Quilombola Mission Update February 2020
Goldemberg and Jacqueline taking the Gospel to the Quilombolas
Rather, as it is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”
Dear brothers and mission partners,
Quilombola Mission – We wish the Grace and Peace of Jesus be with you all. It is with great joy that we share the way how God has taken care of us and helped us ministerially. We have no doubts that He is with us at all times and raised each one of you to help us support along the way.
The Miracle of Life
When we arrived here in Itacaré, there were only two of us. However, God’s goodness and grace are now three. It is with great happiness that we share with our loved ones the news of the pregnancy of our first son or daughter. Jaqueline is six weeks old and this baby is the result of our love and response from our prayers. Every day we pray for your salvation and that the Lord keep looking after our home.
Quilombola Mission - Our Activities
Our adaptation in the city has been smooth, we are meeting regularly at the Itacaré Presbyterian Church and whenever we can, we visit the First Baptist Church of Itabuna, the “sending” church from Goldemberg. We continue with tutoring classes in the quilombola community of Santo Amaro. It has been a great challenge, since teaching there is very precarious and most children are know how to read.
The school that the boys study at is precarious. Classes are taught by a single teacher to all classes of elementary I, in the same shift and environment. Thus, student achievement is greatly affected and end up passing from one series to another without being able to read and absolve the content given in the classroom.
Faced with this problem, our tutoring classes focus on literacy and improvement of reading. There are around twenty students studying with us on the shift opposite to the lessons. Jaqueline teaches to younger children and Goldemberg to pre-teens.
Reading Incentive Campaign
Thinking about improving the work, we are running a campaign of collection of children’s literature books. Books can have content biblical or secular, as long as they teach principles for a good development of the character of these boys and girls, aged 4 to 12 years. If you want to send books, publicize the campaign or send offers for this purpose, contact us. We believe that encouraging reading is a good way to promote transformation in the lives of those people and also the development in the study of the word of God.
Challenge to the Community
As we have already shared, our access to the community is done by boat, across the Rio de Contas. As we do not yet have a means of water transport, we depend on third parties to take us and we need to pay for each trip. Because of this, we’ve only gone twice a week to community. Our wish for this year is to have a frequency of at least three trips a week. We believe that going more often we will have a better use best of the time, but we need to raise more resources to finance the transport.
Quilombola Mission - Beginning of Bible Study
Last February 1st, we received about thirty volunteer brothers from city of Itabuna that carried out a social action in the Santo Amaro community. The activities were coordinated by Associação Fala in partnership with us. The association aims to assist missionaries and local churches through actions that promote social development. Activities such as: doctor, haircut and child recreation.
Gratitude
Beloved, there are many challenges in the process of reaching the lost. But we are sure that the Lord is the owner of this work. We are very grateful to Him for support us and allow us to serve you in this very special task. This is not a work done only by us, but it is the result of the engagement of our sending churches, partner churches, the Juvep Mission and each maintainer and prayer partner. May He keep us steadfast in the purpose of spreading message of salvation to the world!
Prayer Requests
Pray for:
- João Rodrigues community, for new opportunities for relationship and openness to the preaching of the gospel;
- the Santo Amaro community, for the tutoring classes, book campaigns, expenses with boat trips and the beginning of Bible studies;
- pregnancy, health and financial supply in yet another challenge;
- our home and spiritual life.