Our vision for Brazil

[Sister Alvear]

Let me quote a little from different sources to help you understand just how Bib Brazil is:

Brazil is the largest country in South America and the fourth-largest in the world in coterminous area, ranking after Russia, Canada, and China (the US is larger with Alaska, Hawaii, and the dependencies included). Occupying nearly half of the South American continent, it covers an area of 8,511,965 sq km (3,286,488 sq mi), extending 4,395 km (2,731 mi) N – S and 4,320 km (2,684 mi) E – W.

Bigger than the USA excluding Alaska and Hawaii...

income...

In determining the new R$70 per capita extreme poverty line, the IBGE took a number of factors into account besides income. For example, living conditions, the presence of indoor toilets and access to sewerage, potable water and electricity. The IBGE also evaluated whether the family members were elderly or illiterate.
Some other numbers in the IBGE surveys show just how daunting the problem of poverty is and the challenge facing the government: according to the IBGE, out of the 16.2 million in extreme poverty, 4.8 million have no income at all and the remaining 11.4 million have per capita income that varies widely - from R$1 to R$70 per month.


Allen Bennett

[Sister Alvear]

I came to this country 43 years ago just out of High School...Growing up I read a book about the churches that survived in China after the communist takeover...It was the national churchs. Those that depended fully or almost fully on the states did not survive. Those that had the missionary as the big boss...handing out checks did not survive. the ones that did survive were the ones that learned to become self supporting.

The work we oversee is divided into regions... The huge state of Sao Paulo is on one region and our churches are 100 % self supporting. Foreign money goes for special projects and things like that but no support is given to national pastors. Many work and others now can live off the tithes depending on the situation. All churches are paid for and are blessed. (This was the first area we worked in years ago)
Another region is the state of Minas Gerias. This state is also self supporting and all churches are paid for.
Another region is Bahia although we do not have a big work in Bahia they are self supporting other than one little new work that we have promised to help buy doors for their church.

Another region is Mato Grosso...the work there is also self supporting. In fact they just had their convention a couple weeks ago. The areas that are self supporting they have their own leaders and we do not even have to go into these areas expect for visits.

Our son moved to the jungle area in the state of Maranhao... that is another region. We send help still to that area but in time they too will be self supporting. If all stateside money were suddenly cut off they can survive. They plant their rice and beans on our jungle land.

Another region is Ceara. Our Brazilian churches recieve missionary offerings to help this region. However they are growing and require little outside help.

We have the Para region. Our pastor there is self supporting and the Brazilian church recieve offerings to help on 2 rented building in that state. We own the headquarters building which is a nice church and small home for the pastor.

Our region is the Alagoas state and surrounding states. We have wroked in this area for 15 years. At the present we have 17 churches that I can think of right off. All are paid for.

Throughout Brazil there are several hundred churches and outreaches. Here in the north we are involved in a tremendous project to help the work become self supporting. Which we hope to see it accomplished in another year or two.

There are other regions...but this is a brief veiw of how we work. We do have plans and have talked to several of our key ministers that either this convention or the lastest the next Brother Alvear wil be turning his job over to someone else.

We feel like they can handle it and we will only work in the Bible school work and things like that until the Lord takes us home.

We do not have a pension but our people said they would take care of us when we need their help...We do have a plot in the cemetary...where my sweet mother was buried...

Everything we have is deeded or willed to the work...

This was our choice....

Many of our churches have their own mission programs and projects.

As a national work we work to support several national missionaries and an outreach in Paraguay.

There are so many good things going on right now...we are blessed to be a part of the great family of God...Our bodies are tired...our candle seemed so tiny but light begets light and today it is so different than it was 43 years ago...

If I had my life to live over I would chose once again to be a missionary...

[Sister Alvear]

I might like to add in South Brazil we are building a beautiful campground...

[Sister Alvear]

kinda jumbled up..have got such a headache...anyway...we have a vision for this country...however Brazil is sooooooooooooooo vast...