With these they organized Primeira Igreja Batista de Palmas, First Baptist Church of Palmas. In the adjoining satellite cities of Aureny and Taquaralto lots were also acquired and work begun. God has used the efforts of his people in a great way in Palmas. There are now twelve Baptist churches and three good mission congregations in Palmas with a total of about one thousand members. Sunday School classes, whether meeting in a proper classroom or in the shade of a building, discuss vigorously the Bible truths.
Children sing, listen to Bible stories, and participate in Bible-based activities.
Ben and Berdie have had their part in this work, but they attribute the vast majority of the hours spent, the persons evangelized, the classes taught, the buildings built, to the faithful Brazilian Christians of Palmas. New missionaries Jack and Julia Wiley moved to Palmas in January 2001. Here's a photo of Ben and Berdie Hope, Southern Baptist missionaries who served a total of 32 years in Brazil, including seven years in Palmas, 1993-2000. Click to View or Add Text. Click to View or Add Text.