The missio Dei at the City Dump

I have spent my second day in Rio de Janeiro in the city dump just outside the city observing a truly missional church. Approximately 70% of the congregation in Nilopolis which is in Rio de Janeiro are actively involved in ministry outside of the church. One of those ministries is to a community which has the name Esqueleto, which means skeleton in English. This is an entire community of approximately 40,000 people who live on what they can collect at the city dump. The “homes” that people live in are made from scraps of wood and other things that they have found in the dump. As we made our way through this area which had all of the sites and smells of a city dump with scavenger birds circling overhead, we came to a church building which was constructed with funds from the people of the Nilopolis church. As we went inside, the contrast between the piled garbage around the church and the impeccable cleanliness inside the church was incredible. This building is used for education programs for the children and families around the church as well as church services. The pastor who is from the Nilopolis church is well educated and articulate. I don’t know very many pastors who would strive to pastor a church in a city dump. This is a pastor who is definitely following in the footsteps of Christ. While we are walking around the “community”, an elderly woman who was wearing clothes that appeared to be from her findings pulled the pastor aside. As they were talking, she handed the pastor a handful of Brazilian Reales which were dirty, sweaty and crumpled. The pastor told us that this woman had just sold some trash that she had collected and that this was her offering to the church. The pastor himself was overwhelmed with this offering of about $7, and said that this was an enormous sacrifice for this woman.

There are several areas around Rio de Janeiro where students in 365m will be learning from and serving alongside the people of the Nilopolis church. Esqueleto will, undoubtedly, be one of those that is a life changing experience.

This afternoon, we will travel to Manaus where we will meet with missionaries about learning opportunities for 365m students there.