Called to Equador - Deborah Fernandes
Deborah Fernandes - My Calling
After four years as a Christian, the Lord God provided my (Sandra Lima) missionary vision. This was after I heard the experiences of a missionary who had been in Africa. After that event, I left the church in shock. I silently meditated on all those words.
In the year 2000, upon completing seven years of walking with Christ, the Sovereign God directed me to go a step further: to go to the Seminary. This was while I was serving the Lord in the Congregational Church “Mount of Blessing” in the town of Areia, Brazil. I was reluctant – at the time I suffered from a speech problem and was unable to speak clearly and be well understood. Nonetheless, I surrendered at the Master’s feet and went to a larger city called Recife. In this city, I attended the Congregational Theological Seminary of the Northeast – STCN.
Why is Equador a Priority?
Religion in Equador
Deborah Fernandes - My History
Sandra Lima was born in a small town in the interior of Paraíba, Brazil. This town is Areia, located in the micro-region of Brejo Paraibano, with a population of approximately 30,000. Areia is known for its illustrious characters (such as Pedro Américo and José Américo). It has notable political and historical events. For example, as the first city in Paraíba to liberate its slaves. Additionally it has memorable engenhos (sugar factories), ancient buildings and predominantly Catholic religion.
It is in this environment that I grew up, catechized under Roman Catholic standards. Praise be to our God, at the age of seventeen in August 1993, I made public my profession of faith. Now I could continue my Christian life based on the pillars of the Protestant Reformation.
Specific Ministerial Direction to Deborah
As part of the Center for the Preparation of Missionaries training, Deborah joined the JUVEP team serving the people of Equador. God touched Deborah for these people.
Mission Preparation
I undertook theological studies, concluding a Bachelor of Theology (STCN – Recife). This concluded the Full Degree in the Course of Letters. I immediately enrolled in a Specialization Course in Applied Linguistics to Teaching Portuguese. This led to me finishing the Master in Language Studies, with a concentration in Applied Linguistics. I also participated in a research group on Religious Sciences.
In 2014, I attended the JUVEP Mission School, participating in the CPM (Center for the Preparation of Missionaries) and in 2015, I completed the Language and Missiology course offered by the ALEM Mission.
The Lord has also opened the doors both to theological teaching and to higher (academic) teaching. I worked in disciplines directed to the branch of Linguistics, Methodology of Research and Education.
My Passion
“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”
(II Cor. 4.7 ESV).
After conversion, I was enchanted with the work of God and was impelled and enabled by the Holy Spirit to embrace the cause of the Kingdom, with the purpose of building the body of Christ. In this way, I had the privilege of being involved in various ministerial works, these were opportunities granted by the Lord and confirmed by the Church of Christ. Here are but a few examples:
- UMEC – Congregational Evangelical Youth Union (secretary, counselor, president, vice president);
- EMES / STEMES – Congregational Evangelical Theological Seminary (teacher in several disciplines);
- Teaching: Biblical Exposition and Preaching of The Word of God;
- Counseling;
- Discipleship.
By identifying myself with the ministry of teaching, I wrote a book entitled So Great and So Close: Reflections on the Mysterious God – with the goal of helping many Christians to rest in the arms of the Sovereign God.
Special Needs
Missionary challenges – evangelization (less than 3% of Protestant Christians), worker training and teaching (theological weakening is marked), translation and production of bilingual teaching material (Tetun and Portuguese – official languages of the country)
The Mission Challenge - Equador
East Timor is very poor, it is a postwar country. It only has 20 years of restructuring. 30% to 40% of the population has tuberculosis. Other diseases such as leprosy, malaria, AIDS are common here in Timor. There are a few tiny places where evangelical Christianity is known, but in most of the country, the people are lost. We so need to reach these people! There are a very few workers and millions of lost souls.
How to Support Deborah Fernandes' work in Equador
I work in teaching (theology and Portuguese language), teacher and worker training, translation and research. I need to raise a living for expenses with dot matrix printing, language aids, and renting a specific place for work;
East Timor is a very poor country with very large needs for economic and social development. Pray that the gospel of Jesus can take root in this needy land and that the nation will mature as an evangelical Christian stronghold. Pray for the physical, medical, social and especially spiritual development of this land.
“My car in Timor”. East Timor presents great challenges. Serving effectively among the Timorese with their daunting social challenges is difficult. There is a lot of contamination – especially with tuberculosis. And public transport is not good in this country. Faced with these difficulties, the challenge of embracing the project “my car in Timor”. I need to raise 5000 dollars.