God of Truth and Power

Mat 22:29 But Jesus answered them, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God". I get kind of sad when I heard of people who say to believe in miracles but never pray for one to happen. There was a time for me when God was all truth but not power, then He was just power but not truth. Now I'm nearer to a balance. It is still hard, miracles escape my capacity to figure out with my mind what happened. However, I learned over the years that if I can fit God in my mind then I do not believe in the real God of the Bible, He exceeds my reasoning capacity.The last Summer Team we had was very unusual. First there was just a guy and then 7 girls. Of 7 girls 3 were abused by close people in their family. Lastly it was unusual because I enjoyed them all the way through the two months they were here.It was hard to listen what they had been gone through. What I heard was heavy on my soul. I cry much because somehow I could feel the pain of the other person. When I heard the details of what happened to them, crossed my mind: ''What's wrong with humanity?'' The answer is simple: ''We fell short of the Glory of God'' We need God, the real one! The one who can change our lives, who performs miracles and is almighty God.Let one of them tell you what God did in her life. I will not give you her name, but she is REAL:

"God spoke to me very clearly in October 2007 to travel to Argentina this summer and to be completely honest, I really didn’t understand why God wanted me to go; I originally didn’t have the passion or heart for the mission trip. Overtime God changed my heart throughout the past school year, exchanging my doubts and fears withexcitement and joy. In the midst of this heart change, I was struggling with, literally, the hardest year of my life.I was in the process of healing from, for the first time, an abusive childhood that I had suppressed for years. I went to close friends and my church for support through those rough times, and as I leaned on a dear friend for guidance and prayer she ended up sexually taking advantage of me. During the last couple of days in Argentina, a pastor pulled me aside and had me make a list of all the people I needed to forgive along with details of why I needed to forgive them; and of course I was at the top of the list. This pastor and Martin ended up praying through a lot of bondages in my life, and brought me to a state of freedom in Christ. I was reminded that I was beautiful in God’s eyes and that I had already been forgiven. “All of these sins that you’ve listed against yourself isn’t the problem or what needs to be forgiven, its the fact that you’re not trusting in God and believing that He is faithful enough to forgive you from this list; not believing in Him is the only sin here,” said Pastor Lucas. His words really surprised me and opened up my eyes to a new aspect on the bottled up sin I asked for forgiveness a million times. I felt light as a feather that day, I WAS FREE and filled with an unexplainable joy! Later that night a couple of my team-mates helped me burn that list, along with a broken heart I had constructed for an activity earlier in the trip, resembling my emotional state at the time. It was a liberating moment that I can’t even explain!" BP

This is a picture BP took as she was burning the list that pastor Lucas asked her to make together with a paper heart she made for a group dynamic we had done weeks before when she told us about how broken her heart was. I don't know if you can notice it but the fire is forming a cross. We can say it was just chance... perhaps it was God telling her all you sins and shame are forgiven... Who knows...


God's power manifested:

The team usually is here right on when I have all my exams. I had papers to turn in and my finals. I had all this and NO TIME to study. Matt 6.33 ''seek first the kingdom of God and all other things will be added'' So I didn't drop any of the activities related with the team and God's kingdom. I studied whenever I had some time. I got straight ''A'' in every exam and paper that I had to turn in! and just in case you think the university is easy on us, I tell you that many got ''C'' and had to redo their papers 3 or 4 times. God is faithful and powerful!

The team went several times to the school where I teach. They share their testimonies of what the Lord had done in them. Many of the kids afterwards for the first time shared with me and people in the team what is going on in their own lives. Many of them came over to some of the activities we held and were challenged to follow Christ.

Some old contacts from previous teams came and one of them even spent a whole week living with the team. They gave him a nice Bible as a present and he witness the love and service that the team showed to him.

God protected us, used us, helped us and gave us the time of our lives! He receives all the honor and glory!

Thanks to all of who pray and give so that we can be in this awesome ministry of changing lives! We thanks you so much for your effort and encouragement.

The time in Argentina by the protagonists

Here there is a video of one of the team members that is considering coming back to Argentina for a year or so:

Coming back to you

This a drama we performed in an evangelistic meeting at a nearby church we are helping along with the team from the US. We got the idea from the"Lifehouse Everything" video that is in the cyberspace. The filming is not great but you can have a good idea of what we accomplished. For those 6 minutes of performing we rehearse many hours. I'm pleased with it and so was the church. So praise the Lord!

Super-charged 100 m/h

When I was young time passed very slow, now that I'm almost forty time flies. Why? I would like it to be the other way around. Just think that we are in June! Half way through the year! Crazy!
Lately I feel super-charged going fast. I like it! but also I get concerned. The great dilemma TO DO vs TO BE. I'm learning like in many other areas of life it is not one way or the other but both. To be without doing would be like a rock, The rock IS but it is not of much use. To do without being is like an old oxcart that becomes very noisy just because there is no load on it. I feel that when I just fix something in one place it breaks in another! Balance is so difficult to keep! Ajrrrrr

Security: Insurance Vs. God

Well the insurance that we had for our house covers only less than half of what was stolen! Yes! Later I learn that in Argentina you are never to be honest on what you tell the insurance that you lost. You have to tell them that you got stolen double of what you really did. Oh why didn't I think of it? I got so mad on the phone with the insurance company. Yes! this missionary here gets mad too, sorry.
Praise the Lord that He provide to buy a new laptop for Marisol and more. So earthly insurance didn't respond, but God did! We are so thankful to Him and to many of you.

The A Team

Do you remember the old TV series and the new movie that they will show next year?
Well we have the Argentine Team. We have the team from the US to do evangelism and discipleship. We are having a great time! Even when we feel the strong spiritual warfare. I'm sick right now with white patches in my throat (I had never had this before) and a girl in the team has been sick for the last week. Marisol was sick and now Claudia is coughing all the time. I think it is the time of the year but also that there is a spiritual reality that opposes our efforts to extend the Kingdom of God.



We rent an old house near our home to host all the team. This year we got 7 girls and one guy from the US. Guys where are you? It is not because I'm good looking you know! I'm but it no the reason... :)




We went to an orphanage, brought some toy to the kids. They loved it! This kiddo you see in this picture with the plane has about 30 scars in his scalp from the beating he got in his "home" Sad stories friends we heard there. The saddest story is that the government is giving the orphanage the same amount of money than 4 years ago. Prices have gone up 2 or 3 time from 4 years ago and Liliana Llama the director told us that if the government doesn't increase the money they get per child they'll need to close down the "Hogar" by the end of the year. Many kids have become believers there, they've seen many miracles happend it would be a real pity that they close because of not enough money. Do you have and idea to help them? please share it with us. Probably a partnership with a US entity or something that will help them long term. Here we have a close way to help kids find Jesus and that is not very expensive.



The team learn some skits to share the gospel with people they did very well! We also went to hear the story of Melanio. It was freezzing cold but his story about how he met Jesus and how he has seen God working miracles in his life warmed us up.




We prayed for Melanio and his 9 children! (yes you read well) This is the place that now is a meeting place for kids and home for them. Melanio also is building his house next to this building, little by little but going forward.




We went to the Highschool where I teach. We did games and share testimonies of what God did in our lives. They are wild! and the guys got intoxicated with testosterone when the girls in the team walk in the classroom! Some said "we never saw anithing like this before!"




We had the visit of Dr. Jerry E. White former president of the Navigators. We had a great time sharing with him. We even had the opportunity to sing happy birthday to him in his %$#@ birthday. My wife and kids are part of all this as well they have to put up that dad is not around much. I leave around 7:30 AM and returned around 11 PM almost everyday. The first three weeks are the most demanding though, now I think will be a bit different.

Well tell you more later this is a "tiny" report of the first three week. We have 5 more to report! God bless you and thanks a lot for your prayers and support!




Martin Bonandini and Family

Of more value than a flower...

"If God takes care of flowers, will take care of us as well"- Morning glory a picture I shot during our vacations.

This is the title that best fit this entry. These last months have been very busy but very fulfilling as well.
it is not easy to become adjusted to the life of faith. I usually take many things for granted. And when anything attempts against our "security" I fall victim of panic and anxiety. It seems quite clear that the coming age will be one governed by chaos. The other day I was reading in the gospels when Jesus said that times will come when there will be "earthquakes, famine, wars and rumors of war" and that "this will be the beginning." I thought that this will be far away my living span and somehow I feel that it is just around the corner. I realize that in times like these my first move is to try to keep my chin out of water. However I'm trying to keep in mind that the ONE thing that really will be lacking in the times prior to the coming of Jesus is not petrol or food or calm but FAITH.

Last Friday someone broke into the house while we were sleeping. They took a computer, cameras, money and other items. It is not really the problem. The big thing is that they were next to us in our bedroom and could have done "anything" to us or the kids. Nothing happened, we never woke up and they run away when the alarm clock went off. God really protected us, they didn't do "anything" to us or the kids. God is in control of what can come to our lives. We just found out of a Christian lady in a similar situation who was stab to death the very same day that our house was broke into.



Just one picture of how they messed everything at Marisol's apartment



They used it to "fish" the keys from the apartment.



How are we? Well we are a bit paranoid. We do not feel safe in the house anymore and this is normal. I put bolts and new locks everywhere since they took a keyring with the keys of the house. I hope the insurance, that I was about to canceled because of budget and because never had a situation like this, will cover the loses. I had to go to sleep with psalm 4:8 in my head since Friday.

If you pray for us I'm sure your prayers were part of the fact that nothing really happened to us, thanks! Pray that Satan will be bound to take any action against us or the kids and ministry. It is difficult now to leave the house while Claudia and the Kids are in the house.

What are we up to:

Ministry wise, I accepted a position as a teacher of Christian Ethics where Claudia works. So I'm doing an evangelistic event twice a week! I have like 150 teenager students in a total of 6 classes. Most of the students are not believers. So I bring my computer and projector to the class (something which here is very unusual) and try to make the class the most interesting possible. The other day I taught about how a father can hurt us (many of the kids come from a broken home) and how God can be our never leaving, loving father. As a consequence of this many of the kids were very emotional (in tears), the authorities of the school had never had that and were very confused. They asked me "what happened?" I said, well it seems that we reached the heart! One kid girl told me how she was always trying to do things for his father. One day she prepared a breakfast for his birthday and made a card for him. She said: "the first thing he told me when he opened the card was that I had so many grammatical mistakes" she was crying so much as she said that. I can tell you of another girl that her father lives just around the corner and never comes to see her. I can go on telling you many stories like this. As I face all this dear friends, I cry with them. Also I realize the many mistakes I've done with my kids! and pray that somehow God with heal them.



Making a point during a devotional I shared with the kids and their parents.


I'm also praying for my classmates at university. I have tried do something with them but they are so busy with life in general. I can't believe how busy people in general are and how difficult is to do anything with them. So I try to take advantage of any opportunity. A month a go as an example I invited everybody for my birthday (I turned 39, I'm a year from being old :) Just two ladies came and they could see how many friends I have an how we love each other. It helped me to know them a bit better and the knew me and Claudia better as well.

I'm leading a Bible Study Mondays. Some new believers are coming and some who we really do not know for sure where they stand. We are studying the letter of first John. I had been studying this letter since the beginning of the year and has been very helpful for me.

Every Friday I meet with some guys to what we call GWL (Guys walking in Light) we dump our sins there and pray for each other. This has been one of the highlights of the year.

We are getting ready for a team coming for 2 months. We have already everything planned and please pray that we actually carry our plans out! We plan to do evangelism and discipleship, train them and help them to have a major commitment for God.

3 weeks ago I went to a youth camp. I was the main speaker (actually it was God the speaker if I'm honest, so I hope!). Again God helped me to know what was going on in the hearts of people. Some guys in the camp had come from a kind of slum. I pray for them and God revealed to me somethings. After prayer they asked me:"Sir, how did you know what you told me?" I said: "Well I didn't tell you! I do not know you but God does and he is very interested in you. He sees you, He is a personal God and not a God just for the masses" I noticed that his eyes were wet. What God had reveled to me was that this young person has to be strong because where he lives; he had not cried for a long time! He lives always defending himself. Wow, imagine living like that!



My son Martin came with me. Since I was speaking I didn't take many pictures there were like 40 people in the camp.

Well it had become a long entry log!

Thanks again for your support and prayers. Please chip in for our ministry through the Navigators or Paypal if you feel called by God to do it. We really need your help! thanks again for all of you who are being channels of God provision for our lives and ministry.




Clario Martin Bonandini
Argentine Navigators

113 Fahrenheit at the shade, It was stinking hot!

Rio Bermejo Chaco, Argentina

Thanks for praying dear friends! The time in the Chaco, North Argentina was terrible for my humanity and great for the kingdom of God!
Yes it was terrible since it was too hot, 113 degrees Fahrenheit melted all the fun of the trip. I could not do much after midday because it was really hot. The area where we went has one of the largest jungles in this part of Argentina. There are many species of bugs, birds, monkeys and plants and the river was infected with "palometas" a fish that are cousins of the "piranhas", you know that little fish that eats human flesh... Actually many people in the river got bitten by palometas, one of them was a guy that went with us, nothing serious but enough for me to not take a plunge in the river, cold showers were safer to me. Crazy enough my kids were in the water with Claudia all afternoon and nothing happened to them.



The Family and friends

I was totally uncomfortable (what a great missionary I am!) no running water, just water that they collect in a cistern when it rains (they collect it from the roofs, so imagine all the "stuff" they also "collect" together with water:) I felt weak, like a fish out of its river (a "palometa" if you wish) I was for a time looking at the cup as half empty. I had to sleep with my clothing totally wet and a fan direct at me to be able to sleep because it was so hot. Imagine my surprise when I went to the toilet one night and a little, sticky, slimy, yucky frog jump from it at me!



The Kitchen... :)


Well I told you what happened to my humanity. In case you wonder about my wife and kids they had a great time (yes, after all the whole family went). Claudia and the kids were in a tent with the rest of the camp and I had asked for a room in order to get ready for the talks and stuff. Bummer it was cooler in the tent during the night!



My daughters and two of the six children of pastor Lucas

Let me tell you the other side of the story...

God lead me to prepared three workshops to give to almost 400 people. One about the masks we use to hide from God and others, other about the world's plan for our lives, and the last workshop about God's plan for sex. By the end of each workshop I could squeeze about 1/4 gallon of water from my T Shirt, it was so hot.



Giving the workshops soaked in perspiration

After the workshops people started to come to me asking if they could have some time to talk. I met with some people during the following afternoons when it was not so hot. They told me their different problems and burdens. Many dating couples without limits in the physical relationship, feeling that they couldn't talk to anybody in their different congregations. Others confessing for their first time in their lives that had been sexually abused in their childhood.



A Toba Indian who I had the opportunity to show how to memorize the Scripture and some basics in Christian life.

Praying for people after pastor Lucas' preaching one night

I had the opportunity of leading one guy Sebastian, to the Lord! I was so happy-jumpy that the Lord had that for me as well as for you!



Sebastian a new Child of God

I spent hours literally talking and praying with people, most of them confessing with big tears for their first time that they were living a double life as I was living many years ago. I made the commitment with many of keeping in touch and helping them from afar, with most of the others I just can pray that they can find someone in their congregations who they can talk to.



Betiana y Beto new friends God gave us

After I saw that God was using me in midst of my weakness I had joy in my heart. However I also felt the frustration of being unable to do more, to help more, to be geographical closer to most of them. I felt mad at a 24 years old man who was trying to get an internship into a mission school and for more than a year was having sex with his girlfriend of only 16 years old! and on top of it, he didn't have the guts to go and talk to his pastor about it right away. I was told later that these "situations" were common in the culture of that area of Argentina. I felt like a foreigner in my own country.

Again, as I told you in a past blog entry, as I prayed for people God seemed to reveal to me things that were hidden in the heart of people, things that were blocking their spiritual development and growth.

So after all the heat, bugs, jungle, frog and toads, I felt like I was in one big spiritual party. I learned so much about me and others. I maybe saw for the first time that my wife and I can minister together even if we do a very different thing. I made a lot of friends and I had the opportunity to help a person to become a child of God.



Claudia During a meeting

I can not imagine right now to live there for more than a week. I always dreamed to go to the South part of Argentina and always resisted to go North. A pastor friend of mine told me "maybe you are like Jonah..." I do not know, but he got me thinking...



Beef a serious business in Argentina :)

Prayer Request

Dear friends and prayer people,

In a week Martin Jr. and I leave for a Youth conference in North Argentina. I'll be giving some workshops and interacting with people trying to help them in some challenging young areas of their lives.

If you are willing please pray:

1. Safety on the road

2. God´s leading in knowing what to teach

3. For the family at home, that God will protect them

4. For good weather

5. For the outpouring of God´s spirit in what we will do.

Thanks so much I'll give you an update as I come back, so pray for safety on the way back so you can get the update :)

Martin Bonandini

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