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On August 3, 2007, Grace Church sent a team of 25 people to Sao Paulo, Brazil to partner with Grace Church missionaries, Paulo & Ireni Mota. They are International Partners with WorldVenture, a 60 year old missions agency with more than 500 missionaries in over 60 countries around the world. The Motas ministry, Restoration Ministries, exists to transform underprivileged children and their communities through the good news of Jesus Christ and equipping them to serve Him. Since 1991, Restoration Ministries has focused on working with the street kids in the eastern sector of Sao Paulo, Brazil. These children live in slums. They are greatly affected by poverty, illness, drugs, teen pregnancy, prostitution and domestic abuse.

WHY SAO PAULO, BRAZIL?

  • Sao Paulo is the 3rd largest city in the world with over 18 million people
    There are over 2,100 favellas (slums) in the city. The largest favela has over 100,000 people
  • Sao Paulo has one of the highest homicide rates in the world
    There are thousand of children that live on the street and can only survive through prostitution, selling drugs and crime.
  • In 1997 at study was done saying that there were over 4,500 kids living on the street of Sao Paulo and by 2000 the number will escalate to over 20,000. An unpublished article estimates there are over 500,000 kids in Sao Paulo living on the streets.

WHY RESTORATION MINISTRIES?

  • Paulo & Ireni Mota are Grace Church supported missionaries that we support financially and prayerfully because they are making a difference in the live of children and families for the cause of Christ.
  • 80% of Christians accept Christ before the age of 18. Sharing Christ with them at a younger age is strategic.
  • The ministry has many facets to reach these kids:

The Day Centers - They offer programs in 5 different slums areas with program twice a day. They provide a small meal, English as a Second Language classes, Bible story time, worship, games, and provide a safe place.

Restoration Community Church – On Sunday nights they provide a church service to over 200 people in the slums. With dynamic worship, strong Bible teaching, and a place where they show Christ’ love they provide a safe family community for these people.

Camp California – About an hour away outside the city of Sao Paulo is a camp for kids where there is no violence, smog but a place of love and safety. We invite kids to come and hear about Jesus through camps. We provide three meals a day (which most never get) and place to run around without fear, a staff that loves them and desire them to be disciples of Christ, and times of worship and teaching from God’s word.

Compassion – The ministry provides assistance to families by providing food staples, helping with families needs, counseling in areas of abuse, addictions, and much more.

WHAT DID THE TEAM DO?

Our team came alongside Restoration Ministries to minister through Vacation Bible School programs, teaching English as a Second Language classes, putting on a camp for teens, assisting in compassion work in the slums and much more. Check out the Daily News and Photos links for details.