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January 27 IGM - Inner Ghetto MinistriesWhat a wonderful year 2007 is already becoming!!!
January 7, 2007 and after having the desire and land for 7 years (since 2000) we finally began a new ministry.
Igreja Batista Socialista
This baby has been in our prayers and plans for 7 years. We have prayed for this area for a very long time. There are so many people that have tremendous difficulty and fears in going to churches that are far from their homes due to the violence and thievery that is very prevalent in the bairro called Socialista.
According to God’s grace and mercy, He has enabled Eulália and I to begin the first Sunday of this year (2007) providing a temporary location as we continue waiting on the Lord for the funds to build our own church on the land He has already given us.
As any new work goes, presently the Lord has blessed us with kids whose parents after making regular visits have allowed to come and listen to the Bible stories and through Biblical principles making applications to their every day lives. The Bairro Socialista is a high drug traffic area and known for its violence. Just four weeks ago a man was killed on the same road where the church is located due to an unpaid drug related debt.
Please pray for us as we minister to these people and that by God’s grace and mercy, we can stretch forth the hand of love and an eternal change.
Rev. John Mantonya IGM - Inner Ghetto Ministries Trials and PainTrials and Pain Few Lovers of His Cross For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise. --Hebrews 10:36 When God needs a person for His service-a good person, an effective person, and a humble person-why does He most often turn to a person in deep trouble? Why does He seek out a person deep in the crucible of suffering, a person who is not the jovial, "happy-happy" kind? I can only say that this is the way of God with His human creation.... Ezekiel did not come out of pleasant and favorable circumstances. The light had gone out in his heart. He probably thought that God takes a long time to work out His will. Does not this same view surface in much of our Christian fellowship? We do not want to take the time to plow and to cultivate. We want the fruit and the harvest right away! We do not want to be engaged in any spiritual battle that takes us into the long night. We want the morning light right now! We do not want to go through the processes of planning and preparation and labor pains. We want the baby this instant! We do not want the cross. We are more interested in the crown. The condition is not peculiar to our century. Thomas a Kempis wrote long ago, "The Lord has many lovers of His crown but few lovers of His cross." Men Who Met God, 115. "Lord, make me a lover of Your cross as well as a lover of Your crown. Amen." December 31 Second Madeira River Trip - 2006Well, it is that time again. I really enjoy this time of year primarily because it means I can do what I have been called to do. Not that I couldn’t do it the whole year, but I have to live, eat (which I do well), pay bills and so on… and so we only go down river during our end of the year holidays when I have a whole month off of work where I teach english.
By Gods grace, soon I will be fully supported financially to make many trips down river and share the Word of God to those who are interested in hearing, listening and living out what He has for those who honor His Word. I love the river people and every day away from them is a thorn in my side. Please pray that soon I will be financially supported to invest the rest of my days up down this lengthy windy river called the Rio Madeira – Tributary to the Amazon River.
It is with faith and by faith we operate:
This 2nd trip was indeed a blessing as well. We were able to take a couple from the USA with us from Fair Grove Missouri, Carl and Sandra Killingsworth, they too feel the call of God on their life to serve Him in the state of Pernambuco Brazil. They came our way on their way to the US to visit us and make the River Trip. We also took a member of our church with us, a newly wed – Aluisio – his wife is in theological school getting the theory as he decides to get the practice – he has a high desire to serve the Lord in missionary service as well. To him it was unseen how taking the Word of God to those without influenced the lives of those ministered to – and I repeatedly told him that it will be his first step of faith in service for the King. He had never been in a boat, neither had he ever been in a “rabeta” (hand made canoe with a brigs and straton motor on the back). To him the trip and results would be an act of faith since he has never seen the Lord work in this fashion before – in spite of going with my wife and me, to him it was his first step of faith in service to God.
Faith is the substance, the basis, criteria of things that we hope for.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
For the first 7 hours going down river there isn’t much to see except a lot of water and many many settlements and groups of people scattered here and there. For every family and hut that we saw anywhere from 5 to 6 kids would run to the river bank and wave to us as we were going down river. What need, what hunger. I could literally loose myself in full time ministry just stopping at every hut up and down the river.
These people are hungry for Gods Word, I thought of our American History and the Circuit Riding Preachers – who would get on there horse and be gone for about a month at a time – just taking Gods Word to people who lived scattered across our blessed heritage land. I too see myself not with a horse but at least with a 35 hp outboard going up and down the Madeira River and the thousands of little tributaries that flow into the Madeira River taking Gods Word to those who don’t have a church in their back yard.
“How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” Romans 10:14
It is true that those who have access to the Word of God are typically those who search the least, however the Word of God holds true to the need of those who are without and those who want to hear. It is redundant to pitiful to those who have access to Gods Word and freedom to simply turn their life away from God and all He represents and provides for those who diligently seek Him. But knowing Gods Word and Knowing the language, culture and having a love for the people, having lived and being raised here for over 25 years I feel no less than obligated and bonded by a divine love to give the Word of God to those who are without. It is paramount that all come to the understanding that God doesn’t take anything good away from those who seek Him but that He gives abundantly more than what we ask or think.
“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” Ephesians 3:20
God’s reward for those who diligently seek Him is a reward far greater than the realization of the American Dream or of any other dream ever dreamt.
“…and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith,” Colossians 2:5,7
You can be steadfast (diligent) in whatever it is you believe in – or – You can be rooted, steadfast (diligent) in Christ – Establish your faith in Him.
May God Richly Bless You and Yours Have a wonderful 2007
Please Pray For the John & Eulália Mantonya Ministries In the Amazon River Ministries ARM
“To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand”. 2 Corinthians 10:16 January 28 1st Trip Down River - 2005What a fantastic trip. God is certainly the God of those who seek Him. Though it is not the nature of man to naturally seek God, God has always honored those who seek Him and He rewards those who diligently seek Him.
What an honor and at the same time, what a mercy (an unmerited favor) for those called mankind to be rewarded by the Almighty God. It is never a reward that is measured by means of self-glory, neither by ability or talent, not measured by heroism or fascinating capabilities – but measured only by FAITH.
Faith is the substance, the basis, criteria of things that we hope for.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1
What is it that mankind hopes for? What do you hope for? Whatever it is – it's in that, that you have placed your faith. Your beliefs are molded by what you desire the most. What is it that you desire? Is it riches? Is it status? What ever it is you desire – it is there where your hope, trust and in essence it is there where your life will be consumed.
God honors where you place your faith. Being human beings God has decreed that man and woman be governed by their own free will agent.
All success is based on the investment that you place not financially but rather by how much you believe in your personal dream. What is it that you dream for?
A mother, who desires only the best for her son believed, hoped made it happen with all her force - she went after what she believed in – Christ Jesus. And because of this fully applied hope, desire, and trust – faith of hers – Christ said to her:
“O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” Matthew 15:28
What is your desire? Is it a desire that you yourself can resolve, that with health you can self obtain without the Divine blessings of God? Is what you desire enough to satisfy you without God’s divine blessings, without the approval and intervention of Almighty God?
Is it more satisfactory for you to obtain what you want without the omnipotent presence of the Living God – your Creator? Has your free will agent become the god of your life? Has your self will, self desire, and self realization become, or in the process of becomming all sufficient for you?
God’s reward for those who diligently seek Him is a reward far greater than the realization of the American Dream, Personal Dream or any Other Dream.
“…and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith,” Colossians 2:5,7 You can be steadfast (diligent) in whatever it is you believe – or – You can be rooted, steadfast (diligent) in Christ – Establish your faith in Him. October 23 Amazon River Tributary ServicesThe Amazon Basin is a very large area that contains thousands of tributaries - tributaries that are the homes and playgrounds of Men, Women and Children. These "playgrounds" are often filled with many diverse adventures that realy enhance skills and create tramendous ties with fellow neigbours among the River and Tributary People.
These are simple people - people who are very hospitable, people who enjoy to sit down and talk for hours.
These too are very interested in subject matters that pertain to life itself, health, education, and above all, matters that pertain to the Holy Scriptures.
On any given visit you are treated as one of them, you are fed, given a place to slep - usually a hammhock - and considered just as important and sometimes even more important than one of their own.
The River People - or as called in Portuguese - The (Ribeirinhos) have a unique thirst for anyone who will show them the curtosy of "down to earth" attention. Someone who can spend some time talking with them, answereing questions, teaching, giving basic medical advice and especially having someone their to talk about God and His love to them.
It is impressing to have a conversation with these people. In any given conversation it doesn't take but a few sentences into the conversation and you will begin to hear phrases such as "thank God" or "the Lord willing", these expressions are an every day use within their conversations.
They have so many needs, primarily to know personally this God whom they so often mention - Pray for the John Mantonya River Ministries - Thank you and may God bless you .
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