June 2, 2014

In Brazil, Adventists Prepare Water and Music for World Cup Fans

, ASN, in Brasília,
Brazil, and
, ANN, in Silver Spring, Maryland

When the crowds arrive in Brazil in a
few days for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, local Seventh-day Adventists will be on
hand with drinking water, music and directions.

The Adventist church in Brazil is
mobilizing young people at each of the 12 cities holding matches for the World
Cup soccer championship, which begins June 12 and is expected to draw hundreds
of thousands of fans from around the world. Many local schools and businesses
are likely to close during the 32-day tournament.

Around soccer stadiums, Adventist volunteers will distribute water, perform
musical concerts and hold health expos. Other volunteers will offer directions
and other city information to passersby.

“It’s important to emphasize that these
are not actions to bring people to stadiums or promote football,” said Areli
Barbosa, Youth Ministries director of the church’s South American Division. “We
are enjoying a great opportunity in Brazil to speak of Christ in different
ways.”

Adventists also will distribute two types of literature: 1 million copies of
the Adventist sharing book “The Only Hope,” written by Adventist evangelist Alejandro
Bullón, and a magazine about victims of sex tourism, which is this year’s theme
of the South American Division’s ongoing abuse awareness campaign “Breaking the Silence.”

Meanwhile, local Adventist leaders will
host an online campaign to pray for the 32 countries represented in the World Cup.
Each day, organizers will designate a represented country and pray for its
citizens and the Adventist projects and organizations operating there. The
prayer campaign will begin on the first day of play, June 12, on the websites adventistas.org/pt/esperancabrasil and facebook.com/IgrejaAdventistadoSetimoDia.

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