This week, come with us to Brazil where we’ll meet Francisco Gomes de Lima. Francisco was the first Seventh-day Adventist in the coastal tourist city of Canoa Quebrada. He started worshipping in his house by himself, but eventually, a donor gave land for a church to be built. Francisco’s small group didn’t have much money, so they constructed a little, dark room on the property. It looked out of place in a town full of nice buildings, and worshipping in such a dark place made the people sad and discouraged. One by one, members left the church, except Francisco and his wife.

In this story, your kids will see how Francisco navigated the discouragement of feeling abandoned, and they’ll have the opportunity to consider how they can turn to God when they’re lonely and worried about the future.

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Pre-video Discussion Questions
- Have you ever been the only one who showed up to an event, like a class or Sabbath School? How did it feel?

Watch the video
In today’s video, a man who worshipped alone for years, finally gets a proper church.

Post-video Discussion Questions
- How do you think Francisco felt about going to church every Sabbath, just he and his wife? Do you think he had doubts about whether they’d ever have a real church?
- How did Francisco get through all of his loneliness over the years?
- There are lots of God’s people who have felt alone, even Jesus. There is a story in the Bible where Jesus was all alone and worried about the future. He knew the leaders would soon arrest Him because they didn’t like the message of love He preached. And He didn’t want to go through the bad things that were coming. But Jesus knew He could turn to God. He prayed and asked God for help. Jesus also told God that He would trust God, even if He didn’t like the situation. Are there any situations in your life where you feel lonely or afraid that you could pray to God about?

Prayer Points
- For people in our lives who might feel lonely.
- To trust God even when we feel alone or afraid.
- Ask kids what they would add to the prayer list.

Did You Know?
- Some of the most beautiful beaches in the world are found in Brazil, and tourists come from all around the globe to enjoy them.