Introduction
This revival story is about how God used Valentina Baptist Church, from a suburb of João Pessoa, Brazil, to bring both spiritual and physical life back into the small desert town of Algodão de Jandaíra, which had a population of about 2,000.
Algodão de Jandaíra was once a comfortable community resting on very fertile land, producing crops that provided for the people’s livelihood, as well as an excess that could be exported to other communities.
By 1993, due to a severe drought, the region was dry, with the reservoir also drying up. Wells were dry, and repeated attempts to drill more or deeper wells always proved to be an unfruitful effort.
Abject Poverty
By 2003 there had not been significant rain in 23 years. Poverty was experienced by all.
► Children had flies crawling on their eyes.
► Breakfast, even for children, would consist of coffee and sugar.
► Water had to be trucked into the town and pumped into cisterns, and even then it was brown and it reeked.
► Most survived on cactus and cassava flour.
► Chickens could not survive there, so meat was rare.
► Death hung over the land.
Extraordinary Prayer with the Worship Team
In July 2002, during Valentina Baptist Church’s Sunday night worship team practice, after a teaching by the pastor’s wife, Simone, she said,
Let’s be quiet before the Lord and see if there is anything we need to confess.
As they waited in silence…, a deep spirit of contrition and confession enveloped the group.
They poured out their hearts to the Lord and to each other for two hours. The presence and power of the Lord came upon them in a way none of them had ever experienced before. It was a deep, intense, work of God.
Embarrassed at their display of intense emotion, they began to laugh, in response to the lightness and freedom from the burdens they had been carrying. It was a life-changing experience.
This was all new to this conservative Baptist church, so before they left, Simone told them all,
When we leave here, just keep it to yourself. People in the church will never understand. If you share this with people you will get criticized. There is going to be confusion, so just leave it with the Lord and see what happens.
Extraordinary Prayer with the Choir
On Wednesday, just a few days later, the choir came to practice, not knowing what had occurred with the worship team a few days earlier.
The practice was conducted as normal, and at the end Simone gathered all together to close with prayer, but instead of the customary closing type of a prayer, she told them:
Let’s not just say one of those normal prayers we say at the end…, But let’s pray and think about what we have been singing.
As they prayed, they became acutely aware the presence of God.
People began spontaneously praising the Lord. The more they praised, the more freedom they felt.
The presence of God was overwhelming at times. When the presence would subside, a person would begin to pray audibly, and another wave of the Holy Spirit would come, engulfing the group again.
Valentina Baptist Church – Pastor Enéas Araújo
Extraordinary Prayer with the Dance Group / Worship Team / Choir
There were only two people who had been present when God visited both the worship team and the choir (Simone and the worship leader). They knew God was doing something special, so they called all three groups together on the following Tuesday (dance group, worship team, and choir).
After Simone began to teach something about a song they were practicing, she had to stop in the middle of her teaching, as she was overcome by tears.
Everyone got down on their knees to pray, and spontaneous and unpremeditated prayer for the nations (missions) began to flow out of their mouths. The Holy Spirit burdened one to pray about a certain nation, then another would feel a burden to pray about a different one, and so it continued for nation after nation.
Following this Holy Spirit-led prayer gathering, all the music practices became times of intense prayer, as God was preparing them for what He was going to do through them.
Visions Gave Direction and Confirmation
Members of Valentina Baptist Church would receive visions which gave direction and confirmation to the direction the church was to take with its mission outreach.
Sign leading to the town
First Mission Trip to Algodão de Jandaíra (September 21, 2002)
During the 3.5-hour drive in the car, from Valentina to Algodão de Jandaíra, the five-member team had been singing, praying, and talking about the things of the Lord. They had heightened expectations of what they believed God was going to do in this town. But when they saw the sign that said “Algodão de Jandaíra,” they noticed the scenery began to change.
► The area looked like death.
► There was no longer any vegetation.
► The sun was very hot and there was not a single cloud in the sky.
► Everything was dusty and grey.
► Even the cacti were grey from the amount of dust.
► They saw carcasses of what seemed to be dead goats.
► The few animals they saw looked emaciated.
► The people were dressed in rags, with the children having distended stomachs.
► They observed old, abandoned huts.
► The road was unused and in poor condition.
► The last 6.5 miles, from where they saw the sign pointing to the town, took them 45 minutes to drive, as the road condition was so poor.
The mood of those in the car began to deflate, from being filled with faith and excitement to almost despair. It was as if the depression blanketing the town was pressing down upon them.
► Some in the car were crying.
► They were all wiping their eyes and blowing their noses.
► The sensation was totally overwhelming.
► Then they saw the town.
► Many of the brick homes were in disrepair.
► The water reservoir had become a dry lakebed.
Engaging the People
Regardless of the disappointment of seeing such a community displaying hopelessness, they had the confirmation that they were following God’s leading.
After prayer, the team of five separated into two groups and began going house-to-house, talking to people, praying for them, and handing out literature. They even had permission to speak to those who were drinking in the bar.
Results of the First Visit to Algodão de Jandaíra
► One woman prayed a prayer of repentance.
► They met a man who had been praying for God to send missionaries to them.
► They met a town councilman who was a Baptist and wanted to see a church started in the town.
Pastor Enéas Araújo and Simone: Pastors at Valentina Baptist Church
Second Visit to Algodão de Jandaíra
Pastor Enéas, the senior pastor of Valentina Baptist Church, participated in the second trip. The first stop they made upon their arrival in Algodão de Jandaíra was at the home of the councilman, João Batiste, where they discussed the possibility of starting a church, as well as the continual provision of food and other essentials that the town was in need of.
Third Visit to Algodão de Jandaíra
The next visit came in November 2002, and there were so many from Valentina that wanted to come, that they rented a 50-passenger bus.
Upon their arrival they focused on house-to-house visitations, passing out literature and praying with people.
► Many prayed a prayer of repentance.
► A service was held that evening, with 100 people present.
► The next afternoon a children’s ministry was conducted, and they were overwhelmed with the 120 children that were present.
Debrief of Their Visit
Following this third visit they discussed what they had witnessed and what made the most impression on the few dozen that participated in the trip from Valentina:
► They were shocked witnessing the abject poverty. Even though the people from Valentina were poor, they had never seen poverty on this level.
► The idolatry was profound, with people worshiping statues of saints and praying to the dead.
► There was a person in the town who was heavily involved in occult practices, and to whom people would go for spiritual help. With them not seeing results from the local Catholic church, the town people conducted all types of rituals and sacrifices linked to the spirits of nature.
Frequent Visits
The Valentina Baptist Church was making about two trips to Algodão de Jandaíra per month, bringing food and clothing. When they put their mission to that town in a prioritized position, their church in Valentina would prosper. When they would get distracted, and neglect those trips, they would experience troubles in the church.
Prayer on the hill overlooking the village of Algodão de Jandaíra
More Extraordinary Prayer
At the end of each visit, after their ministry time among the people in Algodão de Jandaíra, the ministry teams from Valentina Baptist Church would hike up a rock outcropping above the village to pray. That location became a place of prayer where people began to spend entire nights in worship and intercession for the valley below.
Village of Algodão de Jandaíra from the rock where prayers were often conducted.
What Happened
On January 24, 2004, a team departed Valentina Baptist Church for Algodão de Jandaíra. During this visit, when they arrived about five miles outside the town, they saw that the previously dry riverbed, which they had crossed in their vehicle dozens of times, was now flowing like a raging river.
They parked their vehicle along the road and, placing their supplies on their shoulders, waded across the river and hiked the remaining distance into the town.
Because of the astonishing sight they witnessed when they came to the edge of the village, an impulse of worship overtook them. The rock outcropping where they had been praying after every visit, had produced a waterfall, “pouring forth life-giving water upon the community below.” This water was feeding the streams that were filling the reservoir, and even overflowing it.
Children were running in the river, splashing, and laughing. Men were watering their animals. It was like a dream come true.
When they met with their friends in town, they were told that shortly after their last visit, the heavens were opened–and children and young people who had never seen rain before witnessed that miracle. There had also been two large rainstorms, each being a few days apart.
Water was said to have also
. . .exploded out of previously dry wells with such force that huge boulders were tossed into the air like pebbles.
The people in the town confessed that it was the prayer of the believers that had brought this miracle. The depression and hopelessness that had blanketed the town for over 2 decades, God turned around in only a few days.
The Rain Continued
In 2011, the rains were so heavy that the reservoir overflowed two different times.
Parade through the streets. Sign says: First Baptist Church of Algodão de Jandaíra
Results of the Revival and Renewal of the Village
► The atmosphere is blanketed with a new climate (physically and spiritually).
► Faith has displaced hopelessness.
► In 2009, a new Baptist church was dedicated in Algodão de Jandaíra.
► The Valentina Baptist Church also increased in its attendance during the same time.
► A majority of the people in the town became followers of Jesus.
► Joint church services are held every other month with an Assembly of God congregation in the town.
► From the mission outreach of the new church in Algodão de Jandaíra, other churches in the region have been started.
► Bars have closed down.
► The reservoir was full of water.
► Streets have been paved.
► In 2010 a ceramic factory was built, and it employs 80 people, producing bricks to export throughout the area.
► The small police force had very little to do, as crime had vanished.
► There are many new cinder block homes in the town.
► The land began to produce chestnuts, mangoes, cotton, honey, jackfruit, corn, fava beans, papaya, guava, and other crops.
► The local river was filled with fish and shrimp.
► The livestock prospered, with goats producing record amounts of milk.
► Almost every family has a garden in their yard.
► The people not only were able to sell their produce at the market, they also had enough to store for the entire next year. Never had they been able to do that before.
► The excess produced was sold to public schools and outside distributors.
► The mayor obtained a grant of hundreds of thousands of dollars for the community.
► The town’s population increased to 3,000.
► Forty-five wells were drilled, as the water table in the town returned to a high level.
First Baptist Church in Algodão de Jandaíra
Sources
► In Brazil: Miracle, Revival & Transformation by Manhattangathering.wordpress.com
► Revival in Algodão de Jandaíra by TBN.org
► The Transformation Continues by Steve Loopstra
► The Transformation of Algodão de Jandaíra by George Otis, Jr.
► When God Transforms the Desert by Steve Loopstra
Return to List of Revival Stories
Chet & Phyllis Swearingen
(260) 920-8248
romans1015@outlook.com
Beautiful Feet
P.O. Box 915
Auburn, IN 46706
