Meet Hans and Ursula Fuchs

 

I love my Brazilian teammate, Piva. She brings so much life to our team and often puts a smile on my face and laughter in my heart. So when she said we would be meeting with a Brazilian contact this month for unsung heroes, I was ecstatic about meeting them.

 

 Hans picked us up at the hostel at noon, and drove us to their home for a meeting. At arrival of their home we were greeted with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek by Ursula.  We quickly settled in and began to hear their story.

 

It began back in 1977, when they spoke at a missions conference in Brazil. It awakened a desire in them to do missions. They discussed it with their church, who told them to go if they wanted to go. The problem was that the church wasn’t going to be sending them out and they knew it was of great importance to have a sending church. So they waited.

 

They continued to live in Brazil where they developed a connection with a Canadian missionary. Through that connection they met an Angolan exchange student who stayed longer in Brazil Than expected, due to the war in Angola. In 1990 they moved to Angola with their four small children. 

 

In Angola they worked in a bible school, mobilized churches, and preached up to 30,000 people any given Sunday. They expected to stay for four years but because of the continued war, they only stayed two years.

 

They returned to Brazil where they worked on translating christian books from English to Portuguese. They connected with some Swiss ladies to open a book store in Angola. In 2003 they moved back to Angola with no children joining them. They worked with the Angola people to help them write their own books. They remained there for eight years. They started bookstores and helped empower locals to endure through difficult times.

 

In 2011 they left Angola for Brazil, because the need for missionaries was no longer needed, as the people were able to stand on their own. They asked the Brazil’s baptist mission board for a six month sabbatical because of the hard work they did in Angola for eight years. After only one month they were offered a position as regional coordinators in South Africa to care for 70 missionaries from cape town to Mozambique.  2/3 of which are single woman. They are now responsible for administrative care and pastoral care. 

 

While they were in Angola they wrote a book called “A Casa”, which means ” The house” this book is a compilation of their trials and triumphs while on the mission field. It is a raw view of their struggles, which helps open the eyes to supporters and other readers of life as a missionary.

 

After sharing their story, they admitted that in their senior years they recognize the hand of God in their difficult moments and though it was tough, they wouldn’t trade those moments. They encouraged me to find good in the struggles of being away from home for this 11 month commitment. 

 

Hans and Ursula were wonderful hosts who have showered us with great love and hospitality. We were blessed with a delicious meal of chicken, scalloped potatoes and salad. I felt like I was at home, for just a moment. With such a short time that I was with them I felt honored and blessed and I think of the missionaries they are here to support and how blessed they are to have Hans and Ursula. 

 

The life of a missionary may seem glamourous. And while it certainly has many God filled moments, there are plenty of struggles that accompany it. Among the greatest is being so far from home, missing the simple cultural things and especially the warmth of family and friends. So take the time to shower missionaries with love. Send them a note of encouragement or even send them a care package with little reminders of home. And most importantly, pray for them, at they may find comfort in the arms of their Heavenly Father.