What animals live in Brazil?

Brazil is home to some of the most remarkable creatures on earth! The Amazon rainforest alone holds jaguars, giant river otters, poison dart frogs, and the enormous green anaconda. Colorful macaws and toucans fill the treetops, while pink river dolphins called botos swim through the muddy Amazon river. Brazil also has the giant anteater, which uses its long sticky tongue to eat thousands of termites in a single day, and the capybara — the world's largest rodent, about the size of a big dog. All these creatures point to a Creator who loves variety and detail. The same God who designed the boto dolphin also loves every person in Brazil and wants them to know Jesus.

What do kids eat in Brazil?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Kids in Brazil love a dish called rice and beans — it sounds simple, but it is eaten at almost every lunch and dinner across the whole country. Many families also enjoy pão de queijo, which are small warm bread rolls made with cheese baked right inside them. They are chewy and soft and eaten fresh from the oven. Rusty wants to tell you about the fruit, because Brazil has some of the most unusual fruit you will ever see. Kids snack on açaí (say it like 'ah-sigh-EE'), a deep purple berry that gets mashed into a thick bowl and topped with granola. There is also cupuaçu, guaraná, and caju — fruits that most kids outside Brazil have never even heard of. God packed a lot of variety into that part of the world!

How do people say hello in Brazil?

In Brazil, the most common way to say hello is 'Olá' (say it like oh-LAH) or 'Oi' (just like the English word 'oy'). Brazilians speak Portuguese, which came to the country hundreds of years ago when Portugal sent explorers and settlers there. Brazilians are known for being very warm and friendly when they greet people. Close friends often greet each other with a hug or a kiss on the cheek, depending on the region. If you wanted to say 'Good morning,' you would say 'Bom dia' (bohn JEE-ah) — which missionaries learn quickly when they first arrive and start building friendships to share the gospel!

What sports or games do kids play in Brazil?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Football — what Brazilians call 'futebol' — is the sport every kid seems to breathe. You will find kids playing it on beaches, in dusty streets, and in schoolyards all across this giant country. Brazil has won the World Cup more times than any other nation, and kids grow up dreaming of doing the same. Rusty wants to add that kids in Brazil also love a sport called futsal, which is like football but played indoors on a smaller court — it is fast and tricky, and many famous Brazilian players learned their skills there first. There is also a game called 'peteca,' a bit like badminton but played with your hand instead of a racket, using a feathered shuttlecock. And in beach towns, you will spot kids playing 'frescobol,' where two people hit a rubber ball back and forth with wooden paddles, trying to keep a rally going as long as possible. Brazil is a big, lively place, and its games reflect that energy!

What's the weather like in Brazil?

Brazil is a huge country, so the weather depends a lot on where you are! Much of Brazil sits near the equator, which means it stays hot and humid most of the year — think steamy jungle air and afternoon rain showers almost every day in the Amazon region. In the south of Brazil, the seasons are more like what you might expect — warmer summers and cooler winters. And up in the northeast, some areas are actually quite dry and can go a long time without rain. God made Brazil with an incredible variety of landscapes, and the weather matches that variety from one corner to the other.

Tell me a fun fact about Brazil.

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! Brazil is the largest country in all of South America — so large that it borders every other South American country except two. It's also home to the Amazon River, which carries more fresh water than any other river on Earth. Rusty loves this one: Brazil has more species of freshwater fish than anywhere else on the planet — over 3,000 kinds swimming in its rivers and lakes. People there speak Portuguese, not Spanish like most of their neighbors, because Portugal claimed the land back in the 1500s. Brazil is a place full of wonders, and God placed millions of people there who need to hear about Jesus.

What is school like for kids in Brazil?

Herman here, with Rusty peering over my shoulder at the map! In Brazil, most kids go to school either in the morning or the afternoon — not all day like in some countries. That's because many school buildings are used twice, once for each group of students. Classes are taught in Portuguese, which is the official language of Brazil. Rusty wants to add that in big cities like São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro, some schools are modern and well-supplied. But in the Amazon rainforest region and poorer rural areas, things can be very different — some children travel long distances just to reach a classroom, and some schools have very few books or supplies. That's one reason missionaries and churches in Brazil work hard to help families, and why it matters so much that kids there also have the chance to hear about Jesus and read His Word.

Who are the unreached people in Brazil?

Brazil is a huge country — the fifth largest in the world — and most Brazilians have heard something about Jesus. But deep in the Amazon rainforest, there are hundreds of small Indigenous groups who have little or no access to the gospel. Some of these tribes have never had a missionary visit, and a few have chosen to have no contact with the outside world at all. Missionaries and Bible translators are working hard to reach these groups, but it is slow and careful work. Some tribes speak languages that have never been written down, which means someone has to learn the language, create an alphabet, and then translate the Bible — that can take decades! Herman and Rusty think that is one of the most important adventures a person could ever go on. You can pray that God opens doors for His Word to reach every tribe in Brazil, and that Indigenous believers rise up to share the good news with their own people.

How can I pray for the people of Brazil?

Great question — Brazil is a place where God is doing a lot, and where there is still a lot of work to do! You can pray that people all across Brazil — in big cities like São Paulo and in small villages deep in the Amazon rainforest — would hear about Jesus and trust Him as their Savior. Many Brazilians have heard the name of Jesus, but not everyone knows Him personally. You can also pray for the many tribes in the Amazon who do not yet have the Bible in their own language — Bible translators are working hard, and that work needs prayer. Pray for Brazilian pastors and church leaders to grow strong and teach God's Word faithfully. And pray for the children and families in poor communities called favelas, that they would come to know Jesus and find real hope in Him.

What is a holiday or celebration in Brazil?

One of the biggest celebrations in Brazil is Carnival, which happens every year before Lent — that's the season before Easter. Cities fill with music, colorful costumes, and big parades, and millions of people join in across the country. It is one of the largest festivals on earth. Here is something worth knowing: even in the middle of all that noise and celebration, many Brazilian Christians use Carnival week to share the gospel — handing out Bibles, singing worship songs, and telling people about Jesus. They believe the good news about Jesus is the best news anyone in that crowd could ever hear. That is something worth thinking about.

What language do people speak in Brazil?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! People in Brazil speak Portuguese. That might surprise you, since Brazil is surrounded by countries that speak Spanish — but Brazil was settled by Portugal hundreds of years ago, and the language stuck. Brazilian Portuguese has its own flavor, though. The words sound a little different from the Portuguese spoken in Portugal itself, and Brazil is so big that folks in different regions even have their own accents and expressions. Missionaries working in Brazil learn Portuguese so they can share the good news about Jesus clearly — because when you hear about God's love in your own language, it goes straight to your heart.

What's a famous place to visit in Brazil?

Herman here, with Rusty nodding along! One of the most famous places in Brazil is the Amazon River basin — a massive stretch of rivers and forests in the northern part of the country. The Amazon River is so wide that in some places you cannot see the other bank, and it carries more fresh water than any other river on Earth. Another landmark people travel from all over the world to see is the giant statue called Christ the Redeemer, which stands on a mountain overlooking the city of Rio de Janeiro. The statue shows Jesus with his arms stretched wide open. For Christians, it is a good reminder that Jesus truly does welcome all people to come to Him — not just as a stone statue, but as the living Savior who died and rose again.

Brazil — Kids Missions Explorer

Jaguar

The jaguar is the largest cat in the Americas and can bite through a turtle's shell with its powerful jaws.

Giant Anteater

A giant anteater has no teeth at all but uses its two-foot-long tongue to eat up to 35,000 ants and termites every single day.

Feijoada

Feijoada is a hearty black bean stew cooked with pork and served with rice, and many Brazilian families eat it together on Saturdays.

Pão de Queijo

These small, chewy cheese rolls are made with tapioca flour instead of wheat, giving them a slightly stretchy texture unlike any ordinary bread.

Açaí

Açaí is a dark purple berry from palm trees in Brazil that Brazilians often blend into a thick, earthy bowl topped with granola and banana.

Brazil

Things you should know about Brazil

Wildlife you might meet

What’s on the table

Did you know?

Life in Brazil

Missions in Brazil

Pray for Brazil