Stories from the Field

September 2005

Recycling for God

By Jeff Brawner, IMB Missionary to Brazil

We recently went to a celebration worship service for the opening of the Community Garden and Recycling Center at the Conjunto Metropolitano Baptist Church. This project is funded by the IMB Hunger Relief Fund. The center will be used for two purposes. First of all, it will grow food to be sold at a discount price to people in the neighborhood. Secondly, people will be able to bring in recyclable materials such as cardboard, cans, etc. The church will pay for the material and then resell it to a recycling center on the other side of town.

Why did God open the door for this project? Conjunto Metropolitano Baptist Church is located in one of the dirtiest and most dangerous neighborhoods in our city. The pastor is just a simple lay person who works full-time as a police officer. He has been faithful to train his church to share Christ not only in word, but also in deed. He has built up one of the most evan gelistic churches we know in this state. God is working in this dark place, and your prayers and your donations to the Hunger Fund will truly make a difference here as this church can become a spiritual as well as an economic center for the neighborhood. We were definitely moved last night at both the needs of the neighborhood as well as the excitement of the people.