Creativity marks the Hope Impact in the Southeast region

Books in the fridge, at the ATM, appearing by parachute or even arriving by delivery. Creativity was outstanding at Impacto Esperança held on Saturday, October 30th in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais. More than 2 million books were delivered and many stories were left to tell!

Young people from the Adventist Church of Greater Vitória, in Espírito Santo, presented more than 100 families with books, fruits, and vegetables through the support of a Refrigerator of Hope, equipped to serve a needy community. Residents had the opportunity to pick up a copy of the Hope Beyond the Crisis book and a kit containing apples, potatoes, carrots, cucumbers, and oranges.

In Eldorado, Serra, Espírito Santo, volunteers delivered the books through Delivery da Esperança. The group spread phone contact assignments to encourage people to attend the event. Many residents in the region also received a visit from a young man at their door to deliver a copy of the book.

In addition, residents who passed in front of the Adventist Church in the Eldorado neighborhood were served breakfast.

In Duque de Caxias, in Rio de Janeiro, the story of retired Rosália Boscarino drew attention. Two years ago she was hanging out drunk in a square, when Adventists delivered the missionary book to her. She studied the Bible, was baptized, and, this year, delivered books to the same square where she was rescued.

In the region of Engenho da Rainha, also in Rio, the book went down by rappelling to reach people passing by on the street.

The Hope ATM was a creative and playful way to promote the missionary book. The action took place at a point on the sidewalk of Campo Grande, in Rio. Adventist volunteers went to the Araçatiba neighborhood, in Viana, Espírito Santo, to distribute books and hold a Health Fair. In the locality, which is a quilombola community, the sports gym became a true health circuit. Each stand offered a service. You could measure your blood pressure, learn more about healthy eating and the importance of exercise, and even see a doctor, all for free.

A great movement marked the Impacto Esperança in Cariacica, south of Espírito Santo. A motorcade passed through different neighborhoods delivering missionary books and calling people's attention to the publication's message: to have hope in the midst of crises.

Impact on the streets and on the internet

In Itajubá, south of MG, 7,500 books reached the city. Adventists also took advantage of digital opportunities. Gécia, a member of the local church, sent the book to her WhatsApp contacts. Her aunt, who had already received the physical book, had begun watching the TV Novo Tempo and, when she received the digital book, she was looking for a way to find an Adventist Church near her home.

With much emotion, her response to her niece was: “I [love] this book! It's great to receive a book about hope. I want to find a Seventh-day Adventist Church near my home!”

During the delivery in the Nova Cidade neighborhood, in the municipality of São Gonçalo, in Rio de Janeiro, Pastor Geovane Souza met Daniele, who opened the doors of her business. The pastor offered the book and told her of the hope that the reading offered, and at that moment Daniele was moved because, as she explained, hope was all she needed as one

of her three children has opted to live a dangerous lifestyle. Despite respecting her son's decision, she was saddened. The pastor spoke of the importance of a mother's prayer and prayed with her. In prayer, she was even more moved. Soon after, she asked which was the pastor's church and he invited her to the series of lectures that will begin shortly. She perked up and prepared to attend.

At Lagoa da Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, Seventh-day Adventists also gathered and distributed books to those passing by.

This article was originally published on the South American Division’s Portuguese news site