An anonymous act of kindness can spark a profound transformation in the life of another person. What if the smallest, quietest, simplest gesture could change a person close to you today?
One significant way in which generosity has influenced my life as a missionary is through the acts of anonymous donors. It is really powerful when a person gives and yet knows they won’t receive any acknowledgment or public gratitude for their kindness and thoughtfulness. I think God must love that!
A few years ago, a friend visited the project I run in São Paulo, Brazil. Upon returning home, he invited three friends over for dinner and shared how deeply he was moved by his encounters with street children and the conditions in the slums. Just as the meal was almost over, they heard a noise at the front door. Upon checking, he discovered an envelope on the mat labelled ‘For Cally’. Inside, he found £25.
Returning to the table, he eagerly presented the envelope to his friends. One of the guests was so touched by this anonymous gift that he chose to dedicate his life to Jesus that very evening. While the unexpected gift was a delightful surprise and a true blessing for me, it was made even more special by the fact that it led to someone becoming a Christian!
During my travels in São Paulo, I also have the privilege of anonymously blessing others. When I need to pay a toll to return home, I often pause in the queue to share with the cashier that Jesus loves them, rather than hurrying through the automatic barrier. I then ask if the cashier could tell the person or people in the car behind me that Jesus loves them too and then I pay for their toll fee as well as mine. I drive off praying that this small anonymous gesture will touch their hearts and lead them to Christ. I know the cashier gets blessed too.
At the start of 2024, The Eagle Project received a remarkably generous anonymous contribution which has enabled us to accomplish more this year than ever before. Our ongoing prayer is to assist more youth trapped in the cycle of violence and crime here in São Paulo, helping them to realise their potential. The funds supported with Stewardship enable us to do this daily, with amazing results and we are so grateful for all the support we receive – including all the anonymous donations!
Cally Magalhaes, The Eagle Project
Reflect
"Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honoured by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you". Matthew 6:1–4 (NIV)
Pray
Give thanks for the power of anonymous generosity and how it reflects the heart of God, who gives without seeking recognition. Pray for those who give anonymously, that they would experience the joy of partnering with God’s work in unseen but impactful ways. Ask God to bless and multiply the efforts of missionaries and ministries, like those working in São Paulo, to bring hope, transformation, and the love of Jesus to those in need. Finally, pray that even small acts of kindness – whether giving, encouraging, or serving – would be used by God to lead others to Him.
Act
Acts for you to consider today:
| Spend a minute before you eat to go around the table to tell each person what they mean to you. | ||
| Serve your meal on paper plates. Write a message on each that is relevant to the person that will sit there. | ||
| Make/buy conversation-starter cards that you place in the middle of the table during mealtime. |
Share
Follow 40acts on our socials! Don't miss out as we share reaction to the 40acts movement every day during Lent.
About The Eagle Project
The Eagle Project (Associação Águia), a registered charity in Brazil, is run by Cally Magalhães and a team of Brazilian staff and volunteers who in the year 2000 began rescuing children and teenagers from the streets of Sao Paulo, one of the largest and most violent cities in the world. Their focus now is on the youth prisons helping 15–19-year-olds from disadvantaged backgrounds where extreme poverty, abuse, drugs, illiteracy and violence are a normal part of their lives. The team lead workshops with these young people inside the prisons using psychodrama therapy based on the principles of restorative justice, as well as individual counselling sessions.
