Igreja do Nazareno Curado IV (known as INC4) in Jaboatão, Brazil, held its first “Blue Service” 24 April in celebration of autism awareness month.

Church leaders called it a remarkable day, as over 80 people attended the service. Two women from the church helped put on this service to raise awareness and show the importance of being prepared to welcome all people into the Body of Christ, including people with autism. 

One of them addressed the technical aspect, such as the first signs to identify autism, and the other, a woman named Diana, shared her testimony as a mother of a child with autism.

She recorded a video of her son, Théo, who talked about being included and what that means. Diana talked about how difficult it was for them and other autistic mothers to be accepted. 

She shared about dealing with people’s prejudices and the difficulties of adjusting after her son was diagnosed. She opened up about her fears of people rejecting her son his condition.

Diana mentioned how important this service was for them and that it made them feel so loved and welcomed. She expressed gratitude for the church’s discussion of the topic and for being so receptive to her and her family.

A woman* from the community came for the first time with her autistic son on that day. She said she was greatly impacted by the fact that the church was talking about autism and was so receptive to those who are living with it.

“I wondered, ‘What love is this?’” she said.

She and her son had attended other churches but had not been received with open arms. She said she saw her own life in Diana’s testimony. 

Her son went and played in the children’s room and found friendship and loved his time there. Since this service, they have attended the church every week and want to become a member of INC4.

Neide Silva, from IDN4 encouraged other churches to take part in this day and be more receptive to autistic people and their families.

*name protected for privacy

 --Church of the Nazarene South America