The Latin America Administrative Committee of the Board for World Missions is calling a missionary to Brazil. This will be the first full-time missionary in the area since the last one was recalled from the field in 2009 due to budget cuts.

“We have looked at the various opportunities we have in Latin America and how we’re meeting the needs of that field, and we think now would be the time that we can put some resources back into Brazil,” says Rev. Robert Smith, committee chairman. “We believe there still is opportunity there.”

Smith says that the new missionary’s focus will be on outreach, especially in the city of Presidente Prudente where a national evangelist is working. Rev. Jon Buchholz, Arizona-California district president and pastor at Emmanuel, Tempe, Ariz., is currently holding the call.

The position will be funded by special project funds for the first year. After that, Smith says, the committee will have to look at how to reallocate resources in the Latin American fields to continue funding the position. Currently WELS has seven full-time missionaries in Latin America.

Igreja Luterana Brasileira, WELS’ sister church in Brazil, has two national pastors, one evangelist, two congregations, and one preaching station. Rev. Charles Flunker, one of the original missionaries who started the Brazil mission in 1987 but has since retired, has been serving in Brazil the past six years as a volunteer missionary at the congregation in Dourados. As part of his duties, Rev. Nathan Wagenknecht of the Latin America Traveling Theological Educators serves as a friendly counselor to the church.

“Brazil is a country of 200 million people,” says Smith. “There’s a need to hear the gospel, and we have it to share with them. Please pray for the success of our mission work in Brazil and every other place.”