Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, from Scharlau neighbourhood in São Leopoldo, RS, hosted a group of young volunteers from Ellisville, MO, from July 7 to July 14. The team consisted of 10 students aged 16-19 from St. John Lutheran School, and was led by Michelle Thompson, who is responsible for the Next Generation Ministries of St. John Lutheran Church, and Angela Koch. They came to Brazil to establish a partnership with the IELB, mainly in missionary work.

There were activities in three public schools in the neighbourhood, four social projects in the surroundings and also in one of the congregations of the parish, at Parque Mauá neighbourhood. Songs, a puppet show, games and the witnessing of the Gospel reached more than 1300 people during the week, not to mention teacher and the staff from the schools and projects visited. Language was not really a barrier big enough to hinder Americans and Brazilians from working together: both made an effort to make communication possible. “In the first day they were here, I thought I would only be able to communicate with them using gestures, but in the middle of the week, I could understand English better than I expected. I also think they could understand me a little, too", said Fabrício, one of the members of the congregation who helped in the activities.

The missionary project was made possible because of a partnership between the Mission Área of the IELB and Brazil Mission Society (BMS). St. John Lutheran Church from Ellisville, MO, was one of the congregations that volunteered to develop missionary projects in Brazil, and was indicated to the IELB by Brazil Mission Society. BMS also chose Nancy Kruger to set the schedule for the group in Brazil, helped by Eduardo Farias, Project Assistant for the IELB, Rev. Mario Lehenbauer, in charge of the Mission Área of the IELB, and the local pastor, Cláudio Samuel dos Santos. Nancy Kruger is responsible for the Outreach Ministry of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Macomb, MI, and has been working with the IELB in a partnership with Bom Pastor Congregation, in Charqueadas, RS, Brazil, for over two years.

The five congregations of the parish have in children’s ministry one of the key mission strategies. According to Pastor Cláudio, some families ended up coming to church only because their children would always come to Bible school in the congregations. The american team is quite willing to continue working as partners to the IELB and to the congregation in Scharlau.