accountability group like ECFA in USA to serve Brazil. Thanks.

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things. Mark 6:34

“The important thing is to do charity, not to talk about charity. We must understand the work with very poor people as a God’s chosen mission.”

Irma Dulce Lopes Pontes (1914-1992).

After a prayer retreat with 37 people from 12 countries hosted by GenerousChurch, Rafael Bandeira (GTP Global Operations Manager & Portuguese Programs Manager) from São Paulo, Brazil, and Paula Mendoza (GTP Global Administrator) from Guatemala City, Guatemala, will begin program work today.

Aline Martinez (GTP Portuguese Interpreter & Translator) arrived last night (she has translated Steward and the GTP Diagnostic Tool and Templates in Portuguese). Roberto “Beto” Barros (Our Daily Bread Coordinator (Publisher of The Choice, The Sower, and The Council in Portuguese) arrives today.

It’s time to “do charity.” I am preaching twice this Sunday at a couple huge churches. One asked for a message on revival and the other on legacy. So I have been building slide decks and sermon outlines in the 24 hours between the prayer retreat and meetings and a podcast recording today. I appreciate your prayers.

And I want you to read this quote again. Think about it. God’s chosen mission was sending Jesus to save a poor and lost humanity. That’s you and me! He did not talk charity, He did charity, illustrated by passages such as today’s Scripture. Move toward someone in need today with charity.

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2

“The Church must always remain a dialogue, and never an imposition of it’s own convictions and methods. Propose, not impose. To serve, and not to dominate.”

Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022).

Yesterday, in our prayer time in Petrópolis, every ministry shared a summary of their work and everyone prayed for everyone else. It was a powerful time.

A brother prayed over me and specifically thanked God for my humble posture of service and prayed for me to be able to remain in that posture perpetually. In my heart, I said, “Amen!”

As God blesses us or grants us favor, we must give thanks and cast any accolades or crowns, any compliments or commendations, back to the feet of Jesus who modeled humility for us.

In our time together, Patrick Johnson of GenerousChurch read Philippians 2:5-11 and celebrated the example of Jesus and His humility. Read it.

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death — even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

This prayer time in Petrópolis and this Scripture have reminded me that generous service takes the posture of humility. As I begin the work on my third trip to Brazil with strategic program work in Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and São Paulo, I do so with this verse on my lips.

“Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you” 2 Corinthians 12:14a. I am here a third time not because I want anything from the Brazilian people. I want them! Pray with me for humble receptive hearts.

And pray for me as I prepare sermons and slide decks. My Sunday went from open to preach at the two largest evangelical churches in Rio de Janeiro, serving 1,500 and 9,000 members respectively. I will propose the way to live and aim to serve them with humility.

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, so that you should put in order what remained to be done and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Titus 1:5

“I conclude that the current Brazilian model is contrary to God’s plan. For this reason, the Church has the pastoral duty of prophetically denouncing this model without fear and encouraging the people to transform these structures. On the other hand, this transformation must be a peaceful and democratic process. To achieve this, it is necessary to organize the people. Only an organized people will be able to proceed peacefully and democratically to transform society.”

Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022) as cited in Unemployment, Causes and Consequences (São Paulo: Paulinas, 1984) 65-94.

Today’s Scripture will come out in every meeting I have in Brazil.

Paul commissioned Titus to put order and oversight in place. He did this because he knew it would position the gospel to flourish with integrity and sustainability.

The same holds true today. But people treat order and oversight as unimportant.

They say we must focus on gospel evangelism and discipleship. Sadly, however, without order and oversight, the work only grows by addition and leads to exhaustion with no succession.

Paul and Hummes knew better. God’s people must organize to have an impact on society.

When we do, we make our most generous impact. The ministry grows by multiplication and it leads to expansion with sustainability and succession.

Paul aimed to organize people and that’s our aim at GTP today. Pray for us in Brazil.

Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed. Psalm 82:3

“A servant church must have as its priority solidarity with the poor. The faith must express itself in charity and in solidarity, which is the civil form of charity. Today more than ever, the church faces this challenge. In fact, effective solidarity with the poor, both individual persons and entire nations, is indispensable for the construction of peace. Solidarity corrects injustices, reestablishes the fundamental rights of persons and of nations, overcomes poverty and even resists the revolt that injustice provokes, eliminating the violence that is born with revolt and constructing peace.”

Cláudio Hummes (1934-2022) as cited in “Education in Solidarity with the Poor” by William F. Horan Jr. on 9 September 2011.

I am safely in Brazil. Long trip. Storms delayed my arrival 12+ hours.

“Cristo Redentor” greeted me at sunrise (photo above from my hotel room). Seeing this view gives me confidence that Christ will be with me and strengthen me for the service before me.

The biggest thing I notice about bringing stewardship instruction and standards to influential stewards and grass roots workers in places like Brazil is that it reflects charity and effective solidarity with the poor.

By charity, I mean that it shows love.

People appreciate that GTP comes not bringing a handout that creates dependency but a hand up that builds fruitful disciples. And this comes not wanting anything from them, but rather with love, desiring flourishing for them.

By effective, I mean that it makes a real difference.

Peer accountability, that is, ministries holding each other accountable to following standards of governance, administration, and resource development together turns corruption to credibility in entire nations. Since formation in 1979, ECFA has had this impact in USA.

And this global service embodies solidarity with the poor.

That requires showing up in the posture of a loving servant in places riddled with brokenness. By empowering national workers to shape a new future envisioned by Brazilian saint, Cláudio Hummes, we bring justice and peace. And it starts with prayer.

That’s my focus the next 2 days with fellow stewards in Petrópolis.

GTP collaborates globally with GenerousChurch. They are hosting the prayer time. Then I have GTP program work in Rio de Janeiro, Curitiba, and São Paulo with GTP staff members, Rafael Bandiera (São Paulo, Brazil) and Paula Mendoza (Guatemala City, Guatemala).

Pray with me for a new future for Brazil, possible with God’s help and effective solidarity.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Proverbs 3:27

“Our responsibility as Christians makes us tremble. The northern hemisphere, the developed area of the world, the 20% who possess 80% of the world’s resources, are of Christian origin. What impression can our African and Asian brethren and the masses in Latin America have of Christianity, if the tree is to be judged by its fruits? For we Christians are largely responsible for the unjust world in which we live.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) in “A Christian Commitment is Needed for Latin American Development,” in Latin America Calls March 1970, as cited by Michael Novak in The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism (Seattle: Madison, 1990) 404-405.

Most people think my travel is glamorous. While I go to amazing places and see some cool things, mostly great people of God, the hardest part of my job is reconciling the global inequity and injustice.

The answer is not to take from the rich and give to the poor. The answer is to remind the poor not to focus on what they cannot do because of what they do not have but to give God what they have and watch Him work.

In case you missed it, I shared the stats from the Palmful of Maize movement in Malawi as few days ago. Find them here. The vision has directly engaged 1+ million children in Malawi in only 3 years.

It’s bringing about revival in Malawi and encouraging mindset change in the next generation. So for the poor, my work reminds them to look to God and use what they have faithfully rather than look to the rich which fosters toxic dependency.

Simultaneously, my work with the rich or the places with churches relates to reminding them to live out their calling and fulfill their responsibility as disciples. Consider these stats from the Lausanne, State of the Great Commission.

I departed from USA, which represents 9.79% of the global church. Guess what country is #2 on the list: Brazil at 7.70%. When this posts, I will still be en route.

I am thrilled to connect with the top Christians in the country for two weeks to focus on shaping stewards and setting up a peer accountability group like ECFA in USA.

The countries with the higher percentage of Christians need to get their act together.

As I looked at the chart, and where I have spent most of my year, I found it ironic that the three countries in the top four with the most unreached peoples are India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Why is my heart drawn to those places?

God has a heart for those places! And receptive workers have called for help, so it’s been a joy to serve them in dark places. But a few Americans have questioned my judgment for traveling to these places due to potential dangers.

They always add to let someone else go there. That’s the problem. We push our responsibilities to others.

What’s my point today? I think the greatest act of generosity any of us can do as part of the global church is to fulfill our responsibility. If we have been blessed with little, we must use it faithfully.

And if we have a lot, we need to empty ourselves like Jesus and take a posture of responsible service. Otherwise we give God a bad name and reputation and we produce no fruits. God help us!

God bless my time in Brazil. Reply if you want a copy of my prayer schedule.

But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Luke 12:48

“God accepts the risk of appearing to be unjust. God looks unjust, but He is not. He asks more from those to whom He gives more. They are not greater or better, they have greater responsibility. They must give more service. Live to serve.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) in Dom Helder Camara: Essential Writings (Modern Spiritual Masters; Maryknoll: Orbis, 2009) 101.

Happy Father’s Day to my dad, Jack Hoag, my brother, David Hoag, and my son, Sammy Hoag. I am thankful for the way they “live to serve” like Jesus.

Today, Brazilian saint, Hélder Câmara, reminds us that though God appears unjust, He is just. God expects more from those to whom he has given more. They have a greater responsibility.

What are you doing with what the blessings you have been given? Are you fulfilling your responsibility to do a lot of good with the blessings you have received?

Fathers, in our households we tend to have the most strength, bandwidth, and capacity. Let’s use that position of blessing not to be served but to give more service. That’s my call to generosity on Father’s Day. Give more service.

And thanks for your prayers as I fly all night from Denver to Houston to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil arriving tomorrow.

On a prior trip to Rio de Janeiro, I shot this header photo from Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) looking over to Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). Like Christ is lit up on the hillside, I pray my service brings light and life to Brazil.

And I pray for fathers everywhere reading this, that as they give more service, it will bring more light and life where they are.

He said, “Listen to my words: “When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams. Numbers 12:6

“When we are dreaming alone it is only a dream. When we are dreaming with others, it is the beginning of reality.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) as recounted in Hosanna!!!: Blessed Frederic Ozanam: Family & Friends (Veritas Ink and Press, 2024).

This quote resonated. with me as I am headed to Brazil tomorrow as a prophet to share a vision of churches and ministries flourishing with standards and to dream with leading accountants, lawyers, pastors, and ministry administrators.

What about you? How might you hear God’s voice and then dream with others about turning dependency to discipleship, shifting corruption to credibility, or something else? Generosity comes into view as changing a situation for God’s glory.

He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. Luke 1:53

“When I feed the poor, they call me a saint, but when I ask why the poor are hungry, they call me a communist.”

Hélder Câmara (1909-1999) as recounted in Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010) reading for September 22.

I will turn my attention to famous Brazilian saints for the next two weeks as my travels will take me to Brazil for the third time (2019, 2022, and 2025) from 15-29 June 2025.

My mission with fellow GTP staff members, Rafael Bandeira (from Brazil) and Paula Mendoza (from Guatemala), is to multiple stewards in many settings and identify skilled workers to activate a task force to form a peer accountability group like ECFA in USA to help strengthen churches and ministries with standards.

Today’s quote got my attention. Worldwide I see people honor the service of the needy while simultaneously avoiding taking responsibility for their care despite biblical commands to show love in this way.

And it hit me. That’s the message of today’s Scripture. God cares for the hungry, through His faithful servants, while those who aim only to care for themselves, always end up empty. Don’t let that be you!

In caring for the poor, I am not talking about handouts that create dependency but hand ups that build disciples. I am talking to those who think they own whatever they possess when God owns everything. Listen up.

I write not because of what I want from you but because of what I want for you. I don’t want you to go away empty. I want you to experience the satisfaction of filling the hungry (with food that satisfies).

Where do you fit in this picture? Don’t call me a communist. Call me fearless to ask “why” questions. Why do so many people call themselves Christians and not live how Christ called us to live?

Don’t call me a saint. Don’t call me a communist. Don’t call me crazy or radical. Call me convinced that when God’s people in any setting give Him what they have, needs get met and God gets the glory.

In case you missed it, GTP released the Palmful of Maize numbers for three years. See for yourself here. The vision has engaged over a million children in Malawi and the poorest of the poor of the world are solving their own hunger problems.

Read the stats. See for yourself. How have the hungry been fed in many districts of Malawi? Short answer. Over a million children have chosen to give God what they have.

Clearly, you are a God who works behind the scenes, God of Israel, Savior God. Isaiah 45:15

“Much of Xenia’s life remains a mystery as we know neither the dates of her birth nor her death, but only that she lived in eighteenth century Russia… It would seem that she led a rather comfortable life, and it is known that she was happily married and devoted to her husband, Col. Andrei Feodorovich Petrov, a chanter in the imperial court.

When she was twenty-six years of age, her husband died suddenly by some accounts as a result of over-imbibing at a drinking party. Inconsolable in her grief at her husband’s death, she turned her heart entirely to contemplating the Kingdom of heaven and disdained anything of the world. Giving away all her personal possessions to the poor, she threw off all ties to worldly things…

Once she had divested herself of all her belongings, Xenia disappeared from St. Petersburg for a time. It is not known where she was during this time, but it is believed that she may have spent those eight years in a convent where she learned about spiritual life and the prayer of the heart and where she further advanced her desires to be a fool for Christ…

In tune the people of St. Petersburg grew to see Xenia not as a beggar but as someone quite special… For a long time, no one knew where Xenia spent her nights. She could be seen wandering the streets and fields during daylight, but she seemed just to disappear after sunset. The police investigated the situation and found that she would spend her nights in an open field, praying and making prostrations all through the night…

Near the end of the saint’s earthly life, a church was being built in the Smolensk cemetery. The construction workers noticed during the night, while they were all home asleep, someone would move large bundles of bricks to the top of the building where they were needed the next day.

Curious to know what charitable crew was moving such heavy material for them, the workers posted a watchman one night to discover whom to thank. They were amazed to learn that it was the aged Xenia who would move the bricks for them, granted the strength to do so by an unseen Hand.”

Xenia of St. Petersburg (eighteenth century) in Holy Fools: The Lives of Twenty Fools for Christ by Oswin Craton (Chesterton: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2024) 123-129.

This marks the last of 20 fools for Christ. Perhaps Craton saved the best for last. How cool that an old lady moved bricks to help people in the darkness of night, never seeking attention. That’s generosity.

What bricks might you and I move today?

I travel to Brazil this Sunday for two weeks of program work to multiply stewards and form a working group to set up a peer accountability group. I need to pray where to direct my reading next. Stay tuned.