Texas Baptist Men work with Brazil’s leaders to form faith-based disaster relief network_110804

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Posted: 11/05/04

Texas Baptist Men work with Brazil's leaders
to form faith-based disaster relief network

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

Texas Baptist Men recently began laying the foundation for a faith-based disaster relief network across Brazil that could strengthen the work of Christians there while saving the government millions of dollars.

Executive Director Leo Smith and Bob Simpkins, a disaster relief worker from Kentucky, met with leaders of the Brazilian government, fire department and key churches during a recent trip in which they explained how Texas Baptist Men built its volunteer base.

Officials of four Brazilian states indicated they are interested in creating an organization similar to Texas Baptist Men, Smith said. Pastors are excited about helping people in need in the name of Christ.

Texas Baptist Men Executive Director Leo Smith (right) meets with officials in Brazil to talk about establishing a faith-based disaster relief network in their country.

The proposed network would supplement the work of Brazil's firemen, paid workers who are responsible for disaster relief across the country. Using volunteers to help those paid employees could save the country millions of dollars. Smith is hoping for hundreds of volunteers in each state.

“We envision this as covering the whole country of Brazil,” he said.

A disaster relief organization could strengthen the work of Brazilian Christians as well as it brings congregations together to help those in need, Smith said. Cooperative ministry of this kind can build morale.

The network would further a relationship with Texas Baptist Men, Smith noted. Texas Baptist volunteers may begin training Brazilians in disaster relief as early as 2005. That would include instruction about organizational structure and specialized unit training.

Spiritually, this opportunity allows Texas Baptists to strengthen ministry by sharing their faith experiences, Smith said. He and Simpkins told stories of their experiences to government and church leaders.

“We were able to witness to these guys,” he said. “Some were Christians in name, but we got the chance to talk to them. This opened so many doors.

“We did not go as representing the government. We went boldly as representing God.”

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