A Beacon of Hope in Recife, Brazil
By Dr. Sophia Wong, BCM International Children’s Ministry Coordinator
When I first met Jose (pseudonym) in a slum area of Recife, Brazil, I assumed he was about eight or nine years old. A lanky boy with thin arms and legs, he wore only an old T-shirt and pair of shorts. His one-room home wedged between similar adjacent residences was long and narrow as though a slender alleyway had been enclosed into a dwelling. There were no windows, and the only light was a single bulb on the ceiling. A stove and toilet occupied one side while all other belongings were crammed on the opposite side. With the outside temperature reaching at least eighty degrees Fahrenheit, a sole fan worked extra hard to cool the room. The only furnishing of value was a small flatscreen TV.
I have been privileged to serve as BCM’s International Children’s Ministry Coordinator since 2020, a role that allows me to visit and support BCM children’s ministry in numerous parts of the world. In October 2024, I embarked on a trip to Recife, northeastern Brazil’s largest urban area with more than four million population, where BCM Brazil (known locally as Ministerio Centralizado Na Biblia, or MCB) ministers to children in Recife’s most underprivileged slums, called “favelas,” under leadership of MCB director Maria Gusmão (see “Reaching Recife’s Quarantined Slums,” BCM World Magazine, December 2020).
During my time in Recife, I participated in teacher training at a local seminary along with MCB Bible clubs, camp, and favela home visits, pictured here. All of these provided me with valuable insights and a deeper understanding of the impact of MCB’s ministry.
Favela children face numerous challenges from drug-infested environments to malnutrition and family breakdown. Jose is a typical example. After his father’s death and mother’s abandonment, he was left with his stepfather. While kind to Jose, the stepfather frequently leaves him to fend for himself while he searches for work. When I expressed concern about the safety of leaving such a young child home alone, I was surprised to learn that he was actually twelve years old. Though his changing voice hinted at the onset of puberty, his physique remained childlike due to malnourishment. He already held a job of his own delivering snacks by bicycle in exchange for meager wages which he used to buy food.
Sophia and a volunteer visiting a family in Brazil
At almost every turn, peril awaits these vulnerable young people. During school breaks, Maria Gusmao and her team organize week-long camps for children from these neighborhoods. The campers’ life stories often move the counselors to tears.
One such story involved a 15-year-old girl, Dora (pseudonym), who carried a troubled childhood memory. Dora lived with her father and brothers, who were involved in drug trafficking. When young, she was kidnapped due to her brothers’ criminal activities, leaving her with lifelong trauma. At one of the camp services, Dora heard the gospel message and decided to follow Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Upon witnessing Dora’s newfound faith, the counselors’ tears of sorrow turned into tears of joy.
In addition to camps, MCB reaches 7,800 children in 260 weekly Bible clubs held in numerous locations, the majority underprivileged neighborhoods. Schools are the primary outreach platform with religious release time classes and afterschool clubs accounting for more than 90% of the children reached by MCB. Other clubs meet in homes and even one bar (yes, a drinking bar!).
I accompanied the MCB coordinator on visits to several schools where MCB missionaries and volunteers teach Bible clubs. At one school, the principal shared how this ministry has positively impacted many children’s lives. The Bible club teacher dedicates the entire day to her role, teaching different grade levels in rotation. When problems arise at the school, the principal often consults the Bible club teacher for help. Her presence and involvement have proven a valuable asset to the community, contributing significantly to the overall school environment.
MCB director Maria Gusmao strongly believes that without faith in Jesus Christ, these boys and girls from favela neighborhoods would have little hope. Their primary source of hope lies in knowing that they are deeply loved by God so they will have a purpose in life. This perspective extends to all children who are unaware of God’s love and Jesus’s salvation.
It is this conviction that drives MCB’s mission to share the gospel with children and make disciples of Jesus Christ. Their efforts focus on bringing faith, hope, and love to young lives through biblical teachings and fostering personal relationships with Jesus Christ. As a result, MCB has become a beacon of hope in the community of Recife.
Originally Published in BCM World March 2025
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