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Missions Comes Full Circle in Brazil

By Jerry Neuman

God has been preparing a mission launch for some time as the city of Fortaleza, Brazil, has become a commercial point for the residents of Cape Verde, Africa, and the surrounding countries, with two weekly flights between these countries. The ABWE administrator for Brazil, Dave Southwell, invited some Brazilian leaders and missionaries to come together in the fall of 2004 for a missions consortium meeting in Sao Paulo. Pastor Jenuan was a part of that meeting and is seeking to initiate a cross-cultural missions project.

God then engineered contacts with several young people from Guinea Bissau and Cape Verde in Africa who came to share about their countries. Recognizing Fortaleza’s strategic location on this commercial highway, the vision was born to use it for the advantage of the gospel by establishing a base in Cape Verde to serve as a jump-off point for sending Brazilians to the Portuguese-speaking countries of Africa. Since Pastor Jenuan is also the director of the Maranatha Bible School and pastor of the Planalto Biblical Baptist Church, God has given him a broad platform for stimulating interest among Brazilians in spreading the glory of God to the African continent.

On March 10, we saw three Brazilians and one American make the 400 mile flight from our strategic point on the eastern Brazilian coastline to this emerging nation of ten volcanic islands 400 km off the western coast of Africa. God miraculously provided a place for the team to stay on the island of Santiago.

The survey team was able to visit various towns on the island, scouting out one that looks promising for the launching of this project. There are only two churches there, but neither preaches a clear gospel that changes lives. Since there is a great need for professionals in the areas of health and education, Brazilians could supplement their support in this way. The hope is that within two years, there will be a team there to begin establishing a church by building rapport through meeting some type of social need—perhaps a ministry to the deaf.

On a Sunday evening after the survey trip, we sat in church looking at pictures gathered, hearing the survey report, singing a song in Criolo, and listening to Pastor Jenuan’s challenge to consider what part God wants each of us to have in this project. Afterward, I talked to one of our students who would like to minister in Cape Verde. She was moved to tears by her gratefulness for the message received through the sacrifice of American missionaries who have come to Brazil over the years. She expressed her willingness to courageously face whatever deprivations she must to spread God’s glorious gospel. Hearts were moved as the team realized that missions in Brazil has come full circle.