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Stories & Blog
They Came. They Sowed. They Reaped.
BRAZIL — “Hello!” Pastor Vitor called out as he led the small group toward the next house on the dusty village path.
“Hello,” an elderly woman replied, opening the door. “Come in.”
Pastor Vitor thanked her, then introduced the group as they entered the small room. “We are from the church in the village.”
Luiza eyed them cautiously. “I have never been to church.”
“That’s ok,” Pastor Vitor said. “We just want to bless you.”
Pastor Vitor had recently attended a two-week Advanced MICALI (Ministério de Capacitação de Líderes Indígenas, or Indigenous Leaders Training Ministry) course on how to make disciples. The participants learned to study Scripture, preach a sermon, visit baptism candidates, lead a children’s program and serve the community. Now Vitor had returned to his village to put into practice the things he learned.
Luiza began to relax as the group chatted about their lives, and soon she started to share as well. “My children no longer help me in the field. I can’t take care of it on my own.”
“We will help you!” someone from the group volunteered, and others chimed in with who could hoe and plant.
The following week the group returned to Luiza’s house, garden tools in tow. They worked hard all morning, pausing occasionally to talk with Luiza or get a drink of water. Just before lunch, the village chief stopped by and stayed to eat with the group. When he saw everyone pick up a hoe to return to the field after lunch, he decided he’d better help too.
“You Christians work so hard — and with joy!” the chief said. “There is no alcohol or fighting. I want to work only with you from now on.”
When the group finished at the end of the day, Luiza looked at the field and back at each of her new friends.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said. “This means so much to me.”
The next Sunday, Pastor Vitor walked into church and stopped. Luiza sat near the front, waiting for the service to begin. And it wasn’t long before the village chief, too, came to church to hear about the God the Christians serve.
Italicized names were changed to protect identities.
“Hello,” an elderly woman replied, opening the door. “Come in.”
Pastor Vitor thanked her, then introduced the group as they entered the small room. “We are from the church in the village.”
Luiza eyed them cautiously. “I have never been to church.”
“That’s ok,” Pastor Vitor said. “We just want to bless you.”
Pastor Vitor had recently attended a two-week Advanced MICALI (Ministério de Capacitação de Líderes Indígenas, or Indigenous Leaders Training Ministry) course on how to make disciples. The participants learned to study Scripture, preach a sermon, visit baptism candidates, lead a children’s program and serve the community. Now Vitor had returned to his village to put into practice the things he learned.
Luiza began to relax as the group chatted about their lives, and soon she started to share as well. “My children no longer help me in the field. I can’t take care of it on my own.”
“We will help you!” someone from the group volunteered, and others chimed in with who could hoe and plant.
The following week the group returned to Luiza’s house, garden tools in tow. They worked hard all morning, pausing occasionally to talk with Luiza or get a drink of water. Just before lunch, the village chief stopped by and stayed to eat with the group. When he saw everyone pick up a hoe to return to the field after lunch, he decided he’d better help too.
“You Christians work so hard — and with joy!” the chief said. “There is no alcohol or fighting. I want to work only with you from now on.”
When the group finished at the end of the day, Luiza looked at the field and back at each of her new friends.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said. “This means so much to me.”
The next Sunday, Pastor Vitor walked into church and stopped. Luiza sat near the front, waiting for the service to begin. And it wasn’t long before the village chief, too, came to church to hear about the God the Christians serve.
Italicized names were changed to protect identities.
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