"Certainly, we are experiencing the greatest climatic and natural disaster in the history of our state and our family. We could never have imagined a tragedy of such proportions." Pastor Lucas Gomes

On May 3rd the water started rising in Porto Alegre, and two full months later there are still areas in the region that continue to deal with the river rising and flooding. Within 48 hours of the floods beginning and despite Pastor Lucas's family home flooding too, Igreja Redenção (Redemption Church), a local church plant of 25 people started to organize a response to the needs in the community.

They quickly worked together to get the church space ready to receive people, then they organized some clothing and food to give away. The original goal was to donate around 20 baskets of food, but God multiplied their efforts and their gifts so that the church has now given away more than 700 food baskets. They also estimate that they've given clothes to more than 1000 people. One woman came in day after day to pick up a piece or two at a time and the church volunteers saw that what she really wanted was prayer and emotional support.

As the needs of the community have shifted, so has the church's response. In the early days when first responders were still rescuing people and working in boats all day, the church hosted hot meals and bought a bunch of power banks so that the responders could charge their phones and communicate throughout the day.

Now with less demand for clothing and hot meals, church members are focused more on house cleaning and continue to donate mattresses and food as needed. There is a greater opportunity to deepen relationships that were started in the early days of emergency relief. And the church understands that even this stage is not the end goal.

Pastor Lucas said, "We understand that there are several phases in these events: The first phase is emergency aid. Then comes support for rebuilding life, and the next phase will be the consolidation of a new normal, which we hope will be with Christ as Lord and Savior. These events, as sad as they are, will always be opportunities to share Christ with the lost, strengthen the faith of those who serve, and answer Christ's call to mission."

As Redemption Church continues to share the love of Christ with their neighbors in Southern Brazil, they are grateful for your partnership in prayer and finances. Please keep praying that God would use these events for the spread of his kingdom, and that many hearts would be open to the hope of the Gospel. Pray also for the members of Redemption Church who have been serving tirelessly, sometime for fifteen hours a day, to be motivated and sustained by their love for God. As ReachGlobal staff in the region explore other opportunities to respond, pray for favor with community leaders and governments.

Your church can also get involved by giving to sustain the long-term response. With more than 2 million people directly impacted by these floods and almost half a million people still living displaced, it will be several years before the region finds their new normal.