Mission Resources International
Mission Resources International
Mini CONPLEI Event hosted to resolve tribal disputes over land boundaries
MRI wants to thank you for your prayers for the funds to purchase land for the CONPLEI Bible Training Center. This prayer has been answered- Praise God!
Mission Resources International
P.O. Box 813338
Smyrna, Georgia 30081
Please be sure to make checks or money orders payable to MRI and include a note stating your donation is for the CONPLEI Project
MRI has joined in partnership with CONPLEI (The National Council of Native Evangelical Pastors and Leaders), a group of Christian tribal leaders, to help build the CONPLEI Bible Training Center in Iranduba, Brazil. The training center will be designed to equip indigenous tribal Indians who have demonstrated a burden for Christ and a desire to lead their people to become pastors and teachers. The ultimate goal is to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to the tribes and villages throughout the Amazon River Basin. We believe tribal Christian leaders do not lack in any of the spiritual gifts nor in any of the leadership capabilities God has given to the rest of the Church, therefore our role in the training center is not one of leadership, but of partnership.
Ammi Multi-purpose building. It is our hope the new school will have one similar to it.
In the mid eighties we were living in Aquidauana and working with the Terena people in their Bible school, the “Kadesh Barnea Bible Institute – a Place of Decision”. At that time, a brother from a Baptist Bible school in Manaus, J.H., came to visit us (Manaus to Aquidauana is not an easy trip!) The reason for his visit: He came to visit the tribal training center the Terenas were leading and to ask us to start a training center for tribal peoples in Manaus (this was over 20 years ago!). A Bible school he had already started in Manaus was structured to give instruction to those in churches in the Manaus area that consisted of Portuguese speakers by birth. In order to accommodate people who could read and write, but had had no opportunity to go far in formal schooling, their school in Manaus had no educational level requirements for entry. Therefore, some tribal people who spoke Portuguese were asking to be permitted to study, also. He had accepted a couple of the tribal students, but was convinced that he had not been able to give to them what they needed.
Later, in 2007 when we were evaluating the Manaus project, some one made the statement that the H's already had a Bible School where tribal students were studying. Remembering the visit of J.H. years before, I called T. H. (J., the father, had retired) to ask what he thought of an evangelical training center for tribal peoples in the Manaus area. He was very positive about the idea. He said that they had attempted to give instruction to some tribal students, but was of the same opinion his father had held years before. So from within the Baptist camp we received approval.
In the C. Presbyterian church in Manaus (Feb 2007), the senior pastor was so positive about the school for tribal peoples (they have missionary work with tribes and non-tribal communities along the rivers), that he announced in front of his large congregation on Sunday morning that when CONPLEI purchased property for the school, the church was going to help with 10 % of the value of the land! Obviously, the Presbyterians are favorable.
Many Assembly of God pastors have also consistently encouraged us. In fact, Pr. C. was the one whose persistence led us to the property that CONPLEI has decided to purchase. The Assembly of God denomination of the state of Amazonas should not be compared to some other Assembly groups in other regions. The group in Amazonas is very different – biblical, conservative with a tremendous heart for missions.
Has there been growth in theological education for tribes in the Amazon since the mid-eighties? Very little. There is a desire by many to see tribal believers receive training in a formal program, but it is not just that there needs to be a training program in the Amazon, the training program needs to function under tribal leaders to speak to tribal needs (The CONPLEI Training Center will speak to that need since it will be directed and led by tribal leaders).
Allow me to underline that discipleship is and has been going on in many of those tribes. Missionaries, generally speaking, have done a faithful, loving, self-sacrificing and excellent work. It is also true that missionaries have worked well, retired, and now the tribal peoples are seeking training for their young people. But, there are still tribes - not just villages - that have no witness yet.
Ammi Classrooms and Library. The new school will use them as a model.
W. and his wife moved to Iranduba in March 2008, and began the process of looking for property for the training center.
Student Agricultural Projects
Now, after almost two years of praying and seeking God's direction, the vision has become a reality.