Brazil.

Brazil - A country with a turbulent history and great hope

On the evening of April 22, 1500, the Portuguese sailor Pedro Álvares Cabral set foot on Brazilian soil for the first time, near the present-day city of Porto Seguro in the state of Bahia. This was the beginning of a long history full of changes and challenges that continue to shape the country to this day. Actual colonization by the Portuguese crown only began in 1534, and it would take until September 7, 1822 for Brazil to gain its independence. It was finally declared a republic on November 15, 1889.

Today, Brazil is a country of superlatives: the fifth largest in the world and one of the most populous with over 214 million people. Brasília has been the modern capital since 1960, and the official language remains Portuguese. But there is another, lesser-known side of Brazilian history.

The legacy of German immigration

In 1824, Dona Leopoldina, the Austrian Empress and wife of Dom Pedro I, called on the suffering German families from the Hunsrück and Moselle regions to settle in southern Brazil. Many followed, and in the early 20th century, thousands of Germans, Poles and other groups again came to find a new home in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. They cleared forests, built cities and laid the foundation for a German-born population that is still deeply rooted in many regions of Brazil today.

Our mission – hope and help since 1965

Since 1965, our calling has been to reach these often forgotten people with the life-changing Good News of Jesus Christ. Despite the growing Christian faith in Brazil, in many cases the German-born population has heard little of this message. That is why we are fully committed to spreading the gospel, especially in the states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná.

You can find out more about the beginnings 🔗 here.

Many of the people of German descent live in simple, often very modest circumstances. Some of them are illiterate or have only limited educational opportunities. For generations they have been fighting for a better life. This is where we come in: In addition to proclaiming the Good News of Jesus, we also offer much-needed social support.

Our projects - Giving hope together
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In the cities of Tucunduva and Santo Ângelo in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, we have daycare centers in slums where we offer children not only care, but also a perspective for the future. This work is supported by 🔗 OBRAMIS - Obra Missionária Siloé, a mission organization founded in 1977 by missionary Horst Krüger.

In addition, we work with the 🔗 CNIC (National Congress of Churches of Christ), a federation of over 1000 churches throughout Brazil, to further spread the message of Jesus.

We pay particular attention to the 🔗 STARTEEN project in the Porto Alegre region, which strengthens and accompanies young people in their faith. Our goal is to expand this program to other cities in Brazil.

​In the Amazon Basin, we support the 🔗 translation of the Bible into the languages ​​of indigenous peoples so that they too can hear and read the word of God in their mother tongue. This life-changing work extends to the border with French Guiana, part of the European Union.

The Brazilian Parliament with both chambers in the Capital Brasília

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Rio de Janeiro - the "wonderful city" at the Guanabara bay

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A view over the metropole of São Paulo, Brazil's industrial and economical centre

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Indigeneous people in the Amazon basin

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Traffic in Brazil mega-cities

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The new cities at the Atlantic Ocean in the south

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German and Italian influences in the State of Santa Catarina

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