This week in Brasília, we were given the opportunity to serve at Cristolandia alongside our LifeShape Brazil (LSB) friends. Cristolandia is a Christian rehabilitation and outreach program in a very poverty-ridden area of Brasília.
Cristolandia divides their ministry into three phases, and team Verbo was blessed to have served in two of them. The first phase we served in was street outreach, which was a time for us to walk the streets, talking to and praying for the homeless population in the city. We also had a table set up on the street with sandwiches, coffee, and water that were free of charge for anyone who wanted them. There are two goals of street outreach, with the first being to form a bond and show the love of Christ to the homeless population. The second goal is to hopefully lead those who are battling addiction to the first stage of Cristolandia’s rehab program, which is called becoming a “student” of Cristolandia.
The students of Cristolandia are people between the ages of eighteen and fifty-five who have chosen to enter the Cristolandia program. The program that these students engage in is then split up into two stages. The first stage lasts 30 days, and where Verbo is serving. Once the students of Cristolandia complete the 30-day program, they move onto the second stage that is over a year long.
During our three days serving at Cristolandia, we formed relationships with these students and experienced the powerful transformation that Jesus Christ had worked in their lives. We cooked food for the students and volunteers, did laundry, cleaned floors, and organized storage closets. One of the big projects that was completed during our time was the expansion of Cristolandia’s workspace. LSB, Cristolandia, and Impact 360 students worked together to clear a dirt area, level it, and fill it in with concrete. This project created hundreds of usable square feet, allowing Cristolandia to expand its ministry!
When we were not actively working, we were worshiping and eating with the students, listening to the testimonies of people on the streets days prior, and studying Scripture with the new friends we had made. We have been moved by the transformational work that the Lord is doing through the volunteers at Cristolandia and are incredibly thankful that we were able to have a part in their ministry.
Something at Cristolandia that was especially meaningful to me was seeing the transformation of the students. The students get a haircut once they enter Cristolandia, and their newfound confidence and joy are evident. It was also incredible to see how the students cared for one another and formed genuine friendships so quickly. All the men at Cristolandia had only been there for a couple of weeks, but they did not wait to form friendships with one another. They were hugging each other and encouraging one another while they shared their testimonies, and the vulnerability they expressed was extraordinary. Not only was a spiritual transformation evident, but an emotional and physical one as well.
Please continue to pray for opportunities to grow the kingdom as we enter week three of our time in Brazil!
Jay Ebert
Class XIX Fellow