Brazil Missionary Update

Happy Thanksgiving from our family!

“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 
2 Kings 6:16–17

Open our Eyes to See

When Carol and I were invited to serve in a leadership role at our organization’s international office, we gained a unique privilege: seeing what God is doing around the world. And yes, there is no shortage of trials. Many of the countries we work in face war, persecution, genocide, natural disasters, and displacement. Our task is to help our organization and beyond reach the hardest-to-reach places, places where there is still no access to the gospel.

These places are unreached for a reason; the challenges are immense. Sending a team to live there, share the gospel in a way people understand, and walk with them in discipleship is nothing short of a miracle. And every miracle begins with prayer: asking what the Lord is doing and how we can join Him. From there, it takes partnership, because the Church is a body and every part matters.

Over the past months, we’ve been seeking God’s direction, collaborating across our organization and beyond, so that peoples and places that have never heard will finally receive the light of Christ. This means from mobilizing churches and individuals to support pioneering long-term teams willing to live in these places.

Progress can feel slow—months of meetings, obstacles, and rising challenges—but God has been moving. In August, at our international conference, we gathered with leaders from across our organization to listen to His voice and identify the peoples and places we will focus on in the coming years (Pioneering List). We also celebrated incredible stories of doors opening—doors that had been closed for decades. Reaching a shared understanding and ownership of these peoples and places is a significant milestone, but it’s only the beginning. For every region and every place, we must develop multiple projects to create pathways for teams to enter.

The first regional project we began developing last year focuses on the Subcontinent—Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. This region represents one of our greatest challenges: complex, vast, and deeply unreached. Yet, in less than a year, we’re already seeing signs of fruit. Several workers have already been mobilized to serve there, and more than six prayer and vision trips are scheduled for the first half of 2026. Early next year, we will launch a new training program designed to equip teams who have been faithfully serving for years—helping them expand their vision and raise up the next generation of leaders. We’re also partnering with the Indian church to send workers into these regions, multiplying the impact and strengthening local engagement. Praise God!

In October, I also attended a meeting in Korea with leaders from the ten largest non-denominational mission organizations. Our goal was to work together to reach the least-access places. It doesn’t matter which organization, nationality, or background—what matters is that the gospel reaches every country, city, language, and tribe. It was deeply encouraging to see leaders from many nations united with the same heart to collaborate. God is calling new workers for the harvest from every corner of the world—truly, from everywhere to everywhere!

As we look ahead, we know the challenges remain great—but so is our God. Thank you for standing with us in prayer and partnership. Together, we believe the day will come when every corner of the earth will hear the good news of Jesus. Until then, we press on with faith, knowing that the mountains are full of chariots of fire.

More personal updates

Since April, Carol has faced increasing health challenges. After an intense first year in our new roles and a busy summer, she was diagnosed with clinical burnout. She’s been on medical leave and undergoing treatment—a slow but steady process toward recovery.

Thomas has also been struggling with health issues, including growth concerns, fatigue, and recurring allergies. He’s had multiple exams, and we’re now starting a new treatment. It’s been a season of many adjustments for him and for us.

In addition, I have been unwell. I’ll be doing lab tests soon to check my health as well. Your prayers for strength and healing for all of us would mean a lot.

Praises

• After five years, we were able to visit our partners in the U.S.! We are deeply grateful to everyone who hosted us and made this time so special.
• Praise God for all those being mobilized to serve in the Subcontinent and for the incredible team working alongside us. We are excited about upcoming prayer trips and the teams that will be trained in the coming months.
• We thank the Lord for the progress on the Pioneering List, which will be launched across the organization early next year.
• We are thankful that our parents were able to visit us in August—it was a precious time together.
• We’re grateful that Thomas is thriving at school and finally happy!

Prayer Requests

• Health: Please pray for our health. All of us have been undergoing treatments in recent months and are improving, but there’s still a long road ahead.
• Wisdom in Leadership: Pray for wisdom as we lead teams within our department and across the organization. We’re also recruiting more people to help develop regional projects.
• Open Doors: Ask the Lord to continue opening doors in the Subcontinent so more teams can enter and serve in this region.
• Financial Stability: Please pray for our financial health. Currency fluctuations, healthcare costs, and increased school expenses for Thomas have made this season challenging. Pray for wisdom as we navigate these needs.
• Insurance: Pray that our insurance will reimburse us quickly.

Rafael & Carol