Skip to content
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • The Alabama Baptist
  • The Baptist Paper
  • Log In
  • Subscribe
  • Renew
  • Donate
The Baptist Paper
The Baptist Paper
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds
  • SBC 2025
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your state news
  • Classifieds

Standing strong: Brazilian village church grows stronger despite persecution

  • April 12, 2022
  • International Mission Board
  • Featured, International Mission Board, International News, Latest News
Ritual and symbolic elements are on display during a tribal celebration. The KDD people live in 15 small villages in Brazil’s interior region.
(Photo courtesy of IMB)

Standing strong: Brazilian village church grows stronger despite persecution

It came down to choosing a job or Jesus for new believers Leo and LouAnne from the Indigenous KDD tribe in northeastern Brazil.

They worked as schoolteachers in their community when they were summoned to a meeting with 60 community leaders. They gave Leo and LouAnne an ultimatum — either recant and abandon their faith in Jesus or lose their jobs. The leaders said they could not follow Jesus and continue to work at the school.

“They were angry and hateful toward us,” LouAnne said. “They were saying that we had become traitors and that we were abandoning our culture.”

“It’s not easy to follow Jesus, but I’m certain of one thing — I don’t want to quit now,” Leo added. “Persecution is biblical, and now we’re experiencing it.”

‘Standing firm’

People in the meeting looked to LouAnne to see if she was willing to give up her job for her new faith. She answered them saying, “Leo and I decided to follow Jesus together, and we’re going to continue to follow Jesus together. I’m not going to turn my back on Jesus or on my husband.”

The couple lost their jobs.

After the meeting, some of their students came to them in tears and embraced them.

“On the one hand we feel sad to be hated for our faith and to have lost our jobs, but on the other hand we feel happy on the inside, knowing that we are standing firm in our faith in Jesus,” LouAnne said.

To make ends meet, Leo has been doing other types of work like farming. Also, members of the church help provide for them and their children. Despite the struggles, Leo and LouAnne decided not to litigate or retaliate against the leaders of their community or the school. They want their community to see how Jesus changed them. They want people to know that no matter what they suffer, following Jesus is worth any sacrifice.

Community leaders also banned the International Mission Board’s team from the village. Leo told the leaders, “You can ban them from coming in, but the [gospel] seed has been planted in us and you can’t take that away!”

When Leo shared this news with some of the other KDD believers, they responded in agreement. “That’s the truth!” one believer said. “They can’t take the seed of the gospel away from us. Our enemies can threaten us, but the seed is going to grow! Now we just need to stay strong and not give up. Let’s pray and ask God to make us strong and help us make this seed grow!”

Instead of weakening the church, persecution strengthened the faith of believers in the KDD tribe.

“Even though we have been banned from returning to the villages, the Indigenous believers are still meeting and studying the Word together every week and encouraging one another in the faith,” a worker among the KDD people said.

How you can pray

You can help strengthen this Indigenous church of new believers through prayer:

  • Pray for God to provide jobs for Leo and LouAnne so they can support their family.
  • Pray for God to use Leo and LouAnne’s bold witness to bring glory to His name and to grow His church among the KDD.
  • Join the KDD believers in praying for God to make them strong and help spread the gospel seed in their community.

 Some names may have been changed for security reasons.


EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Chris Heil and originally published by the International Mission Board.

Share with others:

Facebook
X/Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Latest News

  • Texas tragedy coverage offers opportunities to minister, serve
    Texas tragedy coverage offers opportunities to minister, serve
    July 10, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Serving through Disaster Relief: One trip was all it took
    Serving through Disaster Relief: One trip was all it took
    July 10, 2025/
    0 Comments
  • Baptist DR teams providing ‘a little bit of hope’ as TX flooding death toll rises
    Baptist DR teams providing ‘a little bit of hope’ as TX flooding death toll rises
    July 9, 2025/
    0 Comments

Sign up for the Highlights

Get all latest content delivered to your email a few times a month.
Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

Related Posts

Texas tragedy coverage offers opportunities to minister, serve

Not only am I a journalist, but also a Baptist journalist. And I have spent the better part of my career with people, hearing their stories and sharing what God is doing in the world around us.

Serving through Disaster Relief: One trip was all it took

“We found Disaster Relief to be a great organization,” said Johnie Alden.  

Baptist DR teams providing ‘a little bit of hope’ as TX flooding death toll rises

As of Wednesday morning (July 9), the latest death toll from the horrific flash flooding in Central Texas had risen at least 119, with at least 150 people still missing, mostly in Kerr County, according to the latest media reports.

IRS: Churches can endorse political candidates

For years, conservative legal groups have argued that an IRS rule barring churches from endorsing candidates was unconstitutional.

Want to receive news highlights throughout the week? Sign up here!

Email is required Email is not valid
Thanks for your subscription.
Failed to subscribe, please contact admin.

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us
  • Our Story
  • Our Team
  • Our Partners
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Contact us

Explore

  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • State-specific news
  • Archive
  • Opinion pieces
  • Sunday School lessons
  • Persecuted Church
  • Podcasts
  • Videos

Submissions

  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy
  • Story suggestions
  • Your Voice/Letter to the Editor
  • Photos / Videos
  • Corrections/other
  • Submission Policy

Subscribe

  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
  • Subscribe
  • Renew subscription
  • Gift a subscription
  • Start a new member subscription
  • Start a new group subscription
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Hosted Church
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Request free trial
The Baptist Paper
Address:
3310 Independence Dr.
Birmingham, AL 35209
Copyright © 2025 TAB Media Group
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ
  • Privacy/Terms of Use
  • Help
  • FAQ

Email:
news@thebaptistpaper.org

About

  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church
  • Our Team
  • Advertise and Promote
  • Classifieds
  • Donate
  • Photo Galleries
  • Contact us
  • Hosted Church

Explore

  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news
  • Latest News
  • Trending
  • Your State News
  • Persecuted Church
  • Editorials
  • Opinions
  • Podcasts
  • Videos
  • Archive
  • Submit your news

Subscribe

  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate
  • Manage your group
  • Manage your account
  • Subscribe
  • Start a new subscription at the group rate

Log Out?

Lost your password?

Log In

Lost your password?

Log in

Become a part of our community!
Forgot your password? Get help
Privacy/Terms of Use

Reset password

Recover your password
A password reset link will be e-mailed to you.
Privacy/Terms of Use
Back to
Login
×
Close Panel