Brazil establishes Pathfinders Club with Indigenous Participants
13 August 2024|
The Gigantes do Araguaia (Araguia Giants) Pathfinder club, established in 2022 in the Inam Carajá village in Mato Grosso, Brazil, decided to challenge the idea that missions must be far from home.
The Inam Carajá village is home to an Indigenous population that experienced a community-wide conversion in 1975. Through their love of the gospel, they began to share the message of love and dignity with other tribes and were thrilled when they learned of Pathfinders. José Roberto dos Santos saw a Pathfinders club in Luciara and introduced it to the Indigenous people, who received it with excitement. Santos was quoted in a feature covering the program saying, “When we discovered the tribe’s existence, we were moved by the Holy Spirit to introduce the Pathfinders to the indigenous people, since they are also part of our community and should not be excluded from this activity.”
A club was quickly established and began to flourish, happy to shower time and investment in the Indigenous children. Developing the program took creativity and patience. The Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) recorded that by 2010 Brazil had recorded 274 Indigenous languages from 305 different ethnic groups, each with its own complexity and cultural significance, thus leading to a unique challenge. Santos found a significant gap in Christian materials that could be found in the tribes’ languages, yet through the help of play and the Holy Spirit, they hope to overcome the barrier.
After two years of dedication and care, the club has begun to yield fruit. The Araguaia Giants Pathfinder Club includes 22 indigenous people and has resulted in baptisms and inspiration, as well as a trip to what is referred to as “The Secret” Camporee, where Pathfinders can collect and celebrate together. Studies have reported that the suicide rate among Indigenous peoples is almost three times higher than that of the general population, so the club aims to provide a space where young people can wrestle with difficult questions and find a Christ-centered community.
Despite language and cultural barriers, those dedicated to evangelism with other Indigenous tribes have found beautiful opportunities within the Pathfinder program.
