Dear Family and Friends,

Greetings from Nova Lima, Brazil.

This was our third successful fresh water well drilling in the Maués region of the Amazon basin. The first two were for the Sataré tribe and this one was for the “Riberinhos” (river people) community of about thirty families along the banks of an Amazon river tributary called the Paraná. The name of the community is “Igarapé das Pedras.” (Little River of Stones)

Of every trip we have made to the Amazon in the last 10 years this was the most difficult of them all. Here in Nova Lima as we began the planning of this trip I kept sensing a bad “feeling” and considered canceling it contrary to all the others who were going from here. (11 people ) As the day to leave came closer I prayed all the more. The day before we left God showed me that the reason I was sensing  that in this way was because we would encounter “many difficulties”, but that all of them God will bring us through and it will be well. So with that assurance we headed off to Maués! I thank God for the Spirit of prayer.

The rivers are in the low water season this time of year and this year they were exceptionally low. Boats were dragging bottom including every boat we were on during the whole trip. Normally it takes 18 hours to get to Maués from Manaus and 24 hours to get back. It took 36 hours going and we got stuck for 12 hours traveling a distance of about 500 feet. But we came through it all just fine as God assured us in prayer.

It was unusually hot (it is always very hot there, in the 100 degrees range and up) and water we shower with comes from the rivers, we dump the boat sewage and shower with the same water from the river which usually is not a problem when the level is high. But when it is low it is very dangerous. But God brought us safely through it.

As always at least once during our trip we encounter turbulent storms. There has never been anything that has caused fear in my heart as a storm on a boat in the Amazon. One night I remembered how Jesus was asleep in the boat while his disciples were ravaged with this fear. I thought if Jesus slept through the storm so will I and I did. He brought us safely through!

During the well drilling another storm erupted and at one point at 12 meters deep, caved in. Which is usually the end of the drill. That morning at our devotions I reminded the team what God showed me in prayer, we will have “many difficulties” but through them all He said it will come out well! He gave us wisdom and we saved the well, we successfully completed a fresh water well for a folk who desperately needed clean water. We hit clean cool water at 46 meters. Now they do NOT have to defecate, wash dishes, wash clothes, brush their teeth, bathe and cook with the same water from the river!

We all returned home safely and all of us came through the many difficulties (and there were of course, many more that I have not mentioned for time sake!)  as God told us in prayer, we came through them all very well!! (Ps.107:23-30)

We want to thank everyone for their prayers and financial support. We understand that the faithful effectual prayer of His people can and has made the difference in missions. Surely God has moved wonderfully in Maués because of your partnership!

Thank you! Please begin to pray for our next scheduled drill in February 2011.

With much affection in Christ,
Tom and Kathy

God’s Ongoing Work Among The Sataré-Maué Tribe In The Amazon

By Tom Padley

In this twenty-first century world where love is waxing cold and the fear of global warming amplifies the age-old friction between the church and the world, one thing stands true, God’s word! God always keeps his promises! God has given his word on global warming, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease” (Gen.8:22). God’s word also says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come” (Matt.24:14). I am often asked the question,”What happens to those who have died before receiving Christ as Lord and Savior? Where will they spend eternity?” While no one has a solid theological answer, we know that God in His infinite love and wisdom has provided supernatural methods to reach some remote people groups with the gospel. This is known as the “Melchizedek Factor” as noted by Don Richardson in his book “Eternity in Their Hearts” (see Heb.6:13-20).  In his book are various accounts of God making contact with these people groups, supernaturally preparing them for the gospel.

Let me give you some background of the Sataré people, (pronounced Sah-teh-ray) as an example. In 1983 Kathy and I sat around the table one evening with our four children after dinner to read missionary stories and pray for the nations. We read an article from a Last Days newsletter, Nov./Dec. 1982 Vol.5 No.6 which was reprinted from a Wycliffe circular written by Karen Lewis. This is where our piece of God’s plan for the Sataré began.

In 1959 God kept His promise to the Sataré when He sent Wycliffe Bible translators Al and Sue Graham to the Amazon jungles in Maués, Brazil. The Sataré people are named after a gorgeous florescent insect that hovers above the canopy of the jungle but delivers a terrible sting when touched. Because of low self esteem that said [to them] “We’re beautiful but don’t get near us,” the Sataré were killing themselves off by suffocating their newborns. At that time in 1959, they only numbered 1,500.  By 1982, after the Graham’s work, they had grown to over 5,000 with 9 flourishing churches. It was during their initial translation that the Graham’s had heard the legend of the Wasidii (an original ancestor of the Sataré).  The Wasidii had arrived in their land as a prisoner of unknown captors. While hidden in a cave, a “god” gave him ten rules for living and Wasidii carved them on a canoe paddle; five positive and five negative. The paddle still exists today and anthropologists who have examined the paddle cannot identify the writing or the wood. These rules had then been passed down to each generation’s chief. The legend promised that someday someone would come and explain the writing to them. When Sue Graham showed interest in the writing of the Sataré language, they thought that she was Wasidii returned to earth. The legend of the magic paddle helped the Grahams in their translation work and especially when translating the Ten Commandments.

Our piece of the plan

Fast forward now to the year 2005, Kathy and I are in the Amazon with our missionaries Marquinhos and Paula who have been living and working in the region for years. Imagine my delight and surprise in first laying eyes on the beautiful Sataré people and recalling to mind the story of the legend that I had shared with my children years before. As Marquinhos and Paula begain to make disciples in the Amazon, the Sataré were also among them. By this time, in the Sataré tribe in the region of Maués, we have not encountered the nine flourishing churches. Instead, we have noticed an unusually low sense of self esteem once again with the Sataré people that we know. We began to pray once again for the Sataré people.

An open door, an answered prayer

During an interview at my house, Scott Pursley and I sat down with Marquinhos as he shared stories of his life and trials in Maués. In that conversation Marquinhos talked of a need to drill wells for fresh water among the Sataré and the “riberinhos” (river people). This began a two year preparation and a wonderful parnership between Lamb of God Church in NJ, ARC/Brazil and IAM, where we purchased the drilling rig, equipment and materials to drill our first well. After arriving on the site and drilling for six days, at thirty-three meters deep, the first Sataré village received the gift of clean, fresh, cool water from Jesus!

Later through the follow-up work of Marquinhos and our team, Tuchaua (chief) Vitor received Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he and his whole household! As long as I live I will never forget an interview with the Tuchaua when he said, “Jesus doesn’t want anyone to die thirsty.” I then realized that the work of drilling for water and the revival work of preaching the gospel of the kingdom among the Sataré, were what brought to him that “Living Water” from John 4:13. We now seemed to be filling a niche, especially in pastoral care to the Sataré. Marquinhos is also extending pastoral care to the directors of the YWAM base in Manaus, Amazonas who have also partnered with us in this work by renting us their boat as we go out to drill the water wells.

The ongoing work

In August 2009 after drilling the second well, God put it on our hearts to visit the village of the first well and Tuchaua Vitor.  Several of us boarded the motor-boat and set out to the first village. When we arrived, the Tuchaua came running to greet us and said,“We reunite in the strength of Tupana (God).” He went on to say that he had been praying that God would send us to repair the well which had been down for two weeks. After returning to get the tools we needed, no easy task since there isn’t a Home Depot in the Amazon, we arrived back later that evening and replaced a rubber seal/washer and got water flowing again.

Tuchaua Vitor came with us back to Maués where we spent hours over the next few days fellowshipping as brothers in Christ. My son James let him listen to his music on his I-pod. I remembered that a year before, those same ears were clogged with wasps and our missionaries had to remove them with tweezers (Now, I think we may have to get him his own I-pod!). What a joy to see Vitor worshipping the Lord with such a peaceful smile on his face. Vitor also told us that since we were there, they have not done the ritual of the “Tucandeira,” in which very large ants are made to bite the hands of the young men as a right of passage. These changes and the peaceful and godly ambience that we found in that community when we arrived, are glimpses into how the presence of God can change a nation. On a practical level, we realized that we needed to instruct the Indians to use the water from the new well to drink, bath and brush their teeth. By example we brushed our teeth at the new well and then we handed out new tooth brushes and toothpaste kits to each one as we showed them how to brush their teeth.

Our prayer

Please join us in praying as we continue the work; we pray with the Sataré in the words of the Psalmist…” Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love O Lord and grant us your salvation.” (Ps.85:6,7) I have seen a copy of the canoe paddle and I also cannot understand the meaning of the inscription on the paddle, but the Sataré still know as God’s laws have been written on their hearts (Ecc. 3:11), and we may very well be the interpretation of those words!

We rejoice with the Sataré, a beautiful people that God is reviving once again. After we finished the second well, this time in only three days of drilling and 58 meters deep, the Tuchaua of that village, Tuchaua Francisco began to crack a smile for the first time since we arrived. Pray that he will also come to find the Living Water.  The Sataré elders asked us to paint these words on a wooden plaque over the handcrafted pump handle and pipe, “Tupana y’y Wakuat”, which means, “God is Good Water.“ I say God is good water indeed! Jesus is the living water and seeing Him flow into the hearts of those living in the remote areas of the Amazon jungle is part of what keeps us going back.

(If you would like to see a quality DVD of the first drill, please contact Tom at tpadley@gmail.com for information on how to obtain a copy)

Judson, James, KaKá, Gregorio and I were the speakers. The most powerful message and surprisingly balanced and entertaining word came from our own KaKá! His talk was about going back to the pattern of the original or “Organic Church.” He used some amazingly entertaining metaphors. One was the difference (it was hilarious) between cage raised chickens and free roaming chickens.

The cage fed chickens were so fat and un-naturally birthed, fed and processed that there legs could not even support them to stand up. Ironically, the conference out at our own Ceifar school campus and the neighboring rehab farm of Ele Clama proved to be absolutely one of the best conferences ever. About two hundred and fifty leaders attended (40 more than were registered). It was also the first time that I didn’t have to kick in personal offerings to make ends meet. We had a surplus and were able to bless everyone that served, including every speaker with a generous offering.

On Friday morning I woke up early with a very heavy feeling that we were doing something that displeased the Holy Spirit. As I prayed and subsequently counseled with Judson and James early that morning, God instructed me to scrap the day’s schedule. He showed me we had grieved Him in that the prior messages were too heavy and over bearing and we left our work unfinished like a surgeon opening the wound with a scalpel doing the operation and not sowing up the surgical cut. That Friday, all day from morning till night the Spirit of God was moving wonderfully with deep inner healing and re-baptisms of the Holy Spirit. The messages were astoundingly balanced and very revival-like in emotion and passion (much like Brazil anyway). I was so grateful I obeyed the Holy Spirit and allowed Him to close up the wound and put the Balsam Jesus on the wounds we had left open and bleeding the day before.

We also had folks from many different States from every region in Brazil which was the largest representation ever.

On Saturday morning we ordained three elders, Washington II, KaKá, and Juninho from Lambari, MG. We felt Juninho was long overdue and since he was there, even though he wasn’t involved in a more extra-local ARC ministry and hardly any of his people were present, Braw his pastor was present and we sensed it was the right thing to do. I looked at it as the Brazilian marriage where they get married in the civil court first them the church celebration of the marriage afterward consummating the marriage. So Juninho was ordained and went home to celebrate it again with the church. I was concerned we would keep putting it off and he would lose heart. With the good work he has been doing for several years, it was time

Such a spirit of joy was released as we ended the conference that it was impossible to remain still, our feet had to dance; the power and joy of the Lord were so released in that place that nobody wanted to end the conference.

The banner with the theme of our conference was very appropriate with not only the words Revival, the Nations and the Church but the plum line coming down from above through the three words was very consistent with orthodoxy and church history throughout all time. It seems the banner will become our new design for a while to come

Marquinhos was in from Maués for the conference. He and the church pastors from Osasco, SP, shared and showed clips on the VBS that eight of the women just did in Maués with Marquinhos and Paula and the Indian children’s school. We raised pledges of support for Marquinhos’ team. We have also raised offerings and pledges of around US$8000 to buy the house Marquinhos lives in as our base house in the Amazon. That is about half of the full price. Only another US$8000 to go and it will be paid for! This is the Brazilian church.

There were several recorded outbreaks confirmed of the H1N1 virus. All are recuperating some were hospitalized.  As of the last report, everyone is recuperating. (Kathy was really sick for 5 days on antibiotics). But everyone says it was worth all that God did in those four short days.

Next Elders and Leaders conference, in the heart of the Amazon Jungle, October 1-3 2009. Everyone welcome. Please pray because we just got word the first indian child has died from the flu and the Brazilian government is barring all outsiders from entering the indigenous regions of the Amazon. This could mean a cancelation of this conference which also includes the drilling of another well a few days after the conference.

We seek to be submissive rather than self-assertive people living peaceably with one another in the spheres of human authority where God has placed us. This means that we honor and respect those who serve and lead us in our homes, churches and in other human institutions. This also means that when we exercise authority we do so in a spirit of humility and service, being mindful of him who is head over all.
–ARC Common Concerns

Living in Brazil and working in various nations has helped me to be aware of the differences: in governments, laws and cultural views. According to Scripture, the authority of the nations comes from the living God. “Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governments as those who are sent by Him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of those who do good” (1Pet.2:13-17). As the world looked on and the statue of Saddam Hussein fell April 9, 2003 in Iraq, his authority fell with it. It came to my mind that God has given authority even to dictators. It is a mystery to me that God seems to put up with established authorities gone awry when we would have done away with them sooner. “But God is judge: He puts down one, and exalts another” (Ps.75:7).

We often place responsibility on those in authority. God, however, holds both those in authority and those under authority accountable. “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give account” (Heb.4:13).

“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give an account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Heb.13:17). This verse makes it clear that we are responsible while under authority. We would do well, as leaders, to humbly submit with joy, and do so as unto the Lord, to those in authority over us.

“Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility for: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (1Pet.5:5b). Humility equips us with the very grace it takes to lead. Submission to authority is one of the highest forms of humbling oneself before God. It is a condition of the heart and obedience is the act of submission. It is possible to obey and not submit from the heart. For example, a pastor has asked for a member of his congregation to run a tedious errand. He quickly obeys, not wanting to look bad, and yet does it while murmuring in his heart, and even to others, that he “had” to be the gofer for the pastor.

One of the difficulties we’ve experienced in church planting over the years is that new churches often attract folks from hurting pasts. Unresolved conflicts, misunderstandings and bad relationships with pastors and leaders are brought in to the new relationships. Thinking they have left their problems behind, subtle resentments of the heart make it nearly impossible for these people to submit to authority. Remember, submission is given, not taken. “So my heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses” (Matt.18:35). Jesus also said in Matt.24:12, “. . . and because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” A lack of submission to authority may very well be the root of the loss of love, honor and respect in all three spheres of our lives (government, church and home) especially the church. Lawlessness is a characteristic of the end times and we will need to guard our hearts to see that it does not infiltrate the life of the church.

Look at this excerpt from “Authority Under God” of our Common Concerns; “This also means that when we exercise authority we do so in a spirit of humility and service, being mindful of him who is over all.” We can almost come to the conclusion that humility is a discipline to teach us submission. In the simplest expressions of our social life we can develop submissive hearts. Remember those days when we respected and honored our elderly? “You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God; I am the Lord.” (Lev.19:32). I’ve been trying to teach my grandchildren to give up their seat for those older than they, a strange practice today. Once I saw a young Christian lad give up his seat on a crowded bus in Belo Horizonte for an elderly lady. I remember thinking, “this young man respects authority and how his pastor must be proud of him.” Paul uses the words “as to the Lord” in Ephesians in government, church and the home.

“Those who honor authority walk in great authority and respect follows them.”
-John Bevere (Undercover)

The centurion guard wanted Jesus to heal his servant in Matthew 8:5-10, insisting Jesus do so without going to his house because he felt unworthy. He told Jesus, “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me, and I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” The centurion did not say, “Because I, too, am a man in authority,” but “a man under authority.” It is a principle of authority under God that you cannot be in authority if you are not also under authority; you are more likely to have a greater measure of faith and bring down the favor of God over the spheres of authority in your life with a submissive heart.

As we travel in ministry to the churches, and leaders come up to receive prayer, these are two of the most common requests: (1) “I need to increase my love and passion for God.”
(2) “I need more faith and the power of God in my life and ministry.” When I ask them to describe what is going on in their lives, they reply with something like this; “I do all that is required of me; I pay my tithes, do what is right and yet things still seem to just go wrong.”

Could it be that they are not submitted from the heart? Are you truly living under authority before you try to exert your authority? Paul, the apostle, wrote in his letter to the Romans, “Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves” Rom.13:2.

Wouldn’t it behoove us to practice the discipline of submission from the heart by beginning to honor those over us? Perhaps we can start with our elderly. “Render therefore to all their due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor” Rom. 13:7.

In this day of rampant lawlessness, let us be examples by honoring all in authority and maybe it will be said of us, “Oh, how those Christians love.”

Together with you
Under Him:

Tom Padley