MUST WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Check out this powerful VIDEO of how God is using the JESUS film in the jungles of Latin America. Thanks for making this possible with your prayers and financial support.

The Yanomami are a group of approximately 35,000 indigenous people who live in some 200–250 villages in the Amazon rain-forest on the border between Venezuela and Brazil.

REPORT FROM GUATEMALA THIS PAST WEEKEND...MUST LISTEN TO THIS AUDIO MESSAGE!!!

Ministry in Action in Jamaica

Hello Dear Friend,

Melanie and I hope you are doing great! I just wanted to say hello and ask you for your prayers. I am heading to Jamaica tomorrow … YES it sounds exciting because we think about the tropical Caribbean beaches right? Well, we hope to see some of that too but it is exciting for several reasons. I will be meeting with leaders of YWAM Montego Bay tomorrow Tuesday and Wednesday to engage them in the global JESUS Film/YWAM partnership with the coordination of our translation and recordings in the Americas region.

On Thursday I will be flying from Montego Bay to Kingston where I will be meeting for two days with members of the Jamaican Bible Society and Cru Jamaica to start the coordination of the film script translation and logistics for the future recordings of the film “Magdalena” and “the Story of Jesus for Children” in the Jamaican Patwa language. This is a blessing for the Jamaican people as different ministries have been wanting to have this additional evangelistic film in their arsenal of tools.

Then from Saturday the 8^th through Tuesday the 11^th I will be joining a team of US donors and other members of our US team for the initial showings of the Jamaican Patwa JESUS film in several areas. This includes a red carpet premiere event where the Governor-General of Jamaica will be attending. Then we will have a celebration banquet with US and Latin America and the Caribbean attendees where our JESUS film executive director Erick Schenkel will be also speaking along with Cru Jamaica National leaders.

We will be doing rural JESUS film showings in Moore Town in a remote location. PLEASE Pray and Praise God for:

•   Allowing my daughter Morgan who just turned 18 last month to go on this trip with me. It is a blessing to have this opportunity to spend quality time with her.
•   Pray for our Peru JESUS film coordinator Jaime and his wife Monica who will be joining me in this trip. They are flying from Lima, Peru. I will be training him in how to set up new JESUS film projects.
•  Pray that God will use this trip as an opportunity for Him to speak to her heart about what He is doing through this ministry and through us.
• Pray for the hearts of the men, women, and children watching the movie. Pray for their eyes to be opened to the truth.
•  Pray for the Holly Spirit to go before us and prepare the field for everything that is going to be happening.
•  Pray for all the teams to arrive safe from their departure locations and for all the technical equipment that we are shipping to arrive safe through customs in Jamaica.
•  Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit in me. For strength and wisdom during this important task.
•  Pray for health for us and the rest of our team and for my wife Melanie and our kids Blake (16) and Micaela (5) who will be home by themselves.
•  Pray for God to use this training time between Jaime and I to strengthen his knowledge of the ministry and also confirm his future role with us.
•  Pray for God to touch the hearts of the Jamaican Government officials who will be attending the initial premiere.
•  Pray for wisdom for our Premiere event coordinators.

Thanks so much for your constant support of our ministry and for your faithfulness. We will not be able to do this without you. We are blessed to be able to do this job!

Blessings,

Edgar Rodriguez

The JESUS Film Project

Language Production Manager

Latin America & the Caribbean

Cell: 407-480-0997

Off.: 407-515-4471

MARCH 2017 UPDATE

Hello Dear Friend,

Melanie and I hope you are doing great! We just wanted to say hello and give you an update on what has been happening recently. I will try to be brief. We praise God for allowing us to start this first trimester loaded with amazing things.

As you may know all the month of January we had my mother (Ana), her husband of almost 30 years (Ire) and my sister (Anabella) staying at home with us since December 24^th 2016. It was great to be able to host them as they needed a break of all the horrible things they are living in Venezuela. It was challenging for us as we don’t have a guest room in our house so Melanie and I happily gave them our bedroom and we slept in the sofas for 5 weeks. It is sad to know that they would like to leave their home and come live in the US at their mobile home they own here but financially it is impossible for them and us to make this happen. Please pray for a Miracle and that they can sell their home in Venezuela and God can provide a safer environment for them here. They are in their early 70s and would like to spend the rest of their life in peace.

Family members visiting from Venezuela (Ire first on the left, mom next to me holding my cousin with the yellow shirt

During our Language Production team retreat early January.

On February 1^st  I took my family to the airport in Miami and as they got in the plane I also jumped into a plane via Chile and Paraguay. In Chile I was blessed to have great meetings with our Cru staff and leaders from other mission organizations as we are planning to make the JESUS film available for three people groups of Chile as well as the film Magdalena and the Children’s version in one of this three languages. I was able to travel in a small plane to the city of Temuco where I met with one of the translators of the Mapuche people group of Chile. While in Chile I also had the blessing to see my half-brothers who 6 months ago immigrated to Chile looking for a better future they can’t have in Venezuela. Please pray for them as they seek to validate their medical and dental degrees in a foreign country trying to make a living in the meantime and also don’t have a personal relationship with the Lord.

With my brothers Alejandro and Edgar III at the airport in Chile

With our Cru national Director/ JESUS film coordinator at the Temuco airport.

From Chile I took a plane to Paraguay where I also was blessed to be hosted by a group of missionaries who took me 6 hours into the country to meet with other key missionaries to start coordinating the translation of the JESUS film script into eleven languages, one of them spoken by almost 5 million people. This was my first time in Chile and Paraguay and I have to say that I feel blessed to be able to do this job of managing the translation and recordings of the film in this continent. I am very grateful to God for everyone that is making possible for us to serve full time making the word of God available in an audio visual format to many people that are lost in this part of the world.

Well, like I said in the beginning this trimester has been loaded with great things. Yes, also in February after a week of rest in Orlando, myself and three members of our ministry flew to Joyabaj Guatemala, where we completed the recordings of voices of the film in the Quiche Joyabaj language. There I was also able to meet with the entire Cru Guatemala staff and give them an update our language translation work in the region. It is funny but by my return home on March 3^rd I was in pain after our three hours on curvy mountain rocky roads trips from Guatemala City to Joyabaj, where members of our team even threw up during the ride. Well I was able to take this ride four times in a week….ouch.

This was the best part of the road hehe

Meeting with our missionaries friends at the studio where we will be recording one of the Paraguay languages

Our recently trained group of technicians (two from Mexico, two from Peru and one from Guatemala).

Quiche Joyabaj voice recording participants receiving their certificates of participation.

March I am resting from traveling but not for my team mates who I sent to Sao Paulo Brazil to finally do the voice recordings of the “Rivka” series and the JESUS Simplified Narration version of the film in Brazilian Portuguese. Please pray for them as they finish the recordings this weekend. Pray that God makes an impact on the studio staff who is providing the voice actors and facilities for us to record. They are a non-Christian studio and staff so pray for divine conversations. This month I have also been working on the production agenda for the rest of the year and next five years.

Early this month (March 10^th) our daughter Morgan turned 18 years old. Later this month Melanie will have a birthday (March 26^th) and myself as well (March 28^th). We can’t disclose our age hahaha. Thank you God for giving us another year of life!

Currently, I have hundreds of language versions of the film to manage as we as a global team seek to make the film available in all the remaining languages that don’t have the gospel in their languages. It is challenging to accomplish all this without help. Please pray with me as I am asking God for a team member that can speak Spanish and know the culture. A current staff member is considering joining me in the region. Her name is Meghan and her parents have been missionaries for many years with Cru. She is fluent in Portuguese and Spanish as she lived 8 years in Portugal and also served 8 years in Costa Rica. She is feeling lead to join us but is currently having health issues that are hindering her decision. Pray that God will heal her completely and that He guides her to join our team.

If you had the chance to read this far please WATCH this VIDEOS from the trip to Guatemala and an amazing testimony from a missionary friend. You will be amazed… 

• https://vimeo.com/206652928 (Recording in Guatemala)

• https://youtu.be/Uc7vuTrhSy8 (Testimony from Jorge in the picture below)

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless... 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NLT).

Edgar Rodriguez

The JESUS Film Project

Language Production Manager

Latin America & the Caribbean

Cell: 407-480-0997

Off.: 407-515-4471

Skype: edgar.rodriguez17

SEE THE POWER OF A FILM IN YOUR OWN LANGUAGE!

Mission 865

JESUS Spanish Trailer

Ahora en Panama en la lengua Kuna.....JESUS...La Pelicula!

Making Jesus known to the Totonac people of Mexico

Hello,

I hope you are doing great! The last two months have been packed for us, here’s a quick update. Thanks for your prayers and continue support.

The last update we sent was from Mexico at my arrival to Papantla, Veracruz. Papantla is located in the Veracruz state of Mexico, deep in the heart of Mexico’s oil region where temperatures reach higher than 100 degrees. This is where our team sweated it out for two weeks working with Mexico missionaries on Phase I of training with the JESUS Film recording systems. Praise the Lord the training was successful and the Totonac speakers of Mexico can now hear Jesus speak their heart language.

Juan’s answered Prayers

 Building the sound booth after hours searching for a store

Juan Gaona worked on the Totonac script translation training workshop with us last year.  Born, raised, and schooled in the area, Juan’s first language is Totonac, his second Spanish.  He communicates with his family in Totonac.  Born in a Christian home, Juan sensed the call of God to become more involved in ministry about seven years ago.  He was very involved in soccer until he was injured during a game.  While in the hospital, he watched the JESUS film.  Juan thinks that God was using the injury to get his attention.  Because his injury would not heal, Juan’s family was going to take him to another doctor.  Juan then asked the Lord to heal him and one week later he was completely healed.  Eventually, God lead him to go to seminary.  Right now Juan is about to finish his 3rd year in theology at seminary.  He married two years ago, and is now considering obtaining a Master’s Degree in Old Testament theology. Juan wants to help his people be trained as missionaries. God put on his heart planting a church.  He is working with mentors to see if they can plant a church in the municipality of Papantla using the JESUS film.   His dream for the last three years is to see the JESUS film used to plant churches in the community. 

 A staff member training the Mexican team

Praying for the logistics of the recordings.

According to the last census, less than 15% of the Totonac are true believers.  Most who make a commitment to follow Jesus are women.  Some churches are led by women alone because the women want to see a change in their husbands. The majority of men are not drawn to believe because they think that they must immediately give up their drinking and smoking.  Some men go to church because their wives go, but still don’t understand what it means to be a believer. 

 Juan has been praying for how he and other believers will use the JESUS Film to reach the men and address what is happening in this region.  They want to start reaching out to the local churches first and help people overcome denominationalism by discipling the people. One of the things about the JESUS film that he really likes is the Old Testament introduction because it shows how we fall into sin and shows how we come to salvation through Jesus.  Before starting the translation process, he watched the film again in Spanish, and again sensed the touch of God on him. Juan likes that the JESUS film shows God as our creator and why God created us. The film helps us find our purpose here, shows that we can make our own choices but demonstrates that God will eventually bring us back to be reconciled to do His will through His son Jesus.

Juan thinks that the film in Totonac will help many people in the community, because it will expose them to the Word and help them be transformed.  If men understand this, he has high hopes for community change. Thank you for making JESUS available for the Totonac speakers of Papantla. We look forward to hearing how God uses the Film and Juan to change lives for Christ.

Juan Gaona and Mariano Marquez who assisted us to make the Totonac, Papantla JESUS film be a reality

Me and David Escobar our Mexico project coordinator

The same team that trained and recorded in Mexico back in May is now headed to Jamaica on July 26th to finish Phase II of their training during the recordings of the JESUS film in Jamaican Patios. Once this Mexico team is fully trained they will be partnering with JESUS Film and assisting the ministry on future language recordings. We are thankful to God for adding them to our team with the mission of sharing JESUS with every nation, tribe and tongue.

  

On The Home Front

This summer we moved! It’s a blessing but let’s be honest, nobody likes to move. It’s taken 3 weeks to unpack and settle but it’s starting to feel like home.

Morgan and Blake continue to serve in the church youth worship band at both services on Sunday and Wednesday nights. Volunteering at a learn to row camp for new rowers has been a highlight of the summer. Blake is steady making a little money working on a paver job for a family friend and Morgan’s blessed with a nanny job for a family with 3 children. But, before we know it school will start up again!

Micaela is 4 going on 16. She shadows the good and the bad of her older siblings. We are excited for VPK and homeschool co-op to start for her in August.

Blake (15), Micaela (4) and Morgan (17) inseparable sisters!

The family is gearing up for a mission trip on July 22nd to the Kuna people of Panama. This trip is very special for us. Keep a look out for a future email about the trip and prayer requests.

Thank you for your friendship and partnership in ministry, most importantly your prayers. We couldn’t and wouldn’t even think about trying to do this without you.

Blessings,

Edgar and Melanie Rodriguez

The JESUS Film Project

Language Production Manager

Latin America & the Caribbean

Cell: 407-480-0997

Off.: 407-515-4471

Skype: edgar.rodriguez17

“The Land of the Eternal Spring”

Republic of Guatemala

           Guatemala- is not only the most populous country in Central America it also has the largest indigenous population of the seven countries.  Guatemala has over 20 distinct languages with Spanish being a second language or not spoken at all!  Soon the Mayan people group of Guatemala will have their chance to hear and see Jesus speak to them in the language of their hearts!

               At the end of August Edgar will make a 4 hour bus ride from Guatemala City to the highlands near Lake Atitlan.  Here a workshop will be taking place for church leaders from 5 different native groups, so they can learn how to translate and adapt their native languages into the JESUS film script.

With pastor Otto from Guatemala
who is leading a church in CA

              

After 3 days immersed in a Latin American mission’s conference in Los Angeles, CA. early this month, Edgar came home fired up enthusiastically saying “I can’t believe it, there is so much to do I don’t know where to start.” Edgar was able to share the vision of the JESUS film, be encouraged by some incredible speakers, meet with leaders from several different mission organizations and make some great contacts in key locations throughout Latin America for future projects.

We are humbled and excited to be just a small part in how God is moving throughout Latin America!

                                                                                

Morgan (Bottom Right) and the rest of the volunteers from Cru

               Over the summer Morgan participated in a teen volunteering program at CRU headquarters.  The students contributed to the assembly of thousands of mailers to help the development team with the JESUS Film, and assembled over a thousand SOLARIUM packets which will be used to start spiritual conversations around the world.

               She enjoyed giving her time and has been asked to come back throughout the year to assist.  We are so thankful for this opportunity for Morgan to be a part of making a "GLOBAL" impact.

Thank you for making all of this possible!  Your prayers and partnership with us are making an eternal difference in the lives of many people.

                                                                               Blessings to you… Edgar & Melanie

One of our most Recent Productions!...Available in English and Spanish!

Bringing Jesus into the World Where Teens Live

 

Most people who decide to follow Christ do so before their 18th birthday. When using media is the key to reaching teens, where first impressions are everything. Quality story-telling through media touches secular youth like nothing else. File Zero has what it takes to bring the Good News to teens through a series of short animated episodes which end with a clear call for viewers to make an unreserved commitment to know and live for Christ.

File Zero takes the viewer into a futuristic society looking for answers after a global cataclysm. In this post-apocalyptic world, history has been entrusted to one man called the Elder. He is suppressing liberating truths from the new generation. The story follows a group of young hackers who break into the System which controls this crucial information of their history. Once inside they find ‘file zero’ which is basically the revelation of the Good Man, Jesus.

Visit to The Mayans in Mexico!

Recently our Executive Director of The JESUS Film and his wife returned from the Yucatán Peninsula, where they helped show “The Story of Jesus for Children” and “Magdalena” in three villages on three consecutive nights and saw over 400 precious people make decisions to follow Jesus!  They were there working with a partner organization, The Message for Mayans. Each weekend they visit one of the more than 1,000 such villages in the region. Along with them was another partner, Feet that Move, who made it possible for us to distribute shoes to many of the villagers.

Each evening, as the light faded, they settled onto the warm concrete or crusty dust in the center of a Mayan village of  250-500 residents. Sprawled around them were the children of the village. Behind them are the adults, sitting on rows and rows of simple wooden benches or plastic chairs. The screen in front of them flickered to life and soon they were all engrossed in the film, presented in the Mayan language.

The children of the village had already enjoyed games led by the team of Mayan followers of Jesus who spend every weekend evening bringing the good news to people in these remote villages. The young people entertained the children with games, skits, and a puppet show. So by the time the projector was turned on, most of the village had been drawn into the square.

They were especially touched on the third night by two tiny, wrinkled old Mayan ladies sitting on chairs in the very front row just behind the children. They both leaned forward, captivated from the first moment by this film, shown on the big screen and featuring actors speaking their own language.

When Jesus was arrested the two ladies leaned forward, their eyes glued to the screen, hands covering their mouths. Even the children hush, mouths gaping, eyebrows knit in concern. Jesus is nailed to the cross and the entire community gasps at once. And when the invitation is given, these two ladies joined well over one half of the village as they stepped forward to pray and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Each night, after prayers were said, tears shed, and friendships in Christ begun, our team of Americans, along with the team of Mayan young people, climbed back onto our bus, reluctantly leaving our new brothers and sisters—tired, but full of joy.

We won’t be around for the follow-up that will take place over the following few days by the leaders of small churches in each village. We won’t accompany these precious people, young and old, into their new walks with Christ and through the inevitable challenges and crises that lie before them. But we know that their lives, and ours, have been changed forever by an encounter with Jesus.

Thanks,

Edgar & Melanie Rodriguez

2013 At a Glance!

This year Edgar traveled to Bogotá, Colombia for the coordination and set up for the Spanish translation of the RIVKA film. The core of "Rivka" is the story of a small group of followers of Jesus living in first century Palestine. As they grow together through life's struggles and joys, we see them learn about the foundational tenants of how to follow Jesus.

Added to this narrative are Bible studies and personal devotionals that aid the audience in learning those same truths for themselves. The script has been translated and is currently being reviewed for approval for voice recordings to be done in a Colombia in 2014.

Check it out at: http://www.magdalenatoday.com/rivka

While in Bogotá God miraculously lined up the opportunity for us to be a part of the Archivo Cero project language production.  Archivo Cero is a post apocalyptic story of a young band of hackers and their attempt to liberate 'File 0' from authoritarian control of The Elder.  As they have super-natural experiences and encounter the historical Jesus in File 0, they come to understand God's plan for individuals and society and their part in getting this hidden truth to their society.

There are 15 episodes in this series; to date we have 14 episodes completed. Currently the studios are working on the translation, voice dubbing and drawings for the 15th and last episode.  This ministry tool has been successful in Castilian Spain and well received by the younger generation!   

 

Check it out at: http://www.archivocero.net/en/episodes/7/episodes.htm

Praise God, Jesus speaks Tz’utujil.  This summer a team traveled to Guatemala to record the original JESUS film into the native language of Tz’utujil.  Church leaders can now share the Gospel of Christ in the heart language of over 78,000 speakers of Tz’utujil .

Now they not only get to see and hear Jesus speak to them but they now know they can pray to Jesus in their heart language and know that He can understand them!  Thank you God for another JESUS film translation and dubbing.

 

More info at: http://www.joshuaproject.net/languages.php?rol3=tzj&rog3=GT

Recently church leaders from all over Latin America visited the JESUS Film headquarters where they had the opportunity to take a tour of the studios and establish a great working relationship with the JESUS film leadership. 

 

The ministry was able to equip each leader from Argentina, Panama, Guatemala, Mexico and Nicaragua with portable shoulder packs containing solar powered equipment for the showing of the JESUS film in their countries.  

 

We are working on a simplified narrated version of the JESUS film for small language groups of 5,000 or less.  Currently the script translation is being coordinated for Portuguese and Spanish so that we can get it in the hands of the native translators of the small language groups throughout the Amazons of South America. 

Once the translation is completed these narrated versions can be produced and ready for showings in a timely & cost efficient way.



 

On the home front!

Our ministry has expanded and is growing deep roots. Praise the Lord!   We have experienced a kind of revival for people hearts to join in our efforts to reach Latin America for Christ.

Over this last year we have had the opportunity to share about the JESUS Film with over 100 people!  Many new families are now part of the team making the story of Jesus available to all people groups no matter how big or small so that they can know that truth of forgiveness, grace and salvation.  
 

New relationships have been made as we have been blessed with 3 trips to Pennsylvania this year, a trip to Maryland and Virginia and a surprise trip to Texas where we feel like we have a new extended family.

Our socks were knocked off by a miracle matching gift ministry partner that God used to raise a little over $2,000 in new monthly support.  We are finishing up 2013 with 90% of our financial needs met before we can report fulltime 100% to our assignment in Latin America.  WOW!  God is so faithful.


 

 

Micaela is now in her “terrible twos” but is full of hugs and kisses. 

 

Edgar & Melanie, going on 16 years together! together … yeah!

 

Morgan is counting the days to her 15th birthday  when she can get her driving learners permit.  She is enjoys rowing on a local high school crew team.  
 

Blake is officially a teenager as he turned 13 in November, he’s on a swim team and loves anything that gets him outside like biking & longboarding.
 

 

 

We are forever  grateful for our prayer and financial partners. With your support we are able to continue the work that God has called us to do. We are grateful for God’s provision and protection over our family. He continues to give us the strength we need to stay in the fight!

 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit...Romans 15:13

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!...

 Edgar & Melanie

 

Prayer Requests:

 

For strength and peace during our last stretch of ministry funding development.

Time management for our required biblical courses.

Wisdom and strength for Melanie as she continues to homeschool.

 

Needs: A NEW RELIABLE FAMILY CAR :) ... Seriously!