Brazil

Two JAARS-supported aviation programs are currently operating in Brazil, providing flight services to SIL Brazil’s translators and support personnel, as well as several partnering organizations.

Here, pilots fly three Cessna 206s—two in Anápolis, a thriving city in central Brazil; and one in Porto Velho, a port city in the heart of the Amazon River basin. In Porto Velho, the aviation program also works hand-in-hand with Youth With A Mission (YWAM); a Helio Courier with floats is registered to YWAM, but is also flown by JAARS-trained pilots. In Anápolis, the flight program works closely with Asas de Socorro, a Brazilian mission organization and former Mission Aviation Fellowship program.

Together, these aviation bases serve dozens of language development programs—many of which are accessible solely by air transportation. In addition, our aviation personnel assist in relief work, provide medical evacuations, and transport cargo for community development and literacy work.

Terrain

Much of northern Brazil is blanketed with the Amazon Rain Forest, where more than 100 language groups live along meandering river systems and thickly canopied hillsides. The rain forest is the largest and most species-rich in the world—and in many regions, has little or no transportation infrastructure.

To the south lie rolling hills and low mountains; in the southeast, several mountain ranges pepper the coast, with peaks nearly 10,000 feet above sea level.

Many of Brazil’s lesser-known language groups live along these mountains or deep within the Amazon Rain Forest, far from roads and bridges. To work with these language groups, translation teams must rely on air transportation—or be forced to spend weeks traveling by boat or foot.

Translation and Literacy Work

Translation and literacy work have progressed in Brazil for more than 50 years, resulting in Scripture translations for more than 25 of Brazil’s lesser-known language groups. Today, language development programs are underway in more than 60 languages—nearly one-third of Brazil’s 188 living languages.

Many of these programs are led by Brazilian organizations, including:

In recent years, the organization CONPLEI (Conselho Nacional de Pastores e Líderes Evangélicos Indígenas) has encouraged the partnership of three types of missionaries: foreigners, Brazilians and people from within Brazil’s lesser-known language groups.

Yet the task is still far from finished. Translation work has yet to begin in five languages, and more than 30 have not been surveyed regarding translation needs.

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