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Birth of a New Brazilian Mission

Dave Southwell

The New Brazilian Mission

Over 50 pastors, deacons, and church representatives were
present when Jenuan presented the new mission.

After a missions consultation among Brazilian pastors and leaders in September 2004, two men, Jenuan from Fortaleza and Walmir from Natal, have moved ahead on a cross-cultural missions project that recently gave birth to a new Brazilian mission, “Multicultural Ministries Maranatha” (MMM).

Jenuan pastors a church in Fortaleza with a congregation of 200 people that does not grow beyond that simply for lack of space. When they reach their capacity, rather than buy or build, they have focused on sending out people from their church to start new congregations. Jenuan is also the director of SIBIMA, Maranatha Bible Seminary and Institute in Fortaleza, a bachelor level seminary which vibrates missions.

Walmir has a congregation of 90 people that meets in rented facilities. They have already sent out three couples as missionaries and are ready to send out another single lady with MMM. Walmir’s church invests heavily in missions by giving a percentage of their offerings, plus promise giving and special offerings. They are not concerned as much with their own comfort as with reaching out to the unsaved in other towns and villages. Their church has started a project that reaches into the Sertão, the dry, poor interior of the northeast, which has few evangelical churches.

Junior and his family

Junior and his family are one of two families
being sent by MMM, to the Cape Verde Islands,
a Portuguese-speaking archipelago just off
the coast of Africa.

The first project of MMM is “Project Cape Verde.” The Cape Verde islands are a four-hour flight from Fortaleza and lie just off the coast of Africa. The people there speak Portuguese and are very poor. Two Brazilian couples have committed to serve there, and they are in their final stages of training and raising support.

During a recent missions conference at SIBIMA, the room was packed with pastors and students from a variety of churches. Also, one afternoon at this conference, Project Cape Verde and the new mission were presented to a group of pastors and other interested people. The 50 people present listened with great interest and offered encouragement and support for both the project and the new structure to support missionaries.

Please pray for wisdom for the leaders involved in the start-up of Multicultural Missions Maranatha and for Project Cape Verde. Pray that the flame of passion will continue to burn in the hearts of many Brazilians who feel the Lord leading them into missions.