01/11/2007
A BMS World Mission long-term couple based in south west Brazil are sharing Christ with people living in the biggest land reform settlement in South America.
Rosi and Tim Deller are ministering to some of the 4,000 poor and largely uneducated families located in the vast Itamaraty settlement.
When Rosi arrived at the settlement earlier in 2007, about 25 people were meeting regularly for worship. Through the work of Rosi, Tim and others, all that is changing.
Growth
Tim explains, “The group has grown through recent baptisms and now the numbers are regularly around 50 people; the total number in the group is around 70.
“Meetings occur regularly on a different smallholding each week and the dedication of these folk is surprising – some of them walking two hours to worship, others coming by horse and cart, others by motorbike.”
The project, which Rosi co-ordinates, has received support from BMS for the last four years, with grants given to two students to work among the smallholdings.
Projects
Tim has a pastoral role and is enjoying the challenge of teaching and preaching regularly to a congregation with little or no schooling.
The idea for the long-term is to plant not only a church but to also produce viable social projects that can be copied in other settlements.
Rosi is already promoting issues like self-esteem and personal hygiene, and Tim explains, “Hopefully other projects will be able to come to fruition, such as an IT skills centre for the youngsters, language and music courses, and other much-needed incentives”.
Teaching
Dourados, where the Dellers live, is a small rural town in south west Brazil and the fastest-growing town in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul.
Tim teaches at the local seminary, which has about 80 students, and is also involved every month in a lay training course on the border with Paraguay. Amongst his students are those who work with the Indian population.
Tim and Rosi live in Dourados with their two sons, Rodrigo and Richard. Rodrigo is undertaking a university course in physiotherapy, and Richard is doing well at school. Tim and Rosi have worked with BMS in Brazil since 1990; Dourados is their fourth location.
Pray for:
- Wisdom for Rosi as she heads up the team involved in the Itamaraty Project.
- That the project would bring many to faith, and motivate and equip people to improve their lives.
- Tim’s teaching at the seminary and beyond.
- Rodrigo and Richard, in their education and friendships with others.
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