# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1956_S389
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISSIONS 389

Recife and in Goias. Missionaries are being sought for Belem and
Manaus, both Amazon River metropolises. The harvest is white,
and it must be gathered now. But where are the laborers? The
shortage of manpower is tragic. The placement of 150 pastors into
Brazil can be justified. The need can be documented. The District
Mission Board lists the most critical need at 40. This number is
nowhere in sight. The Seminary at Porto Alegre is only now in
a position to send out an annual trickle of help — three, four,
six candidates a year. But what are these among so many?
Meanwhile pastors are struggling to serve 10, 15, 18, 20, 27 stations.
Travel is difficult; roads are poor; oftentimes only trails lead from
one village to the next. The horseback circuit rider has not
vanished from the scene. The colonists of Matto Grosso in the
west are calling for pastoral care. The great cities of the south and
center of Brazil are in need of their second, third, and fifth con-

gregations. Under these conditions only the barest spiritual neces-
sities can be brought to a majority of our constituency; little or no
time is left for stewardship training. Often pastors teach school
in addition to their circuit riding. One pastor teaches half-days
in two schools.

The manpower shortage in our schools is even more tragic.
All sorts of makeshifts are resorted to in order to fill the gaps.
Obviously, manpower is the first concern of this District. In
accordance with the directives of the Houston Convention, a plan
of reorganization has been worked out. The plan of subsidizing
local high schools, of providing dormitories and some professors

at these local high schools, has been abandoned as costly, uncon-
trollable, and of doubtful productivity. Instead, recourse is made
to Synod’s tried-and-proved method of synodically operated edu-
cational institutions.

The plan which is now being put into operation envisions four
institutions. One, the present institution in Porto Alegre. This
institution is to be a preparatory school for southern Brazil.
Two, the theological department is to be separated from the present
school in Porto Alegre and is to be relocated on its own campus
in another section of Porto Alegre. Three, the pedagogical depart-
ment is to be separated from the present institution at Porto Alegre
and is to be located in the cultural and educational center of
Sao Paulo, which is centrally located in Brazil, and offers those
opportunities which are essential for accreditation of our future
Christian day school teachers. Four, a new preparatory school is
being located in Rio de Janeiro to accommodate the central and
north portions of Brazil.

The Board of Directors has authorized the purchase of an