LATIN AMERICA

Celebrating 60 Years of God’s Faithfulness

On May 1, 2024, more than 160 current and former staff, volunteers, listeners, and ministry partners of HCJB Brazil gathered to praise God for 60 years of continuous ministry to the Portuguese-speaking world.

Reach Beyond (HCJB) began airing Portuguese radio programs in 1944. After a long pause, God led Victor and Helena Arndt and their young family to Quito, Ecuador to restart the Portuguese language service in 1964.

Twenty-two years later, HCJB Brazil opened its own office and recording studios in Curitiba, Brazil. Their programs were broadcast by Reach Beyond until 2008, when our Pifo shortwave site had to be dismantled because of the new Quito airport. Local funding challenges led HCJB Brazil to end all shortwave broadcasts in 2014 and shift focus to sharing programs through their website and other means.

In 2015, God opened a new opportunity for HCJB Brazil to distribute their programs on a microSD card they’ve nicknamed, “Card from Heaven” (Cartão do Céu). Users insert this tiny memory chip into their mobile phone or audio player to listen to radio programs. They can also access the Bible, the Jesus Film, and other Bible study resources—usually in various languages.

Praise God that HCJB Brazil has already distributed over 40,000 of these cards (about 1,000 per month) through missionaries working in Brazil and other parts of the world, who are providing follow-up and discipling new believers!