My name is Matheus Barros and I am from Brazil. I completed my DTS in 2019, and it was an amazing, life-changing experience of growing in my relationship with God.
By the end of the Discipleship Training School, God started speaking to me about attending the School of Evangelism (SOE). I felt God prompting me to do the school, but I resisted the idea because I didn't have the tuition. I had a month long break between the two schools and I began to pray to see if this was even going to be possible.
During the break, my school leader, called me and said, "Hey, Matheus. I just want to see if you are still coming back for SOE?"
I told her, "It just wasn't my time to go with only $1,500 saved." My plan was to volunteer in the ministry and maybe do the school in Brazil.
Sitting in the campus wide Sunday night service, I watched as all of my friends were introduced on stage for the SOE. I was sitting with a family from Benin, Africa and their four year old son looked up at me and said, "Matheus, you should pray."
I said, "What do you mean?"
He said, "You should pray for money to do the SOE." I realized the Lord was using a four year old to speak to me! I wasn't trusting God to provide for me to do the school.
God wanted me to continue in my discipleship because my healing and growth in Him weren't finished. As I walked to the SOE welcome party, I told my friends from Africa, what their four year old kid had told me about praying for money.
A student at the welcome party approached me and my African friend and said, "Hey guys, I heard your SOE was going to be a multicultural and I know you guys need finances. I want to bless you. I want to talk to my family and give money to you guys."
My friend said, "It's okay. I don't need any finances. My expenses are covered. Thank you so much." Then he turned to me said, "I would like to support you and bless you."
I said, "No, I don't want to do the school. I have other plans."
We exchanged contact information, and I went back to where I was staying. But I could not sleep! Everything the Holy Spirit was speaking to me through the four year old kid, and the student who offered to bless me financially, — all of those things kept running through my mind. I spent the whole night praying and talking to Jesus.
Finally, I said, "Ok, God. If this guy gives me the money I'll do the school." The Holy Spirit instantly convicted me saying, "Why do you have to see something else happen? I already gave you enough signs and showed you what I want you to do. Do you need to see something else happen for you to be obedient?"
I started packing everything that same night to go. As I organized my stuff and my luggage, I said, "Okay God, you already spoke and gave me enough signs that I should do the SOE."
The following morning, I talked to the school leader and told her I was going to do the school. That's when I stepped out in faith. She said, "Well, I was just waiting for you to say 'yes' because I knew you should do the school."
God provided for me. God told me that finances are nothing for him, if he provided once miraculously, he can do it again.
