Brazil

Field Office Information

C&MA Field Entry in 1962

Field Director:

Tim Bubna

Mailing Address:

Rua Manoel Vaz, 378 Jd. Consorcio
Sao Paulo, S.P., 04.437-050 BRAZIL

Phone:

011-55-11-5631-0370

Email:

cmabr@uol.com.br

Website:

http://www.cmabrazil.org

National Church

The Brazilian Christian and Missionary Alliance: 23 organized churches and congregations, 18 ordained ministers and 20 other credentialed workers, a membership of approximately 3,000 baptized believers, 4 missionary couples and one single working in Russia, India, Japan and the Brazilian Amazon Basin among indigenous tribes.

Team Initiatives

• Plant a church in an upper middle class residential area approximately 40 miles outside of the city of São Paulo called Alphaville. Mike and Ruth Davis moved there in July, 2008, and have already started a Bible study and monthly meetings.
  
  Help plant a church in Taboão, an area of the city of São Paulo. Doug and Helen White will be working with a Brazilian pastor and his wife in the effort to see this church planted.
  
  Plant a church in Caxias do Sul, a city of 450,000 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Jim and Ann Hemminger and Jeff and Jo Kiel are working in this project.
  
  Plant a church in the Petrópolis neighborhood of Porto Alegre, a city of 1,500,000 in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Steve and Diane Renicks, Sanford and Wendie Hashimoto, Brenda Kurtz and Charlotte Hisle are working in this church plant.
  
  When praying for these church plants, pray for ways to connect with the spiritually hungry, protection from discouragement, conversions, solid growth in the discipleship of new converts, and discernment in knowing the right time to rent a place of worship.

Open Doors, Open Hearts

2006-09-14 06:58:02.0

“We started with no one, yet God has opened doors for four weekly cell groups,” said Len and Diane Warden, Alliance missionaries to Brazil. As they reflect on what the Lord has done during the past year, the Wardens are excited about what He will do next. 

     When a couple the Wardens knew was ready to separate, the husband accepted Christ and is learning to love his family. In addition, Zito, the Wardens’ next-door neighbor, regularly goes to one of their cell groups each week, where he continues to hear the gospel. Len hosts a men’s group that meets each Tuesday for breakfast, and Zito is the most faithful of those who attend. “We are praying for his salvation,” said Len and Diane. 

     “Most of our [cell group members] are new believers who need much discipleship,” the Wardens said. “We are still cultivating relationships in our gated condominium and have tried to be friendly and available to talk.” Len and Diane choose to stay home on Sunday evenings to walk around the condo and talk with neighbors who sit outside their homes. “This is a new strategy for us, since we have usually started ministry in a building and have worship services,” said Len and Diane. “We are ‘being’ Christ to our neighbors and waiting for opportunities to share what He means to us.” 

     The school where the Wardens rent a room has invited them to present student workshops on English culture and conversation each week. “This is a chance for us to get to know the students, their parents, teachers, and the [school] director’s family,” the Wardens said. “We also have been asked to give seminars for the parents on how to handle adolescents. What an opportunity!” Pray for hearts that are receptive to the gospel.

Demographics

Population

Population--186,112,794 Infant mortality rate--29.6/1,000 Life expectancy--71.7

Capital City

Brasília (2,160,100) pop.

Geography

Slightly smaller than the United States, Brazil (3,286,470 sq. mi.) covers nearly half of South America and borders every nation on the continent except Chile and Ecuador. The Brazilian Highlands are in the south, and the Amazon River Basin is in the north.

Languages

Portuguese (official), Spanish, English, French

Ethnicity/Race

White (includes Portuguese, German, Italian, Spanish, Polish)--55%; mixed White and Black--38%; Black--6%; other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian)--1%

Economy

Per capita income--$8,100 Inflation--7.6% Unemployment--11.5% Literacy rate--80% (2003 est.)

Government/Political Climate

Federative republic; achieved independence from Portugal in 1822. In 1985 the military regime peacefully ceded power to civilian rulers.

Religion

Roman Catholic--80%; Macumba/other--20%