Baptists in Brazil welcome refugees from Afghanistan

Brazilian Baptists have welcomed more than 100 refugees from Afghanistan to Vila Minhya Pátria—the Homeland Refugee Village—where they receive care, learn skills to prepare them for long-term residence in Brazil, and see the love of Christ in action.

After the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the Taliban subsequently reclaimed control, Human Rights Watch reported it triggered an accelerated human rights crisis.

“After the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, we felt the pain of the Afghan people who would once again go into distress due to the rules imposed by the extreme group that regained power,” said Fernando Brandão, executive director of the National Mission Board for Baptists in Brazil.

Since last September, the Brazilian government has granted humanitarian visas to people affected by serious and widespread human rights violations in Afghanistan.

Brandão, who recently was in the United States to attend the Baptist World Alliance annual gathering, noted Brazilian Baptist involvement in receiving refugees followed contact from a BWA representative. The BWA contact forwarded a letter from an American nongovernmental organization working in Afghanistan and seeking places to receive refugees.

“We were challenged to host a group of 89 Afghans,” Brandão said.

Baptists in Brazil also responded to requests from the Guarulhos Social Service office, after an unexpectedly large number of families had arrived at the international airport with nowhere to go.

Accepting the challenge by faith

Brazilian Baptists agreed to welcome Afghans before they had a place that could accommodate the families they expected to receive.

However, a couple heard Brandão preach at First Baptist Church of Atibaia in São Paulo. In his sermon, he talked about the opportunity to care for people in need. The couple responded to the challenge.

“God had already awakened their hearts to this mission back in September 2021, when they watched the Afghans’ escape in the news,” Brandão explained. “The couple had a space that worked as a kind of inn with 82 chalets, a central restaurant, a leisure area and all the necessary structure. And they made this entire structure available through a loan agreement, at no cost.

“God began to work a miracle there, and it all became a confirmation of what he was doing. The project is now a reality, and it has been a fantastic experience, to see the smile and hope reborn in each family that we have with us.”

The Vila Minha Pátria, supported by Brazilian Baptists’ National Mission Board and Foreign Mission Board, received its first families on April 19.

“Since then, we have already welcomed 112 people,” Brandão said.

The refugees not only receive shelter, food and health care at Vila Minha Pátria, but also learn Portuguese and participate in classes about Brazilian culture.

“Six people have already left the village, because they had some Afghan friends with jobs in São Paulo,” Brandão said. “We have requests to welcome more families that have arrived in São Paulo every day.

“The physical capacity of the village is 150 people, but we need to have more people on our team, so we can serve more people than the ones we already have with us.”

Brandão cited the example of one Afghan man to illustrate the impact Christian love in action is having on refugees. Using a translation app on his cellphone, the man told Baptists at the village: “For my people, religion is more important than people. But for you, people are more important. You can love us in a way that our own people could not.”

‘What it means to live the love of God’

Brazilian Baptists view the refugees’ arrival in their country as a gift from God.

“God has given us the privilege of taking care of people who lived in a country closed to the gospel. And, today, through daily practice, we have communicated what it means to live the love of God,” Brandão said.

“Taking care of them is obeying God’s direction for us. It has been a faith experience. We believe that we will still see extraordinary things from God. Every day, they have become more special to us. We will do everything in our power to make this experience very special in their lives.”

After refugees spent a relatively brief time in the village, Brazilian Baptists plan to enlist churches, associations and individual families to sponsor them as they are mentored, participate in job training and work toward independence, Brandão explained.

“We are a people moved by the love of God, who drives us to love our neighbors and put ourselves in their shoes. Offering shelter to refugees is sharing the love we ourselves have received,” Brandão said. “It is fulfilling what the Bible says in receiving, welcoming and showing love.”