Costa family newsletter — October 2026. From Bruno, Camila, and Mariana Costa, shared with Gainesville Covenant Church by Ron.
NEWSLETTER OF THE COSTA FAMILY
OCT 2026
Bruno, Camila, and Mariana.
Warm greetings from Brazil! We are grateful to see how the Lord continues to work and open doors for our ministry. We are sorry this newsletter is so long, but it is filled with beautiful stories and so many wonderful things the Lord is doing! We hope you can find some time to read it! Thank you for your prayers, encouragement, and faithful partnership.
MISSION TRIP TO INDIAN TRIBES
Our mission trip to Mato Grosso in September, visiting Indigenous villages of the Pareci and Nambikwara peoples, was a great blessing. We praise God for protecting us throughout the journey, covering approximately 3,100 miles in total. We are grateful that the Lord watched over us and enabled us to complete all the activities we had planned.
One day, heavy rain made the unpaved roads extremely slippery, and our pickup truck skidded and spun 180 degrees on the road. Thankfully, we suffered no damage or injuries. Praise God!
We had wonderful meetings where many people were reached with the Word of God! Pr. Edgard, the local leader, always rejoices when we visit. He often shares how our teams bless his ministry and open new doors for the Gospel.
OUR TEAM
TRUCK STUCK IN THE MUD AFTER SKIDDING
We want to share with you about a man called Domingos, an elderly Nambikwara Indian, who spoke very little Portuguese. I, Bruno, still remember the first time I met him 16 years ago, in our first mission trip there (see picture below). David Wilson was with me on this trip! From this very first visit, Domingos showed great kindness and openness toward our teams. In later visits, he invited us to witness Indigenous customs that, as the missionaries explained to us, were not usually shared with outsiders. So, talking about Domingos, Pr. Edgard shared that during our August 2024 trip, after we showed the Jesus film in the Indigenous language, Domingos asked him to pray for him. After praying, Domingos told him, “Now I understand the Gospel and what Christ did for me.” Domingos passed away not long afterward, in early 2025, at the age of 102. The local missionary was with him when he was nearing the end of his life. She prayed with him, and he said that he was at peace and that he was going to Jesus, saying that He was his Savior. He passed away peacefully.
DOMINGOS IN 2010
OUTREACH IN DOMINGO’S VILLAGE ON THIS YEAR’S TRIP
Another amazing testimony is about Martinho, another Nambikwara Indigenous man, who was adopted by Pastor Edgard’s family at the age of 6 and lived with them until he turned 18, when he decided to return to his village. Unfortunately, shortly after returning, Martinho developed an alcohol addiction that led to serious health problems. Also in our August 2024 trip, we did an outreach in his village, and I still remember how much it struck me to see the way that Martinho watched the Jesus film. It was a very cold night, and he watched the entire two-hour film in his native language while standing still the whole time! I was amazed to see how involved he was in the program. So, a few months later, I asked Pr. Edgard about him, and to my surprise, he told me that Martinho had passed away at the age of 57. I asked about the night Martinho watched the film, and Pr. Edgard shared the whole story with me, as follows:
“The film was truly a turning point, not only in Martinho’s life but also in the life of the village. From that point on, Martinho became firmly established in his faith. During the final season of his life, he truly returned to Jesus, strengthened his walk with the Lord, and became a testimony to others. I often say that Martinho was like Samson: in his death, he defeated more enemies than he had throughout his entire life. That moment also marked a return to the things Martinho had learned over the years from my parents. This made a significant difference. I see the final year of his life as a time of returning to Jesus and becoming firmly grounded in his faith. There is no doubt that that moment in the village played a very important role in his decision. The film was shown in August, and Martinho passed away in February of the following year. When we look back on these events, we can see God at work throughout the situation. The testimony of Martinho’s final days and his death was truly powerful. Even today, when we visit the villages around Comodoro, we can see how deeply this event has stayed with the people.”
When we look at Martinho’s story, we see how God can use a specific moment to touch someone’s life deeply and produce fruit that goes far beyond what we can see.
These testimonies remind us of the wonderful power of God's Word and of His grace and mercy at work in people's hearts over time. We may not always see the full impact of our work immediately, but God continues to work through every encounter, every message, and every opportunity to share the Gospel.
OPEN AIR OUTREACH IN THE VILLAGES
WP BRAZIL MISSION CONTROL PROJECT
As we have mentioned in previous updates, establishing a mission base is an important step toward strengthening and expanding our ministry in Brazil. As the Lord continues to open new doors and the work grows, the space we currently use (our apartment) can no longer accommodate all our needs. The significant growth of the Be Amazing ministry has made having a dedicated facility even more important.
This new space will provide better conditions for managing our daily activities, supporting our ministries, and developing future projects. For more details about this project, click the button below to view the brochure.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to us. We are trusting God to provide what is needed to make this vision a reality. Thank you for standing with us in prayer as we seek His provision for this important step forward.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE BROCHURE OF THE MISSION CONTROL PROJECT!
LOCAL MINISTRY
In July and August, in addition to our ministry in schools in August and September, we also dedicated time to ministry in juvenile detention centers, drug rehabilitation centers, and social projects. We held many meetings in these places, and it is always a privilege to share the love of Christ with those people.
One particularly remarkable experience took place at a juvenile detention center, in a small town 75km far from where we live. After our presentation, a member of the educational staff was deeply moved by what she had witnessed. She expressed her amazement very clearly, saying that in all her life, she had never seen anything so wonderful. “I am 58 years old, and I have never seen anything like this,” she told us. During the meetings that followed, she would approach the young people and encourage them, saying, “You are receiving a gift from God today. Listen carefully and put these teachings into practice!” She continued to explain how deeply the presentation had touched her, saying that nothing she had witnessed in her 58 years of life had impacted her as much as what she had just seen. At the end, she shared something even more meaningful: “I have never felt the presence of the Holy Spirit here the way I felt it today.”
We praise God for every opportunity He gives us to share the Gospel with children, teenagers, and adults!
DRUG REHABILITATION CENTER
SOCIAL PROJECT FOR CHILDREN
SCHOOL OUTREACHES
(WE ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TAKE PICTURES INSIDE DETENTION CENTERS)
WP EVANGELISTIC SEMINAR
At the end of July, we held our WP Evangelistic Seminar, where we trained several people to share the Gospel using the methods and tools we use in our ministry. It was a wonderful time, as more people were equipped to serve in the Lord’s harvest field. Pray for fruit!
BE AMAZING BRAZIL
The Lord continues to open many doors and guide us in establishing new partnerships! In August, we participated in the Second Missionary Advancement Gathering for the Deaf in Brazil. We are partnering with a mission agency specializing in ministry to the Deaf to adapt and translate our Be Amazing Bible study into Brazilian Sign Language (Libras). This will be the first discipleship resource for women translated into Brazilian Sign Language for the Deaf community in Brazil.
Our team also traveled to Brasília (capital of Brazil) for a weekend, where we participated in a women's conference. In addition, we presented our study to 50 discipleship leaders and teachers in the city, with the goal of equipping them to start new groups using our material.
In September, Camila and her team spent ten days in Salvador (Northeast Brazil), conducting women's discipleship training, attending conferences, and ministering in partner churches throughout the city.
We are also working on launching an app that will serve as a resource for groups using our discipleship materials: the books Be Amazing and Be Established . This app is a wonderful and generous gift from one of our volunteers, who is a professional in this field. The app will feature instructional videos to help teachers learn how to use our studies, as well as tools to organize classes and manage the activities and administration of their groups. Through this resource, we hope to help churches and independent groups develop their ministries in a more organized and productive way.
Please, pray with us for the month of November! We have many exciting developments ahead, including The Amazing Home and the first training retreat for women who will lead discipleship groups using our material for teenage girls, which is scheduled to launch in 2027.
We praise God for everything He has been doing! We are grateful to everyone who prays for us, supports us, and partners with us in this mission to disciple and strengthen women through the Word of God.
MISSIONARY GATHERING FOR THE DEAF
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL
MARIANA’S STORIES
Mariana continues to be fully engaged in her studies at Word of Life Bible College. She has been learning a lot and taking part in many wonderful activities and opportunities for ministry.
Recently, she participated in a mission trip to Maranhão, a very poor state in northeastern Brazil, where there is a great need for the Gospel. Mariana and her fellow Bible College students experienced several deep encounters while visiting more than 1,200 houses in a very small town. They delivered a Bible to each household.
In one house, when Mariana and a friend gave a Bible to a woman, she began to cry uncontrollably. She explained that she had been praying for a Bible for many years, and their arrival at her home with that very gift was an answer to her prayers.
In another house, Mariana related, “I also met another woman who initially turned away from me and did not want to listen to what I had to say. However, when I handed her a Bible, she began to cry. She shared that she did not feel loved, valued, or seen by anyone. I told her that she was seen because God had sent us there to give her His Word and remind her that she was not forgotten.”
Another memorable encounter was with a woman named Ivonete. Mariana said, “As we shared the plan of redemption and explained the Gospel to her, we spoke about the promise that one day, in heaven, there will be no more tears or pain. She began to weep, saying, ‘So in heaven, I will not cry anymore?’ We answered, ‘Yes!’ She continued to weep, but her tears soon gave way to joy because of the promise that one day she would be living with Jesus.”
These encounters reminded us how deeply people need to experience God's love and how the Gospel brings hope, comfort, and the assurance that no one is forgotten by Him.
VISITING HOMES TO SHARE THE GOSPEL AND DELIVER BIBLES
MINISTRY NEEDS
Dear friends, the insurance policy for one of our ministry vehicles will expire in a few weeks, and we are trusting the Lord to provide the resources needed for its renewal. We kindly ask you to pray with us for God’s provision of the $850 required to renew the policy.
Another need at this time is a sound system for our new missionary in Northeast Brazil. This equipment is very important for the outreaches we do. The cost is $650.
MISSION TRIP TO NORTHEAST BRAZIL
We are currently preparing for our mission trip to Northeast Brazil to support our new missionary there, Greiciany Messiatto. She joined our ministry in June of this year, and we will be traveling there with a team to assist her and work alongside her.
We will also be drilling a well in a very impoverished community. Please pray that we will find water for the people there!
MISSION TRIP TO AFRICA
As we have mentioned before, God has given us amazing ministry opportunities in Africa through Blair Carlson and Roy Kruse, wonderful brothers who serve with GoodWord Partnership. We are currently working with them on an evangelistic project in Guinea-Bissau. The next step is scheduled for December of this year. Two of our staff members from Brazil will be joining me. We are so excited! We will be working with churches to prepare them for next year's evangelistic outreaches and equip them to disciple those who will respond to the Gospel.
We will also be staying in touch with a Guinean man who has expressed a strong desire to serve in our ministry, as we shared in our last newsletter. Please pray for God’s will to be done as we explore the possibility of establishing another WP branch in Africa!
Thanks a lot for reading our newsletter!
Thank you very much for your precious partnership through your prayers and support. We praise the Lord for your lives!
Thank you for partnering with us in this ministry!
In His Love,
Bruno, Camila, and Mariana.
PRAISE:
For your faithful prayers and support
For the mission trip to the Indigenous villages
For all the ministry opportunities God has given WP Brazil and Be Amazing
For all the Lord is doing in Mariana’s life
PRAYER REQUESTS:
For our mission trip to Northeast Brazil
For our mission trip to Guinea-Bissau
For the Be Amazing events
For God’s provision for the ministry truck insurance ($850) and a sound system for our new staff member ($650)
For God’s provision for the WP BRASIL Mission Control Project
DONATIONS TO THE COSTA FAMILY
Bruno & Camila Costa, together with their daughter Mariana, are missionaries with WP Brazil and live completely by faith. All of their personal and ministry needs are met through the faithful generosity of God's people. Through their ministry, many people have the opportunity to hear the Good News, and you can play a vital role, through your prayers and financial support, in helping them continue to reach many more with the message of the Cross.
If you would like to support the Costa family or help meet any of the needs described in this newsletter, please click the button below.
“How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”
(Rm 10:15)