I looked down the plane window when there was an announcement that we would be arriving at the Sao Paulo airport in about one hour. Then I saw that we were already beginning to fly over the city. The towns were spread out endlessly; there seemed to be no end in sight. Brazil was truly a huge country, the world’s fifth largest country with a population of 200 million.

Every gospel prophet dreams of preaching overseas. But I never thought that I would be going to Brazil. Maybe that was why I became even more excited. As you know, Brazil is a country of passion which is famous for soccer and samba. ‘How great would it be if the Brazilian people’s passion for soccer and samba would be transformed into a passion for the gospel?’

Thinking like this, my heart and zeal began to burn hotter within me.

ⓒ 2012 WATV

The considerate love that works on the opposite side of the earth as well

I did the gospel work for five years in Sao Paulo from 2007. Since the gospel began to be actively planted in Brazil in 2007, I had many difficulties, including the language barrier.

Christianity is in decline in Europe and many other countries, but it is still very strong in Brazil. It is all because of miraculous signs and wonders that are being performed in churches. Actually, when people visited Zion, many of them asked us, “Are miracles taking place here, too?” Then we gave them the answer that Heavenly Father had taught us: “We do an even greater miracle than healing the sick and making the lame walk. That is the miracle of eternal life.” Then we preached to them the truth of the Passover, which contains the promise of eternal life.

Most of them did not accept it, but God’s children listened to the voice of God and came to the truth. As those souls grew in faith, it seemed that the gospel work was gathering momentum. But then we faced another obstacle.

Brazil is located on the opposite side of the world from Korea. Probably because of that, the Brazilian people have a totally different way of thinking and living from Koreans. Sometimes we, the Korean members, could not understand some things about the Brazilian brothers and sisters. There must also have been some aspects of ours that they could not understand. Since we were unable to have a fluent conversation, we misunderstood each other sometimes.

I told Mother about these problems and asked Her for wisdom. Mother said that the gospel would prosper if we tried to adjust ourselves to the local members, instead of just insisting on the things we had learned in Korea. From that time on, I tried to understand the members and adjust myself to them, having many conversations with them. Then I could feel that the invisible wall between the members and me started to gradually collapse.

Good fruit continued to be borne. I was thankful to Mother, but at the same time I felt bad because I had been insisting on the way of preaching that I had learned in Korea, wanting the members to adjust to me. The gospel work would have progressed faster if I had treated the members with the heart of Mother, who understands and embraces each and every one of Her children, and with the gentle heart of Father.

Only then did I feel that I was doing the true work of the gospel overseas; I did not actually feel that way although I had been in Brazil for many years. I was even more thankful to God when I was sent to Brasilia at the end of 2011. I believed that God had given me an opportunity to start the gospel work again by repenting completely and renewing my mindset.

I remembered when I first came to Brazil. Then I went to Brasilia with a new mind, a new passion and a new excitement, as I did at first.


A passion burning in the pure hearts

Brasilia is the capital of Brazil. Since it is a planned, artificial city, it is well organized unlike Sao Paulo where houses are very close to each other. So the atmosphere of Brasilia is quite different than that of Sao Paulo. The ambience of the Church there was also different from that of the Church in Sao Paulo.

However, the members were the same in heart everywhere; they all had pure hearts.

In fact, Brazil is under the strong influence of the European culture since it was ruled by Portugal a long time ago. Most Brazilians adopt a freewheeling lifestyle, and they tend to be relatively individualistic and express their opinions in a direct and clear-cut manner. So it is not easy to open their hearts. However, the members were different; they tried to obey God’s word as they realized the truth and understood Elohim God. Of course, there must have been many efforts by the previous missionary to help them to do so. I’d like to thank them for that. I also give thanks to Father and Mother for allowing them to have such a pure and beautiful mind.

All I had to do was just let them know about what would please God and how they could be blessed. They began to practice preaching the Bible, and then they conveyed what they learned to people around them. As they bore fruit, they gained confidence, and now they preach voluntarily and joyfully. The members, who do not have much free time because of their busy work schedules, preach the Word to their co-workers and bear much good fruit.

I am so happy to see the members burning with fervor for the gospel so quickly. I believe God is so pleased with them that He is pouring out the blessing of bearing good fruit upon them.

ⓒ 2012 WATV

These days, the members of Zion throughout the world are very busy preaching the good news that Christ has come to this earth a second time. It is the same with us, the members of Zion in Brasilia. This past January, we held a street cleanup campaign on a large scale in the neighboring areas to proclaim the second coming of Christ. Before the cleanup, we visited many broadcasting stations to publicly inform people of the purpose of our volunteer cleanup activity, and a radio broadcaster asked us to come on a live show to personally explain about our cleanup campaign.

The Brazilian member who went on the air boldly testified to our Father and Mother who came to this earth, and the voice of Father and Mother saying, “I have already come!” was conveyed to many people by radio. It was something I had never imagined before.

On the day of our cleanup, even the members of the branch Churches far away from the Brasilia Church came to participate in the cleanup campaign. This type of volunteer work is not so popular in Brazil. So at first, it felt unfamiliar and awkward to the Brazilian members as well. However, as they clearly knew that the aim of the cleanup was to let people know the coming of Father and Mother and to put Their love into practice, they actively participated in the cleanup efforts despite the hot weather.

I could feel the unique passion of the Brazilian brothers and sisters even from the way they picked up the trash. Without a doubt, they were all truly God’s children who had been chosen to display the glory of Father and Mother.


“Let’s Save Brazil! Brasilia!”

The gospel started to be preached in Brazil later than in other continents. However, I feel that just as a mother gives more care and attention to the youngest of her children, our Mother Herself rolls up Her sleeves to help us carry out the gospel work in Brazil.

In Brazil there are even 77 cities with a population of over 300,000. Since Mother continually sent short and long-term mission groups to this vast land, the gospel has been reclaimed in many regions. The Brasilia Church established two branch Churches in 2010 and four in 2011. Through the mission teams sent from Mother, the branch Churches are also being managed graciously. One of the members of a house Church, although it is a small Zion that was recently established, has been preaching the love of Mother since he visited Korea. There are also many evangelists who are devoting themselves to the gospel every day. The fire of the gospel is burning brightly in the branch Churches as well.

However, there are still so many places in Brazil where we should plant the gospel. I believe this assignment has been given to the Brazilian members.

“Let’s save Brazil! Brasilia! Animo, Animo, Animo!”

ⓒ 2012 WATV

This is the cheering slogan of the Brasilia Church. Our members in Brasilia have created this slogan with a desire to save Brazil. In order to accomplish this goal, we desperately need to bring forth gospel workers.

Mother asked us to bear many good fruits and to bring forth many gospel workers as well in Brasilia. We will certainly do that. If the Brazilian members take the lead in carrying out the gospel work and the workers who preach the gospel with the sacrifice of Father and Mother are sent to every city in Brazil, the gospel in Brazil will be in full bloom soon.

Our Brazilian brothers and sisters are so pure-hearted and passionate. Once the fire of the gospel starts to burn in their hearts, it is only a question of time. Just as Jonah repented and led 120,000 Ninevites to repentance, we will also repent fully and lead over 200 million people in Brazil to repentance and to God. I long to see an even greater miracle in Brazil than the miracle of saving 120,000 people.

It has been only a few months since I came to Brasilia. There are still so many things I do not know, and I am also lacking in many ways. So I feel shy and embarrassed to deliver the Church news on behalf of the members here. Still, I am writing this article for the Elohist magazine because I have felt the guidance of Mother who wants to give us a greater blessing for the gospel work in Brazil.

We, the members of the Brasilia Church, will pour out all our strength and all the burning fervor of our hearts into proclaiming the holy name of our Father and the glory of our Mother throughout Brazil, so that we will quickly complete the gospel work in Brazil.