WCC interview: Amid unprecedented flooding in Brazil, churches are often the first responders

Rev. Dr Mauro de Souza, second vice president of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil, and a member of the World Council of Churches central committee, took time to reflect on the grave needs amid the flood disaster in Brazil—and how churches are offering hope.  Rev. Dr Mauro de Souza, second vice president of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil. Albin Hillert/WCC 16 May 2024 Can you tell us about the severity of the flooding? Rev. Dr de Souza: It is the first time, in the last decades, that a huge area is affected by intense rainfall and consequent floods. The State of Rio Grande do Sul has 497 municipalities. Three-quarters of those have been directly affected. We are talking about 2 million people. The Porto Alegre metropolitan area alone, where 4 million people live, has been deeply affected. Hundreds of thousands had to leave their places, thousands lost their houses and their livelihoods, hundreds lost their very lives. Hundreds are still missing. Immediate challenges are shelter, water, food, medical, and hygiene supplies. When the waters go down, then comes the cleaning, rebuilding, and refurnishing houses. Also getting schools, businesses, roads, bus and train stations, and airports back to work.  Mid and long-term challenges will be relocating entire neighborhoods if not entire cities. Jobs in the cities and in the rural areas will be major challenges. What are some of the ways in which churches are working to help? Rev. Dr de Souza: Churches and their members are among the first ones to respond. Some people volunteer to rescue people, others are working on sheltering them, others went on to organize donations and supplies. Many churches offer their spaces as collective shelters, cook hot meals, offer baths and safe beds. Churches have deployed fundraising campaigns and will be of utmost importance when the rebuilding processes begin. Their most important task is to keep spirits up, with courage, patience, faith. Churches also team up with other civil organizations to demand better and safer public policies to prevent other disasters. Churches are among those who propose to begin a new relationship between people and nature. We are not here to use nature but to live with nature, with respect, reverence, and interdependence. What can your ecumenical family pray for you across the world? Rev. Dr de Souza: Pray for God’s presence among God’s people. Pray for the gift of creativity that comes from the Spirit. Pray for the teachings of Jesus Christ which include communion, sharing, simple living. Pray for church leadership whose job is to keep people standing, facing death with a discrete smile. Pray for a new start as humanity. Pray for the powerful nations to rethink their dominance over other nations. Pray for global policies that do not allow few people owning much of the world’s wealth at the expense of billions left with almost nothing. Solidarity campaign of the Evangelical Church of the Lutheran Confession in Brazil WCC expresses sympathy, solidarity for people and churches of Southern Brazil (WCC news release, 8 May 2024) The downtown area of Porto Alegre, capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, has been flooded for several days. Photo: Daniel Reis See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland