Witness
Reaching Portugal in Word and Deed
There’s not a lot of green space in this part of Portugal. It’s very dry and there’s a lot of cobblestone. Every once in a while you come across a beautiful, thriving tree, but everything around it is stone. It reminded me of the churches – green and thriving despite hard hearts in the community in dry and desolate surroundings. God says, ‘I will bring up springs of water in dry and desolate wastelands.’ The church is bringing life to the community. There are so many people who have come for healing, and the church is their home now.
Kara Friesen, Winnipeg, Manitoba, TREK
In February 2011, I joined a group from Reedley MB Church (California) on a Vision Team to Portugal. Part of our purpose was to encourage long-time MB Mission workers, Otto and Marjorie Ekk and their team. I was inspired as I watched them reach out to people in need. With the Portuguese economy plummeting, people have desperate needs that the government cannot meet. The team is offering hope through local MB churches in Word and tangible deed. They keep very busy, training leaders, teaching the Bible, providing addiction resources and offering free food and clothing in the bazaars.
It takes a long time to interpret the cultural context and establish friendships here. Many Portuguese are reluctant to invite others into their homes and are initially resistant to the Gospel message. The Ekk’s have served here diligently for 22 years! The nation is a mix of ethnicities – immigrants who have arrived from across Europe and Africa. Eternal optimists, the Ekk’s cling to the hope that these nations of God’s Kingdom will one day live in unity under His rule.
Fatimata and her family immigrated to Portugal from North Africa. Only 10 years old, Fatimata is committed to being a part of the Massama church in Lisbon, despite severe opposition from her Muslim family. She gets disciplined for attending, but continues to come faithfully.
One week, Fatimata came to practice for the Easter play. Afterwards, we showed the Jesus film. One of the local church workers noticed she was crying and asked if she wanted to follow Jesus. Fatima accepted Christ!
This little girl has real leadership potential. She is the first to arrive at events and runs around collecting the other children. She asks lots of questions and is growing in her faith as the leaders are pouring into her what her family can’t. Please pray that Fatimata’s parents and the other neighbourhood kids will follow her lead and walk with Christ.
With five established church plants and the embodiment of Christ’s love being lived out daily, this is an exciting time to be a part of the ministry in Portugal!
Recently, short-term TREK teams, Global Servants, and two Vision Teams have partnered with the team on the ground. Yet, there is a huge need for more workers to serve here long-term. Otto and Marj are a joyous and supportive couple to serve alongside! We are thrilled to be one of their supporting congregations. Having seen them in action helps our church to better serve and support them. As we prayed with them for vision for ministry, we found that they encouraged us! They affirmed our own church’s vision.
We continue to pray with the team that God, through Christ, will pour out His Spirit on the families of Portugal.
The work in Portugal is challenging. People are very disinterested in God and suspicious towards the Evangelical church. Attitudes of secular humanism, apathy, and materialism prevail. Many people think: ‘I want to live how I want to. Your beliefs are fine for you, mine are fine for me and that’s that.’ But among the younger and immigrant populations we met, there is a lot of openness. God provided great opportunities to talk about Christ.
Donovan Neufeld, Coaldale, Alberta, TREK