South American Division

Adventist Mission Transforms Community in Amazonas

Since July 2023, volunteers have built a Missionary House and a Center of Influence in Nova Canaã do Rio Cuieiras, Brazil.

October 22, 2024

Brazil

Stephanie Prado, South American Division

Center of Influence hosts religious services and serves as a support location for missions

[Photo: PV Morais]

Volunteers from the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the East and North regions of São Paulo, in partnership with the Northwest Mission Institute, have transformed the lives of residents of Nova Canaã do Rio Cuieiras, in Amazonas.

With projects carried out since July 2023, the teams have already built a missionary house and a Center of Influence. These spaces were designed to welcome volunteers and pastoral families during the missionary period, in addition to serving as places dedicated to serving and supporting the community.

“The name Center of Influence has a very important meaning. People here communicate and they are seeing what the Adventist Church is doing for this community, what Jesus does through His church,” says Arildo Souza, executive secretary and leader of the Adventist Volunteer Service of the East Paulista Conference, the denomination’s regional headquarters for part of the city of São Paulo.

Faith in Action Generates Results

Over the past year, the missionaries' service projects and testimonies have communicated the message of salvation to the residents in a practical manner. Thirteen people have already been baptized, with eight of them being baptized in one day—Saturday, October 12—following the first Evangelistic Series. Additionally, another 16 individuals are currently studying the Bible

“We already have some well-established spaces and initiatives, which is essential for the church, because we don’t want to just spend some time there and then leave. We want to plant the flag of the gospel and make the message of Christ firmly rooted in people’s hearts,” emphasizes Pastor Wilson Ferreira Guimarães, Ministerial leader for the East and North of São Paulo.

Pastors performed baptisms in the Cuieiras River after Evangelism Week

Assistance on Several Fronts

Located about 10 hours from Manaus by river, Nova Canaã is a riverside community with 40 families. “Today, the presence of the church represents our help. In many ways, the church has overcome the difficulties we faced,” says Raimundo de Souza Araujo, president of the community.

In this sense, understanding the local needs, volunteers are now helping to build a community restaurant. Although this project is not run by the church, it is an initiative of community leaders to generate income for residents.

Excited about the blessings received throughout the mission, Souza celebrates the union between the church and the residents to make plans happen. “In the beginning, the projects were all from the church to bless the community. Now, we share this blessing by helping with one of their projects. This is an important step in our progress here, to serve and bless these people,” he comments.

Called to Serve

A volunteer since his first mission, when he donated his vacation time to develop a relationship with families in the community, Wilson Guimarães highlights the steps of evangelism. “The Word says that Jesus approached people, he got involved with them, and only then did he say follow me. So the church is following this principle left by Jesus Christ,” he emphasizes.

“My biggest dream is that our Lord Jesus will soon return. Before that, my dream is that more people will volunteer and accept this challenge of preaching to the whole world, to all nations, and to the ends of the earth. This is an example from the ends of the earth, and there are many others, inside and outside Brazil,” adds Souza.