Madeira, Pearl of the Atlantic

Madeira is a beautiful archipelago, known as the "Pearl of the Atlantic" off the northwest coast of Africa, which has had strong ties with Portugal since it was colonised in 1419 - the first territory to so be "discovered" during the Age of Exploration. Its capital is Funchal and its total population, which is Portuguese speaking, is just under 300 thousand. The main island is about the same area as the county of Middlesex in England. 

In 1838 Dr Robert Reid Kalley from Scotland began a work which led to the creation in 1845 of the first Portuguese-speaking gospel church. It met in the capital, Funchal. This work grew to 2000 people, but bitter persecution led to this community of believers being dispersed, many going into exile, particularly to Jackson in the USA. Dr. Kalley himself only escaped the island with his life by being carried on a stretcher disguised as an old woman. He went on to be a missionary in Brazil, where he died in 1888. 

There are currently several, mainly expatriate churches on Madeira. 

Two Portuguese-speaking families with connections to Brazil, one of them native to the island, have recently moved to the island with a vision to start a gospel church, and services have already started. If you are interested in hearing more, please contact me by email!