People from all over the world are signing on to the B4B website. I noticed that someone signed up on the website from “.br” As I looked it up I realized it was Brazil and was curious. Who was this guy and how did he learn about us. The guy was Paulo Humaita. I wondered about him so I contacted him and found a great story to share with you. Paulo found B4B from a friend who met me at a conference.

Paulo, a young economist, has worked for several multi-nationals. He’s an up and coming professional. A bright and energetic young man. He heard Francis Chan speak at a conference and couldn’t get it out of his head. How could he and his friends use the talents that God gave them to deliver the gospel to the nations? This bright young Christian had three or four ideas buzzing around his brain. And lots of energy – I loved it! We continued the conversation.

After that first conversation Paulo and some of his friends went on a short-term missions trip up the Amazon River – hopefully avoiding the crocodiles and other predators along the way! This group of young professionals realized that their generation had talents and abilities that God could use. As they pondered, prayed and ministered to poor people along the Amazon, they began to devise a plan – a plan to start a business that was unique.

They saw two needs that could be strategically met through one business. As young Brazilians they didn’t find the clothing and other goods sold by Christian brands representative of them – the crazy young generation that wanted to serve God in their own culture. Their question became: could they create a Christian brand that would appeal to their own generation?

The second need they saw were Syrian refugees that have come to Brazil to escape the terrible tragedy of their homeland. These refugees are safe, but are in very poor conditions without jobs or loving Christian witness.

Paulo and his friends began to ask: can we pair these two things together? Can we create the brand that Brazilians of our generation will find appealing, AND can we do it in a way that will provide jobs and sustenance to the Syrian refugees. It would be a business that would bless individuals, families and communities.

As Paulo puts it: “We aim to be the most recognized Christian brand in the market and meanwhile (and most important) with the mission intent to bring hope for Syrian refugees that are struggling in Brazil to get jobs. Although the government is welcoming refugees in general, they don’t interfere in the job market to help them find jobs. So the brand is creating a new style for the young generation and giving dignity for outsiders as a style of life.”

Will these young professionals do it? I believe they will. They have taken the initiative to develop a solid business plan, a brand and are working on their strategy. B4B has been in the background coaching and asking good questions, but the Brazilians have done the heavy lifting. They are very clear in their missional intent and their ability to influence others in starting businesses to give God glory while blessing others.

Here’s what they say about their values:

“We are freaking crazy about Jesus and His gospel. We don’t want to be safe and get reserved seats at a church. But we want to live the fullness of what God has for us. Our faith allows us to put our hands in the air and jump in without knowing what is next. We prefer an insane rollercoaster than a boring carousel. We are the light and salt on this Earth. We are a generation that doesn’t know God only through what we hear, but our eyes see His glory in every single day of our lives. “

“We are Includers: We believe that diversity is one of the keys for our success since we are a very diverse generation with many sorts of tribes and vibes willing to empower our abilities and gifts for something bigger than our individual lives. We are located in Brazil but we include people from other parts of the world as essential assets for our main goals. Together, we can do great things against poverty, social inequality and people who we don’t know yet but they need someone like us to get help from.”

“We are Believers: We believe in our mission. We believe in loving each other by improving someone else’s life and influencing a whole generation to do their best. We hope! We dream! We do!”

I love these guys. I’m proud to work with people of this caliber. They work within the church and help her to reach out as Jesus intends. Paulo has started on a degree in biblical missions so that he is clear on the foundations. Stay tuned for more developments – and more stories of the young generation when they are released to do what they do best with energy and God’s blessing. This generation gives us a lot of hope for the future of God’s work in this world.

Today we have given you a snapshot of Paulo and his friends. We will continue the story as they move through the process of starting the business. Pray for this young team. If you want to learn more directly from Paulo post a comment on this blog.