Mzee Carlos' Death

July 6, 2025

Hello, Brothers and Sisters, this is Brother Aderson.

I want to share with you the events that surrounded the death of my father. His name was Carlos Manuel David

On Tuesday, April 22, around 1:00 a.m., my family—father, mother, two brothers, and one cousin—had just finished the midnight prayer and decided to rest before the 3:00 a.m. prayer. One of my brothers, whom I will call Peter, decided to linger in the kitchen and wait for the 3:00 a.m. prayer meeting, while the others went to their respective bedrooms.

At approximately 1:20 a.m., more than ten armed men entered the house and broke down the kitchen door. Peter called for help when he noticed that they were trying to break the door, and my father and another brother—whom I will call John—rushed to help. They weren't expecting an army of robbers to invade the house and tried to stop them from breaking down the door.

The robbers started firing at the door mercilessly, and one of the bullets hit Peter in the right shoulder. He was unaware that he had been shot. As the family surrendered and cried out to Jesus, one of the robbers shot my father, killing him instantly.

The robber then fired several bullets at my brother at close range. Miraculously, only one bullet hit his left middle and ring fingers. The robbers then ordered Peter to lie down in the dining room, which was on the left side of the kitchen, and dragged him back to the kitchen, close to my father's dead body.

Meanwhile, while they were shooting at the house, John was injured in the chest. The bullet came out of his back without touching any bones; it almost perforated his lungs. John said his reaction was to turn around and go back to his room to protect his family (his wife and two children).

During this time, my mother stayed in the room and prayed to God. She later said that she could not believe what was happening. She grabbed the phone and called the police, but there was no response. Then she called my uncle for help. One of the robbers entered her room, pointed a gun at her, and told her to stop praying. He said that he wouldn't kill her. He asked her for her belongings and money. She replied that she had little money in her purse and offered to give it to him. The robber attempted to grab the money but saw the rosary and refused to take it. He demanded that my mother give it to him. She obeyed, and after some time, he left the room.

Brother John was in his room praying to Jesus while injured. One of the robbers heard someone shout, "Jesus" from John’s room. He shouted to the others that there was one more man alive. They rushed to the room and demanded that John open it, threatening to kill his family if he didn't. John opened the door and collapsed on his bed. One of the robbers entered, saw that John was already bleeding on his bed, and stole whatever he could grab. Then, he left the room and told the others not to enter because there was nothing there.

My mother said that there was a moment of silence, and she thought they had left. She left the room and headed to the kitchen, where she saw her husband and son Peter on the floor. She thought they were all dead. As she tried to approach them, the same man who had dragged Peter close to her husband’s dead body fired at her, and a bullet perforated her abdomen. After shooting her, the robber turned around and left the house.

They stole one of her husband’s vehicles and left. All of this lasted more than forty minutes.

Mother then approached Father’s body and straightened his jaw. She was relieved to see that her two sons were still alive, despite their conditions. She and Peter went outside to ask for help. Some neighbors heard the gunshots, but they couldn't do anything because armed men were securing access to the house.

Some neighbors then came to the house. She handed them the key to her late husband’s SUV and rushed to the hospital with Peter and John.

AT THE HOSPITAL:

My family arrived at the hospital in serious condition. The doctors were amazed that Mother and John were still alive after bleeding for so long without assistance. Mother is 61 years old and was walking when they arrived.

Peter was stable; he only became aware of the bullet in his shoulder at the hospital.

Mother and John had to undergo surgery, and thank God, it went well. It was a miracle that they were alive.

THE SAD NEWS:

On Monday, April 21, around 7 p.m., I started feeling gloomy for no apparent reason. I decided to rest for a while and prepare my Lord's Supper later. I didn't wake up until my phone rang.

At 1:53 a.m., I received a call from my uncle. He was in distress. He asked me to get my car ready and pick him up. At first, I thought there was a problem with my grandmother because they live together. However, when I arrived at his house and saw him with his gun, I wondered if something had happened at my father’s house.

From there, we headed to the police headquarters for backup. On the way, he called the emergency number, but no one picked up. We arrived at the police headquarters and spent almost 30 minutes there. Then, I drove to my father’s house, and on the way, he told me that the house had been robbed and that they had shot my father.

I didn't panic. I felt at peace, and the only thing I did was to drive faster. When we arrived, I received the news that my father had been shot dead. I saw his lifeless body from a distance because the police officer there wouldn't let me in. I screamed and cried for a moment to release my anger.

Then, I proceeded to the back door, which led to the kitchen. I saw his feet. I prayed to God and praised Him. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit while praying. Deep down, I hoped that God would perform a miracle and resurrect him, but it never happened.

When I was allowed to enter the house, I saw his body lying on the floor, and I said to myself, “The soul is no longer in the body”. I was sure that he had gone to the Lord, and no prayer would resurrect him.

GOD’s MERCY AT WORK

Once Peter had settled in the hospital, he asked God to bring his father back. That night, he had a dream in which God showed him what had really happened.

Peter said that when the robbers entered the house and father put his hands in the air, surrendering to the robbers. Jesus appeared to Father and told him, "Son, it is time." Jesus then stretched out his hands and took Father's soul out of his body. When the murderer fired at him, his soul was no longer in his body. Peter said that our father did not scream when the bullet entered his body, and he fell as if someone were supporting him.

Peter also said that when the robbers entered the house, he was surrounded by God’s peace as in Philippians 4:7. He had no fear or anxiety. He was ready to die if that was the will of God.

As mentioned before, when Peter was dragged by the murderer from the dining room to the kitchen and placed near his father's dead body, it seemed as if Jesus had closed his eyes to appear dead before the robbers. Thus, some of the robbers thought he was dead, too.

When John turned back to his room instinctively after being shot. Jesus gave him the inspiration to do so, and Jesus was with him while he bled.

Peter said that Jesus was with Mother on the street, shouting for help. Jesus gave her supernatural strength to walk despite her injury.

Peter said that he heard four gunshots aimed at him, but none of them hit him. A few days later, Peter was telling this story to a pastor. The pastor said he had a vision of an angel in front of Peter deflecting all the bullets with his sword.

It was truly a miracle for him to be alive. The police said the 9mm bullet that hit his finger would rip it off instead of fracturing it.

After the robbers left, Peter stood up and started speaking in tongues. Our cousin said that she heard him speaking Portuguese, thanking and praising God for delivering him. Family, these men were on a mission, but the Lord confounded them as in

Psalms 55:9

“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city.”

DREAMS WITH FATHER

The day after our father died, one of our nieces cried to God because she hadn't said goodbye to her grandfather. That same night, she said, our father appeared to her and consoled her. He told her that he was fine and in a good place.

Another person close to the family also had a dream with my father. In the dream, he appeared with angels. He looked handsome and younger. He gave him some advice and told him that it was his time to leave this world, that we should all remain in the ways of the Lord, and that he was not with us, but closer…, among other things.

This confirmed what we already knew: that he had gone to the Lord because of his martyrdom. One thing I did not mention is that he was supposed to spend seven days on a retreat, but he returned home around 9 p.m. on Monday, April 21st, saying that he could not find a taxi to take him to the retreat.

He then said that God told him to go back home to protect his family.

THE STATE OF THE ROBBERS

In the dream my sister shared with my mother, she said that when the robbers entered the house, the kitchen became dark, and Satan possessed them. When the family shouted the name of Jesus, the robbers became infuriated. One of them said, "See, they even call on Jesus!"

Indeed, my parents and brothers never stopped calling on Jesus for help.

Most robbers and murderers make agreements with witch doctors for protection; they believe Satan will protect them, and they will not be caught by police.

Five out of the nine men arrested by the police did not show any signs of repentance or apology to the family.

THE FORGIVENESS

I want justice to be served, but it's not something I dwell on. Honestly, I don't think much about the robbers, whether they're in prison or on the run. I pray that they repent and know Jesus because that's what Jesus wants.

I can’t say that I have forgiven them because I don't think about it. Maybe after writing this message, I will sit with the Lord and examine my heart.

My mother and two brothers have seen the robbers and forgiven them.

STRENGTH FROM ABOVE

The next day, at the hospital, Peter and John wasted no time evangelizing the staff who took care of them. They took the opportunity to speak about God's goodness and how He spared their lives.

Some nurses were convinced that, without divine intervention, Peter and John would not be alive.

For example, the bullet that hit Peter did not touch any bone or vein. They said there was a critical artery near where the bullet was.

Peter said of a nurse, after hearing their testimony and knowing about their faith, said that I want to know the God you serve because I have not been praying well. Another nurse said that he was considering going back to God.

AT FATHER'S HOUSE.

The mother and two brothers were discharged from the hospital three days after admission. They spoke about God’s mercy towards their family and shared their testimony with visitors.

It was amazing to see how God touched people through their testimonies. Almost everyone who was brokenhearted and approached one of them was comforted.

I did the same. I was sure that Father was in Heaven, so I didn't cry much or despair. I received people with a smile and such peace of mind that I wondered what God had done to me.

Matthew 5:4 reads: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted." It is a well-known verse that speaks directly to the experience of mourning. Additionally, Psalm 34:18, "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

We could only endure this tragic situation with His help.

Many of you have gone through similar or more tragic events in your lives. I want to tell you that the Lord never left. The despair enters a soul when we allow our carnal emotions to take over, and we forget that we are but pilgrims on this earth, and our eternal dwelling is in heaven with God.

WARNINGS FROM GOD

Before my father died, someone in the spirit told my grandmother that her son would die, and then the person disappeared.

My mother had several dreams in which robbers entered the house and stole my father’s car.

On Monday morning, Peter said he had a dream in which robbers entered the house through the kitchen door—exactly what had happened—but when he woke up, he forgot about the dream.

On Sunday, I took two Rhema messages from Mother Clare’s website. The first one said to forgive any grievances I might have, and the second Rhema talked about the church of Smyrna, urging believers not to fear persecution and emphasizing that although the devil will cause suffering, faithfulness until death will be rewarded with the "crown of life."

From the day my father died until the day my family left the house, exactly ten days passed.

We read in The Book of

Amos 3:7.

Surely the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets (AMP). 

God was faithful to his word; He prepared us for this moment.

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus instructs his disciples to "deny themselves" and take up their cross to follow him. This implies a willingness to sacrifice personal desires and ambitions for the sake of God's will.

As brides of Christ, we must be ready to deny Him nothing when He asks for something dear to us. In our case, Jesus asked for our father, and we agreed. I was not ready to lose him, but I surrendered to God's will. It was painful, yes, but with God, the burden is light and bearable.

It is important to teach our children in the ways of the Lord so that when an unexpected situation like this happens, they do not lose their faith in the Lord. Train them to see the thing with their spiritual eyes and understand that God is God in good and bad moments.

During the last days of my father's life, he devoted himself to Christ. My mother said he often told her to be ready to lose him because he had accomplished everything he wanted to on this earth and was ready to go to Heaven. He acknowledged that all his suffering was because of the time he walked out of God’s will and had to go through it.

My mother also said that when she saw him lying dead on the floor and went to straighten his jaw, he looked at her and smiled. Two people who saw his body said it was glowing.

Around 400 people attended his funeral. It was never seen in that neighborhood. He died on a Tuesday after celebrating his last Easter.

I want to leave you with a scripture that comforted me,

From the Book of

Wisdom 4:7-18

But the righteous man, though he die early, will be at rest.⁸ For old age is not honored for length of time, nor measured by number of years;⁹ but understanding is gray hair for men, and a blameless life is ripe old age.

¹⁰ There was one who pleased God and was loved by him, and while living among sinners he was taken up.¹¹ He was caught up lest evil change his understanding or guile deceive his soul.¹² For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good, and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.¹³ Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled long years;¹⁴ for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore he took him quickly from the midst of wickedness.¹⁵ Yet the peoples saw and did not understand, nor take such a thing to heart, that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect, and he watches over his holy ones.

¹⁶ The righteous man who has died will condemn the ungodly who are living, and youth that is quickly perfected^[d] will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous man.¹⁷ For they will see the end of the wise man, and will not understand what the Lord purposed for him, and for what he kept him safe.¹⁸ They will see, and will have contempt for him, but the Lord will laugh them to scorn

I hope this testimony encourages you in your trials

May God bless you!

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