Brazil: People experience that they belong to the congregation

Pastoral counsellor Carina Schmidt is committed to supporting people in four small communities in the south of Brazil. They realise that they belong, that they have a new "family".

Pastor Carina Schmidt is quite frankly: To work in a huge parish district, you have to be "up for it" and enjoy travelling. "When you see people and they are happy to see you, they experience the gospel and feel good." The four congregations are large as a family of faith, but small in number with currently around 250 members.

Even more important than the numbers is the living work of God in the congregations. The growth is not only expressed in numbers (such as 55 new members in the last two years), but also in the renewal of faith, in the commitment of the people and in the joy of belonging. Today, life is pulsating in each of the congregations: People who are present, active, committed and generous, putting their gifts at the service of the kingdom of God.

Every month, the congregation needs around 3,500 euros to pay for the pastor's upkeep, fuel costs for the long distances, vehicle maintenance and a vehicle change every three years. The congregation currently manages about half of this. With 16 euros a month or 96 euros every six months, you could cover the proportionate costs of a parishioner.

Your donation will help to support communities in the south of Brazil and enable them to welcome people and grow sufficiently to stand on their own two feet in the long term.