Brazil is Cool and I want in on the Action

Many have asked and many times I have explained Why Brazil?
I am going to Brazil because something is going on down there, and I want in on it.

Spiritually there is a huge revival going on down there. Small groups explode into megachurches. People receive prophecy and obey to go on and do great things for God. And more missionaries hail from Brazil than any other country in the world. Here's a few stories that inspired me:

• One prayer team from Brazil instigated a revival in Goa, India.
• Stephen Baldwin becomes a Christian because a Brazilian nanny obeyed prophecy.
• A Brazilian Missionary defies 'The Prince of Peru' to instigate revival in Peru.

I believe that when I get down there I'll find mentors to take me into more powerful prayer, into more effective evangelism, and more mission-oriented churches. Essentially my hope for Brazil is that I can find a community who will help me take my faith from applying the wisdom of the Bible to something more personal ... directly hearing the voice of God. One beautiful illustration of hearing and obeying the voice of God is Loren Cunningham's book:

That is what I hope to find in Brazil. I believe that whatever happens in Brazil is going to move my faith in Christ from an abundance of second-hand stories, occasional "amazing coincidences", and a boatload of theology into a very real and visceral first-hand experience. I pray that the Book of Acts will no longer be a story buried under 2000 years of history, but an illustration of my daily routine. I pray that a year from now, I won't be wondering myself how real all the miraculous healings, and prophecies are, but that I'll be wondering how best to tell you about what I experienced first hand.

As if that wasn't enough, moving in tandem with the stream of spiritual renewal of Brazil is the social and economic renewal. All over the world certain people are finding creative ways to solve the problems that the poor face every day of their often miserable lives. We call these people 'Social Entrepreneurs' and Brazil has a huge concentration of them.
Fabio Rosa, an agronomist/engineer/social entrepreneur in Brazil created ways to provide affordable electricity to farmers and families in rural Brazil.

Rodrigo Baggio, a businessman and information technology teacher from Rio de Janeiro, BR, set up an organization to bring IT skills to impoverished youth.
http://www.darianhickman.com/2005/09/committee-for-democracy-in-information.html

Maria Teresa Leal founded Coopa-Roca, a sewing cooperative located in Rocinha, the largest favela (slum) in Rio de Janeiro, in 1981. She created jobs for poor single moms and ended up going big the Brazil fashion industry.http://www.pbs.org/opb/thenewheroes/meet/leal.html

God willing I'll get meet these and other social entrepreneurs like them. Whether they know it or not, they are sharing God's love in a very practical way. I believe there is a huge opportunity for a large number of us to get reconnected to what God designed us for: Loving Others. I hope and pray that God will show me a way to connect social entrepreneurship innovations with the already missionary communities in Brazil.

The overwhelming saturation of spiritual and social renewal inspired this adventure to Brazil, but of course there are many other reasons:
soccer, biodiesel, summer all year round, a burgeoning economy, lower cost of living, and very hospitable people. I look forward to telling you all about what's going on down there. Make sure you're on my newsletter mailing list: http://groups.google.com/group/Darian-Hickman

God Bless,
Darian Hickman