Introduction / History

The Quilombola are descendants of African slaves who escaped to remote areas. Even after slavery was abolished in 1888, they kept their settlements, which can be anywhere from southern Brazil to the Amazon River.

What Are Their Lives Like?

In their rural villages, the Quilombola people harvest nuts from babassu palm trees. They ground the kernels to make oil, soap and cattle feed.
They live in a complex situation. On one hand, their settlements were established because they needed autonomy and freedom from the general Brazilian society. On the other hand, they want help with their basic needs. Today the Quilombola lack of adequate roads, medical care, schools, and clean water. They are beginning to get clean water, so fewer are getting cholera and diarrhea from bacteria. Since modern medicine is often out of reach, they rely on traditional medicine. Parents are seldom supportive of their children getting an education.
Though they have rights established by Brazil's constitution, the Quilombola people have to assert their rights to their land.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Quilombola people are officially Roman Catholic. They are especially fond of St. Anthony, so they have a yearly celebration in his honor.
Along with Roman Catholic traditions, the Quilombola people have ancient African religions. Their hearts are with these religions, which give them an identity as a people. Maintaining African religious practices is their ways of defying cultural encroachment.

What Are Their Needs?

The Quilombola people need to establish their own schools, medical facilities and Christ-centered churches.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Quilombola to have their physical needs met through self-built schools and medical clinics.
Pray for them to have a Christ-centered spiritual revival.
Pray for the Quilombola people to understand they need a sin-forgiving savior who will provide them with abundant life.
Pray for Quilombola disciples who will make other disciples.

Scripture Prayers for the Quilombola in Brazil.

References

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/9/20/brazil-s-quilombosfoundedbyescapedslavesofferawindowtothepast.html
https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/quilombo-brazilian-maroons-during-slavery
https://cpisp.org.br/direitosquilombolas/observatorio-terras-quilombolas/quilombolas-communities-in-brazil/