Mocidade Para Cristo (YFC) 65th Birthday Celebration Part 1

Last week MPC/YFC Brazil celebrated 65 years whilst also enjoying their Annual National Conference together. 

 

It all began with registration on Wednesday when the team - 'equipe' in Portuguese - welcomed people as they arrived and designated rooms.

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The team worked very hard all week serving us so willingly. Nothing was too much trouble for them.

 At the end of the dining room was a very large poster where people had the opportunity to say:  'What YFC means to me....' (A MPC para  mim e.......) This is an incredible movement in this nation, delivering programs with the message of the love of Jesus for young people in 130 cities!

 From one senior leader: 'Literally the school of my life'

and from another: ' the place where I can participate in what God is doing.'

On the front wall of the chapel (capela), was the YFC International slogan: 'Geared to the Times, Anchored to the Rock' and the recognition of 65 years in this nation.

 The first night was super cold - the coldest experienced here in 41 years! There is no heating in the Chapel and so, as we arrived for the opening evening session, each of us was handed a tiny drink bottle filled with VERY hot water to use as a hot water bottle during the evening. It helped A LOT. 

We were treated to excellent music throughout the conference from 5 YFC musicians who have worked together to provide really great music for YFC for many years.

Brazilian worship songs are all their own and not translated from other cultures.

 

 Although I didn't know all the words of all the songs, it was great to be able to sing along and understand many of the important words in the songs and know that these people worship the same God as I do using very similar words.

Over the five days a number of people were recognised for their years of service with MPC Brazil  as staff 

or volunteers,

 

  as past board members

or as missionaries to this ministry from the US.

 The pastor who preached on the day Marcelo, the National Director, accepted Jesus as Saviour, was appreciated, 

and Marcelo's older brother who first took him to an MPC/YFC rally when he was a teenager.

 And Marcello himself was honoured for his 35 years as National Director of MPC/YFC here. An incredible leader under whose leadership this ministry has flourished.

We all prayed for him along with his family and the present board members.

If I add too many photos to a blog post, the quality is greatly reduced and so I will post Part 2 in a day or so.