HARVEST BRAZIL
Prayer Letter
December 15, 2018
Harvest Brazil invites people to obey a global calling at a local level, equipping churches to demonstrate God’s love in every area of life.
CONTACT
Cleiton Oliveira – coliveira@harvestfoundation.org
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/associacaoharvestbrasil/
“At this Christmas when Christ comes, will He find a warm heart?
Mark the season of Advent by loving and serving the others
with God’s own love and concern.” Mother Teresa
PRAYERS
May each Harvest worker have the eternal vision that in Jesus the glory to come is much greater than any trial we might experience. Please keep praying for the elderly parents of several workers in their solitude and illness.
As we think about plans for 2019, may all of us count on Jesus and nothing else to help us complete the journey God has for us. In a specific way, may the Lord appoint a pastor for the International Church planting project in Balneário Camboriu.
Let’s thank the Lord for journey mercies and the many love actions that brought transformation to the lives of individuals and communities in Brazil and in the USA. They are beyond what we are able to report. We are grateful for the many answered prayers with healing, provision, completion of the Guarany schoolhouse, English and music classes, and the loving mobilization of fifty-four churches that participated.
Let’s keep praying for the presidential transition in Brazil, for the upcoming surgery of the newly elected President, Mr. Bolsonaro, the new cabinet to be appointed, and their government plans.
BIBLICAL CITIZENSHIP
The joy of having Jesus among us
“When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.” Matthew 2.10
Multiplication is a key element of our SamS projects and it happens in different ways. One example is what Gabi, our dear team member and arts teacher, did at the Energia High School.
Since 2015, the high-school students (ages 13 to 15) of the Energia High School in Balneário Camboriú have done seed projects under the coordination of teacher Maria Gabriela de Jesus. This year, twenty-nine seed projects were carried out, with the participation of one hundred and twelve students, in addition to teachers, families and beneficiaries.
The seed projects were done in associations for children with Down Syndrome, asylums, nursing homes, shelters for children at risk, pet’s shelters, and activities on streets and squares where the students shared flowers and hugs. The positive results were contagious and inspiring. The students did projects creating environments of wisdom, joy, service, and donating gifts to the needy. They also presented the highlights and low points of their activities in a Project Fair at the school where teachers, parents, other students, and guests were present (pictures credit: Facebook Colégio Energia BC – Fundamental).
Gabi has made a significant impact in her community using the concept of seed projects. She has helped the students learn how to break a big task into smaller parts and work with a simple tool to plan, implement, and evaluate activities. While planning their projects, the students started to see their neighbors and the needs around them. In general, they would have not much contact with the brokenness in their communities, but through seed projects they were encouraged to identify a need and act on behalf of those who were hurting.
Obedience yields fruit and the students have learned to obey God, sometimes even before they confessed Him as Lord and Savior. In turn, their loving obedience to the greatest command to love God, and its greatest expression, to love neighbor, blessed them in many ways. It is not rare that relationships in schools become tense. Unfortunately, stories about students being aggressive with their teachers and classmates and bullying have increased everywhere. At Energia, seed projects helped improve social relationships, so that the entire school and community benefited from them.
By God’s grace and favor, in 2018 Harvest Brazil did 1,211 seed projects/disciplines of love with 1,970 beneficiaries. These opportunities to serve the needy filled us with a sentiment similar to what the magi experienced when they saw the star and were overjoyed. Jesus is among us!! Small actions, small projects, several trips, the support of every church and friend, all prayers, and the diligent work of our Harvest Brazil team, added altogether, enabled us to have a beautiful harvest in 2018. Today we share this joy with you!
Thank you so much for your support. You helped us remain faithful in the midst of trials without losing sight of the glory to come.
Picture credit: Facebook Colégio Energia BC – Fundamental 1
Facebook Colégio Energia BC – Fundamental 2
PRAY FOR GENEROUS DONATIONS
Your gift is an investment to educate church leaders and to do community projects, $30 will provide the scholarship for a module of English or music classes. We invite you to pray and contribute now!
Checks: written to “Harvest” and mailed to P. O Box 2670, Phoenix, AZ 85002. Credit card: click on the “Donate” button on this page. Add a note to the check or write on the comments box for online donations: “Harvest Brazil”.
Thank you for your participation!