2. Pastor Abraão Monteiro Rolim - Canumã River and the Mundurucú Indian Nation
Pastor Abraão has been working for several months on Lake Preto. He has been transferred to the Canumã River and the Mundurucú Indian Reservation. The Mundurucú tribe has invited us to work among them and written permission has been received from the Brazilian Bureau. Pastor Abraão has begun to work among these needy native Indians.
In addition, Pastor Abraão works in the villages along the Canumã River where the "Branco" (white man) lives. There have been 30 professions of faith in the village of Foz de Canumã and Vila Canumã. He also has work going in a village at the mouth of the Abacaxí (Pineapple) River and a small village just inside the River. The Hardin Baptist Church of Hardin, Kentucky, has accepted the challenge of supporting Pastor Abraão. We are grateful to God for this commitment. Pastor Abraão ministers in the AMOR Blough, provided by AMOR.
4. Pastor Geziel - Trombetas and Mapuará Rivers
Geziel has worked with us since 1990. His ministry is responsible for opening up the Trombetas River to the Gospel. Through the years he has established churches at Abuí, Paraná, Maicué, Gaivota, Juquirí, Curuça, Tarumã, Samauma, and Batata. He also established churches at Jarauacá, Vai Vento, Acapú Baixo, Viana and Poço Fundo which Jairo was responsible for before transferring to the Massauarí River area. Pastor Geziel now ministers to this area again. He has a boat supplied by AMOR - the AMOR Elvie.
We thank the Lord for the faithfulness of the Steadfast Sunday School Class of First Baptist Church of Murray, Kentucky in helping support the work of Pastor Geziel.
ITINERANT PASTORS REPORT
These are the itinerant pastors currently working on the rivers of the Amazon Valley. AMOR seeks or has support for these men to travel the river full time serving the local churches.
1. Pastor Edno Socorro Matos Lima - Urubú River and Lago Preto
Pastor Edno is a new worker for us. He is beginning work on the Urubú River. He has made several trips to the area and the Lord has blessed his labors. He has a boat AMOR has provided - the AMOR Patrice. He has visited and preached in five villages: São Raimundo, Santo Antonio, Terra Preta, Boa União and Itaubal. Five people made decisions to trust Christ as Savior. His work is being supervised by Pastor Gildo of the Boa Vista Church. Pastor Edno also serves in the Lago Preto do Ramos area. There are eight villages there with three churches organized: Arrozal with 16 baptized believers, Santo Antonio with 14 baptized believers and Amando with 12 baptized believers.
We are presently praying that God will send someone to support this work, not only financially but also with groups to minister to these needy peoplealong the Urubú River. We seek to help our Itinerant Pastors with a minimum of $350.00 per month.
3. Pastor Jairo - Massauarí River
Pastor Jairo is a young man, 22 years old, who has recently begun to work in the Massauarí River area. He has completed only the fourth grade in school but is a par-excellent preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastor Jairo was formerly working with Pastor Geziel on the Trombetas River, but felt called to this new work off the Andirá River near Barreirinha. His ministry is supported by a boat supplied by AMOR - the AMOR Betty.
We thank the Lord for the faithfulness of the Northside Baptist Church of Almo, Kentucky for their faithful support of Pastor Jairo and his work.
5. Braga (Braginha)
Braginha is the newest itinerant. He's been given the responsibility of spreading the Gospel to the people who live on the upper-end of the Trombetas River. Braginha has a small boat of his own (very small) and with it he is ministering to the churches at Abuí, Paraná, Maricué, Gaivota, Juquiri, and five other villages.
The people who live in the upper-Trombetas area are descendants of slaves and keep very much to themselves. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they're hostile to outsiders. They are like the Indians in that they don't mix and want to keep the race pure. They also hunt and fish mostly with the bow and arrow and the harpoon.
Pastor Geziel got these folks to trust him and the results are obvious. Braginha is from the area, one of their own, and was the first to convert. Now Braginha is taking the work forward. At the present time, he does not have support.