Good afternoon, Bishop!

I have several scars throughout my body.

Seven of them have a history to tell:

Two of them are on my head, both are from childhood accidents: the first one is from when I fell and hit my forehead when I was 3 years old, and the second one happened while playing in church, when I was 5.

There is another one on the inside of my thigh, from a catheterization, a pre-operation procedure to assess the severity of the heart problem – if I’m not mistaken, I was 6 years old.

There is another one, which cuts straight across my chest, from a heart surgery at the age of 7, with risks of pulmonary complications and death, to solve a heart murmur problem that worsened because of the doctor’s negligence – my parents spent nights in the hospital, sleeping on cold aluminium chairs and waking up with sore muscles; medical care was often poor and negligent.

There are also a series of small scars on my chest and back, which happened during sexual intercourse during my teenage years. My chest bled because of the scratches and these encounters always ended in arguments, fights, etc.

There is another one on my stomach, from an appendectomy. My appendix became infected and burst. The pus began affecting my other organs, so in addition to having my appendix removed, I also underwent a treatment which was kind of a wash to clean and treat the affected organs. I couldn’t eat or drink for four days. A catheter and a “tube” were placed to drain the secretion from my stomach, I had to remain hospitalized for approximately one week.

There is a phrase that is often said to pastors’ and bishops’ children: “You were born with a silver spoon in your mouth!”

Theoretically, they are right, but this doesn’t really guarantee anything.

Bishop, I met many pastors’ and bishops’ children, and it is true that many pass through small adolescent problems. It’s usually because of an identity crises, due to the constant changes of state, city and even country, and also because of their love life. Up until this point, everything seems to be fine, compared to many other situations that they are exposed to, sometimes because of the unknown, such as abortions, rapes, drugs, crime, homosexuality, bisexuality, occultism, witchcraft, etc.

And it is useless for their parents to try to “lock them up” at home, or make them spend the whole day in church, because the devil works everywhere – even in the Kids Zone!

Before I really got to know the Lord Jesus, I read books on tarot, astrology, spiritualism, occultism and masonry. I used to drink, smoke, have sex; I hung out with all sorts of people, usually from the wrong side of the tracks. Some were former assistants, former pastors, pastor’s kids, former pastor’s kids, “assistants”, members of the youth group, etc. Nowadays, some of them are dead, others left the work of God and nobody knows their whereabouts. I pray for these people.

I was afraid of death and of being alone, without my parents – which is something that most pastors’ kids say. When I heard thunder (I was afraid of the rain), an airplane or any unknown sound in the sky, I used to run to the window to see if there were children in the street (because the children would be saved for their purity). Then, I would look up to see if there was anything “weird” in the sky. I would also rush to call my mother on the phone, just to see if she would pick up, and when she did, I would find an excuse for calling.

I was constantly involved in fights. Once, five students from a military school in Sao Paulo, where I got a scholarship to attend, tried to rape me, and the only reason they failed is because I fought and struggled until the inspector broke down the door. I was nearly killed a few times because I would often get into arguments with criminals. Sometimes, I had to run away and hide.

Masturbation, pornography and lies were my daily bread. My parents never even dreamed that I was doing anything like this. They found out about one or other little “fling”, but only about a year ago, during a conversation with my father, I told him that during a certain point in my life I became an “atheist” because I did not believe in God or in anything else!

Bishop, the thing is that my parents always fought for me. Even without knowing that I was more involved in hell than they could ever imagine, the Holy Spirit showed them that I was not well, and they always gave me good advice.

I was always in and out of Church. Truth is, I never stopped attending Wednesday and Sunday services, but I did it to please my parents and avoid embarrassment.

Since my early childhood, they made vows for my health. And after I was healed in a Campaign of Israel at Mount Carmel, my parents kept making vows for my salvation, conversion and baptism with the Holy Spirit. I remember a prayer that my father made long before I got involved with many of these things. He said: “My God, I’ve given him into your hands, now do Your part!”

It is very important to note that when I had depression, I thought about disappearing. I spent nights wide awake and secretly cried every day, but my parents’ testimony and character always spoke stronger.

I thought: “How can they be married all these years, move from place to place as much as I do, live with and get along with thousands of people every week and still manage to keep the peace, joy, affection and respect?”

I began to attend the deliverance meetings. In the beginning, I would hide.

I would cry, shake and sweat!

After my deliverance, I got involved with everything that was good: evangelism and discipleship meetings, and literally walked away from everything that was bringing me down!

I began to hate everything that separated me from God.

I was delivered, healed, converted and received the Holy Spirit. The thirst for saving souls increased!

And you already know the end of this story. As you said to me during the interview, “Your parents are your first sheep!”

Today, I understand that being born “a pastors’ son” does not guarantee anything. You don’t get a silver spoon because of your parents’ title, but because of the vow they made, their integrity, character and dedication in the work of God. That is what makes a difference!

Many times, parents don’t know what is really happening in their children’s lives (which is quite common among pastors), because they are always involved with meetings, vigils, campaigns and they only get one day a week to rest and enjoy their family. But, when there is a real surrender to win souls and a testimony of a man and a woman of God in your home, along with a vow for that soul, the miracle will certainly happen!

I converted in Rio Grande do Sul – Brazil. Who knows, I might have been one of those kids in that nightclub? They were my age, and many of them, like me, went there in secret. If not for a vow, I would not be here today. Worse, I could have been there!

And the scars? They remind me of where I came from and where I am going.

This Campaign for the Family will have an amazing outcome!

Michael Costa.