Every Gift Has a Story: JEAME (Brazil)

For over 30 years, Oakseed has partnered with JEAME to bring the light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ into the dark places of São Paulo, one of Brazil’s largest cities, with a population of over 22 million souls. We have asked for prayers for its ministry to youth in juvenile detention centers and street evangelism opportunities. Through the bazaar catalog, Oakseed donors have given Bibles, clothing, food packages, and funds for vocational training.

John Crosley, Oakseed’s Missions Director, had the opportunity to visit JEAME earlier this year and shared the following:

“Visiting JEAME’s prison ministry was one of the most impactful parts of my trip. The boys in the detention center, dressed in uniforms with shaved heads, were just kids—some as young as 12—caught up in gang-related crimes. JEAME offers job training and spiritual hope, but the reality of gang debts waiting for them upon release was heartbreaking. One teen boy I met while I was there had just been released and was now professing faith in Christ and not desiring his old way of life. But he was in a situation where a gang had looked after his family while he was inside, and he needed to start paying the debt immediately. He was interested in JEAME’s job training, but needed something more immediate. JEAME was able through some of their partnerships to find him a job at a McDonald’s, for which he was very grateful.

At JEAME’s anniversary event, I met a pastor who had been saved through their ministry as a boy. Hearing that 12 Brazilian pastors trace their faith to JEAME was a powerful reminder of God’s redemption through their sharing of the gospel.”

Marcos is a believer who, thanks to JEAME, is pursuing a career in technology at a local college. In gratitude for JEAME’s Papo de Responsa project, he has returned to give back by helping other young people find purpose in their lives. He became a mentor to Gabriel, a young man interested in technology but also needing guidance and discipleship. Marcos is walking Gabriel through lessons on perseverance and faith, sharing lessons he learned in his own recovery journey.