“Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” – John 12:26
This month, our team, GUSTO, has had many opportunities to serve. Alongside Brazilian believers, we have been able to minister to youth, evangelize, and support the existing body of Christ in Brasilia.
During the first week of our trip, we staffed a bilingual overnight camp for teens at a farm called Agua Viva. We served the campers through worship, teaching, games, and conversations about our different cultures. It was a growing experience—each member of our team walked away from Agua Viva, both encouraged and challenged by the campers we interacted with. Personally, I learned a lot about the value of the “S” in GUSTO—sacrifice—when it comes to mission work. The students at overnight camp were able to see our hearts for the Lord and them simply because of our embodiment of this value. By stepping out of our culture and comfort zone to serve them, we were able to show how much we care.
After camp and a lot of rest, GUSTO supported a local church by cleaning and renovating their building. It was encouraging to see how many people joyfully gathered to advance the Kingdom. After working during the day, we gathered for evening worship services. Some members of our team taught the importance of both discipleship and evangelism during this time. Putting the principles we learned into practice, we spent one afternoon evangelizing in the church’s surrounding area. The Lord used us to show His love to the people of Brasilia even though we couldn’t speak their language.
Overall, I have been so blessed in watching our team serve with a grateful heart in every way we could. It has been such an honor to help make Christ’s name great in Brazil.
Zoe Hill
Class XIX
Team Gusto