The Chinese in Brazil

Edited by Tony Lambert, OMF Director for China Research

Brazil—the fifth largest country in the world—has a dynamic, growing economy. It is a country of great contrasts—from the vast Amazon rain forest to the teaming coastal cities of Rio and Sao Paulo with their gleaming skyscrapers and street children. Portuguese-speaking, it is a colorful melting pot of people from many different backgrounds—native tribes, Portuguese, African, Italian, German, Japanese—and Chinese.

Until recently, the Chinese were a negligible part of Brazil’s huge population of 190 million (statistic of July 2006). As recently as the 1960s there were probably under one thousand Chinese living in this vast country. However, in the 1970s there was a large influx of business people and shopkeepers from Taiwan. Then in the 1990s a second wave of immigrants began from Mainland China. Many were poorly educated, even illiterate, and were economic migrants seeking a better life in South America.

Today the Chinese population has soared to about 280,000. Ninety percent of them are concentrated in the Sao Paulo area which is Brazil’s largest city with a huge population of 19 million. The Protestant Christian witness among the Chinese is therefore naturally also strongest in Sao Paulo which now has 19 Chinese churches—risen from only 12 in 1993. There are also 13 other small Chinese churches scattered in other cities, but they mostly lack full-time workers. Even in Sao Paulo some of the churches have no permanent pastors and are reliant on members to lead services. The percentage of born-again believers among the Chinese community is still tiny—some years ago Operation World reported it as being only 1.7 percent.

In 1990 a dozen or so Chinese pastors were praying together at a retreat and received a strong vision to set up a Bible training school. Today the South American Chinese Christian Seminary is in full operation. Staff and curriculum are largely provided by Chinese Christians in North America. Although there is much work to do in Brazil itself, there are vast areas of South and Central America where the gospel witness to the Chinese is either very weak or non-existent. In April 2005 the third congress on evangelism to the Chinese in South America was held in Brazil. Four hundred delegates attended from Chinese churches throughout South and Central America.

We pray that the Chinese churches in Brazil will be a catalyst to the many vibrant Portuguese-speaking churches to catch a vision for mission not only to the Chinese in South America, but in Mainland China itself. OMF has had workers from Brazil called to Hong Kong some years ago. We pray the God will raise up many more! (We are grateful to Chinese Coordination Center of World Evangelism [CCCOWE] for most of the above information.)

CHINA’S POPULATION SOARS

Despite almost three decades of the one-child policy, China’s population will reach 1.5 billion by 2033—well in advance of the previous estimate of 2050. China already faces shortages of basic resources such as water and habitable land. By 2020 the imbalance between the sexes caused by a preference for boys over girls will mean there will be 30 million more men of marriageable age than women. Between now and 2016 the growth in the number of people of working age will increase by 10 million a year meaning that much of China’s remarkable economic growth will be taken up simply with finding them jobs rather than making them richer. (Daily Telegraph, 13 January 2007)

CHINA’S RELIGIOUS POPULATION ALSO SOARS!

China’s first major survey on religious beliefs has been published. Professors at Shanghai’s East China Normal University polled about 4,500 people from 2005 until recently.

The poll has some surprising results! The number of people who describe themselves as religious is a startling three times more than the official estimate—in other words, 300 million rather than the figure of 100 million which has remained unchanged for years in official publications.

About 200 million people are Buddhists, Daoists or followers of traditional folk-religion. According to previous official statistics Protestant Christians increased from fewer than 10 million in the late 1990s to 16 million in 2005. But the survey found that actually 40 million (or 12 percent of all religious believers in China) are now Protestants.

The survey found that many young people have become religious since 2000 and that religious belief is not due to poverty. Sixty-two percent of the religious believers are in the 16-39 age group and only 9.6 percent are aged 55 or older. Many middle-aged people became believers in the late 1990s. “They were atheists in the 1950s but turned to religion when they turned older.” Many new believers come from the economically advanced coastal regions (for instance, Wenzhou). The survey found that religion is expanding because of more religious freedom and the social problems confronting China in a time of fast change.

The survey, which was highlighted in the official China Daily on February 7, 2007, found that religion has helped cut down the crime rate. It seems more evident that perhaps the authorities are re-evaluating their previous largely negative view of religion. Will this survey pave the way for a policy re-evaluation which will allow religious believers, including Christians, to move from the margins to take a much more positive role in building a “harmonious society”? Let us pray this is the case!

CHRISTMAS EVANGELISM IN SOUTH CHINA

The local Christians were so excited as Christmas approached! The gospel has slowly spread in their small coastal town in recent years, so that now there are about a dozen small house churches meeting. Things are more open here than in many places further north. One elderly lady doctor proudly runs a “gospel clinic” with the cross of Christ prominently displayed by the entrance.

One house church near the railway has doubled in size from 15 to more than 30 people in the space of two years. They now have their own pastor, a middle-aged man who came all the way from Henan in central China. His rousing hour-long sermons have led many to the Lord and built others up in their faith. The Christians are ordinary working people, fishermen, retired old ladies and a growing number of young people.

Last Christmas they approached the authorities and got police permission for an open-air service of witness. The pastor set up a platform outside the clinic. To their amazement and delight about 3,000 people turned up to see the children perform a Christmas play and to hear the preaching of the gospel. At least two dozen are known to have turned to the Lord. The whole occasion was recorded on DVD to be given out to even more people.

BEIJING HOUSE-CHURCH LEADER RELEASED

Beijing house-church leader Liu Fenggang was released on February 5 after serving three years in prison in Zhejiang Province. Now aged 48 he was arrested in October 2003 and sentenced in August 2004 to three years imprisonment for “providing national intelligence to overseas organizations.” In fact, he had only reported the demolition of a house church to Christians overseas. While in prison Liu was hospitalized five times for serious heart disease and diabetes. In 1995 he spent two years in labor camp for his work among house churches. He now says: “I am very thankful for God’s grace and the prayers and letters from brothers and sisters all over the world. My mother died during my first imprisonment and my little son grew up without me during the past three years.” (China Aid Association, 7 Feb. 2007)

Copyright 2007 OMF International