Seventh-day Adventist literature evangelist Juneisson Motta, his wife, Gleicine Dias, and the couple’s three children call the town of Rodrigues Alves home. Rodrigues Alves is a municipality in Acre, Brazil, not far from the border with Peru. The town has about 19,000 residents, and the economy revolves around timber, livestock, and flour production.
Before becoming involved in the Adventist publishing ministry, the entire family worked in a small coal plant. They earned a basic income exclusively from this activity. When Motta learned about literature evangelism, he decided to change course.
Motta began to sell books in 2018. By motorcycle, boat, and on foot, he covers the entire area, spreading hope through books and magazines. Many places are isolated, but that doesn’t stop him from going out to reach the residents living there.
“Most of the time, when I arrive at a house in an isolated community, the family have no money. I exchange my books for produce, fruit, or flour,” Motta says. “Then I take the produce to town, and I sell it to pay for the books.”
Rewritten History
When Motta worked in the coal mine, he earned the equivalent of approximately the minimum wage. After he switched to literature evangelism, the family income increased. Motta said that material blessings, however, are just a complement to a mission that has transformed lives. Through Motta’s ministry, 16 people have already been baptized, and 14 more are getting ready to follow in their footsteps.
José Ribamar, a farmer who is Motta’s brother-in-law, said that Motta has shown the vital role of literature evangelism in highlighting the need to reach many unreached people. “A literature evangelist can often go where the pastor cannot go,” Ribamar said. “His example helped me to also become a literature evangelist.”
Publishing ministries leaders, coordinators, and literature evangelists from northwest Brazil met from August 9 to 12, 2021. The event brought them together to discuss recruitment, training, and outcomes.
It was an inspiring moment for everyone, Northwest Brazil Union Mission publishing ministries director Fabiano Andrade acknowledges.
“We feel happy and thankful because we see God is leading and guiding us in the direction, we must follow to fulfill the mission He has for this ministry,” he says.
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Portuguese-language news site.
