No, it is not that we know everyone on the continent. But the story of missions in our midst is a story of knowing who is doing what and where. It is about one who knows another who knows someone we know, and we continue connecting the dots. Then, we find each other on the journey and share our dreams, desires, gifts, and talents so that many others will come to know and experience The Redeemer.
As OC partially became several interdependent ministry centers worldwide, it formed The OC Global Alliance. These “ministry centers” help one another whenever needed. For example, our team in Southern Africa is helping a missionary couple from Brazil who served for over eight years in Mozambique. They recently relocated to a city in South Africa, close to the Mozambican border. Tiago and Susana are an amazing couple who are working hard on training leaders and starting projects of sustainable development and education in Mozambique. My two colleagues, Karl and Chris, are using part of their time to help them. I come alongside as a fellow Brazilian missionary with a little more experience to encourage and walk with them in their journey. They have three children – Samuel, Timóteo, and Esther. All under 12.
Along comes another missionary who became a great friend in Guinea Bissau. Alan is one of those great and unknown heroes who is giving his life to the people of that country. His passion for education, discipleship, and church multiplication put him as a founder and director of a primary school that hosts over 250 children. Alan loves what he does. His wife, a medical doctor, is a wonderful partner in the ministry. Being with them in their home is a great privilege, as we share life around the table.
Then, we connect with Zazá Lima and Jansen Costa. She is a world harvest laborer. She is everywhere in the cousin world, shining the light through her smile, sweat, poetry, and tears before The Throne. He is a harvester in Northern Japan, with a whole heart devoted to The Owner of the harvest, with a passion for people and their knowledge of The Savior. Yes, it is a matter of connection. Spending time with these precious people, being encouraged and encouraging in our ways of the harvest is priceless and hard to fully describe.
As you see, our ministry has a lot to do with connections. That makes our story richer, fuller, exciting, and even more relevant. And you know what? You are part of the connection in my journey throughout Africa. And that, my friend, is unforgettable, a blessing you can’t imagine how big it is. Let’s continue to connect the dots, bringing hope to a world in desperate need of the touch of the One who is its only Hope. My story of connection with you is priceless and very hard to fully describe.
Connecting with you in this world and in His harvest for the sake of His glory,
Barbosa