Adventist Volunteer Service invited a courageous Brazilian couple to serve in the city of Puerto Williams, known as the "End of the World" in southern Chile. Ismael de Oliveira and Olivia Allen have left the pleasant temperatures of Brazil and the beautiful beaches to embark on a new adventure in this extreme southern region.
Puerto Williams is a town that exists in cold weather 365 days a year, reaching an annual maximum of 7.2ºC (approx. 45ºF) in its warmest month and an annual minimum of -2.8ºC (approx. 27ºF) in its coldest month—a climate that is far from that with which Ismael, who comes from a city with temperatures that reach 40ºC (104ºF), is familiar.
A New Reality
"It is a big change for us. Before, we had lived in Argentina. There, it is quite cold at some times of the year also; however, this is a challenge. Here, there are very low temperatures, and we had not experienced that before," says Olivia.
This has been a challenge that has not been exempt from multiple complications, which have been embraced with strength by Ismael and Olivia, who committed themselves to take the message of salvation to this locality and its community of 2,000 people.
The Method of Christ
Following the objective of reaching the hearts of the people in the extreme south of Chile, this couple has sought various ways to impact the community, using the method of Christ.
Looking out for the needs of the people and their interests, Ismael and Olivia decided to offer Portuguese classes to the public. These classes were held at the Puerto Williams high school three times a week for two months. These classes also included content referring to the Adventist faith, as well as biblical meditation and a prayer before the beginning of each session.
These classes have been attended by 20 people, including teenagers and adults, who have learned the language from scratch and also been enriched by the message of hope.
A Pleasant Experience
This opportunity has been extremely valuable, according to Olivia, who sees the new links with the community in southern Chile in a positive light.
"We are very satisfied with the results with the community, which is already asking us for the second part of the class," says Olivia.
Many people keep an eye on the work of this volunteer couple because of the great contribution Adventist Volunteer Service makes in different parts of the world.
You, too, can travel the world and serve Christ using your gifts.
The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish-language news site.