As told by Pastor Amilton: “In 1989, it had been 15 years since I was involved in the ministry of a church, based in Belo Horizonte. One morning, during a prayer session, I opened the Bible and came across the text: 'Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word' (Psalm 119:74).
The Lord opened my eyes with a vision. I could clearly see a group of people gathered, in a very distant place. They were truly joyful, because I had obeyed God and ministered to them the Gospel of Christ. I felt a mix of fear and joy. I prayed for grace and confirmation, due to the smallness of my faith. Shortly after, a sister approached me after a worship meeting and told me of a dream. She had the same dream three times, and so was troubled about what it might mean.
In the dream, she saw me in a green field, while three things caught her attention:
1) The feeling that it was a distant place;
2) Little plants sprouting and growing quickly;
3) A sign being carried by the wind, bearing a message, which she couldn't read.
This was the first, among many other confirmations, through prophecies and visions, further building my faith. After that, God led me through various circumstances, regarding England. I then began to arrange things in order to obey the vision God had given me. I went through great struggles and trials. However, the Lord had mercy on me and strengthened me. R
egarding the Church where I worked, there was also no understanding of this direction from God in my ministry, and therefore, no support at all. I realized then that I should invest everything I had in the Word I had received from God. I invested my ministerial future, family, and also sold everything I had (car and household items). The total I raised was about $6,800.00. I bought five tickets (mine, my wife’s, and our three children) to London, which cost me $6,500.00. I was left with just $300.00 in my pocket. But in everything, I could see God's provision. In the last three days before our trip, God supplied us with an additional $2,000.00.
We asked nothing from anyone, as we believe this should not be the posture of a man of God. The Lord granted us everything. Blessed be His Name! The day of the trip arrived. It was a beautiful Sunday. We set off with the family. We arrived in London on Monday morning, 16/7/90. We were accommodated in an English school in Southall. Soon after, we moved to a shared house with other students, rented to us by the school. Guided by the director, we enrolled to study English. Nearly all our money was gone. Not even a month had passed in London when a phone call from a relative brought the terrible news of my father-in-law's death.
It was a Thursday morning and we were in the classroom at that time. The news shocked us, especially my wife. In the afternoon, we received a visit from the Director, who advised us to return to Brazil, as our return tickets were expiring the following Sunday. Besides the mourning situation, the director argued: 'You have no mission or church to support you here. You also cannot work and the situation is completely different from your country. Both in terms of cost of living and climate...'.
I had to make this decision by the next morning, in order to retrieve the passports which were at immigration for visa exchange. I entered a battle of prayer, and by dawn, I had full restoration of faith. Early in the morning, I met with the director and told him that we would stay, along with the family. I was confident in God's provision. Running out of money, without support or work, I was led to full dependence on God.
I remember finding a place for prayer, in a small park near the house where we lived. There, God comforted me with His Word. Psalm 73:25 was my prayer: 'Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.' Then, I had several experiences of personal and family needs being met. After that, I faced many more struggles and trials. But from all these, the Lord delivered us. We then started the work in an apartment we had rented, in the Willow House, Harrow Rd., London. It was a Tuesday, the evening of 12th February 1991.
The first meeting had participants: the family, a young sister who lived in our house, and three more brothers who came that night. We were nine people in total. The 2nd meeting was on Thursday, 14th . On 27th April, we began meeting at Westbourne Pk. Baptist Church, in Paddington . After that, God granted C.C.L. the grace to birth several daughters - six in total. Blessed be the Lord’s Name! And the work continues.