Open Air Campaigners
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OACI Update 1998

Brazil: White for harvest

Few people realize that the population of Brazil is 165 million, making it the fifth largest in the world. Three quarters live in sprawling cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (30 million), and in hundreds of small towns scattered between Argentina and the Amazon. Only 200,000 are tribal. Spiritually, more than 60% of the population are involved in occult practices, most still claiming to be Catholic.

Brazilians are a warm and friendly people, whose hearts are very receptive to the gospel. In downtown Rio, where mediums practice their deception and entertainers jump through circles of knives, our open-air meetings still attract many people to hear the gospel (pictured above). Christian film campaigns in town squares draw up to 1,000, who stay on to hear our evangelists preach. Assembly programs in elementary and high schools expose thousands of students to the gospel through films, drama and messages. In all of these outreaches, many are keeping divine appointments with Christ, as God opens their hearts.

The fields are white for harvest in Brazil. Our national evangelists are working in partnership with local churches to reap the harvest while hearts remain open. Church teams from abroad, coming in on ten-day missions trips, greatly help to increase the ministry.