Holy Smokes

October 16, 2009 By Greg Nemer 4 Comments

Ever wonder where the term “Holy Smoke” comes from?

Some say it’s from the movie “Holy Smoke”. Some cigar fans like the term. Others say, It’s a religious term describing burnt sacrifices in the Old Testament. Still others say that it is sacrilegious and is mocking God. It’s closely related to “Holy Cow”, an expression of surprise or a slang term.
Being here in Chiapas and working with the Indians (mostly Christian) the term “Holy Smoke” forms a new meaning… at least for us.

Anyone that has been anywhere near one of the Indians knows something… They smell like smoke.
The Indians live in the mountains and cook with wood. However there are no chimneys.
The Indians usually have a fire right in the middle of their home to cook with. This also heats up their house when it’s cold. Even the Indians who are fortunate enough to have a kitchen don’t have gas stoves. They simply have another hut with a fire in the middle of it and call it a kitchen. Even if you were to give them an eclectic stove they wouldn’t use it. They prefer cooking with wood and they’re use to all the smoke.

The information contained in this article is available in pdf format from our July, 2009 Newsletter. You may download it here:

July 2009 Newsletter (106)

Speaking of Smoking…

Jude 1: 22-23 says, “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.” That’s exactly what we’re doing.

During the month of July, 2009 we were privileged to start 3 new churches:

El Triunfo, Juarez Chiapas -Our new Pastor in Juarez caught the vision and just opened another mission in this town. Smoking!
Buena Vista, La Rainza- Located in Zapatista Territory- A beautiful view and a great new Church- That Smokes!
Motozintla, Chiapas- After very little persuading, Our Pastor located near the Guatemala border in Huitzla just started a new mission and already has 50 people attending- Holy Smokes!

Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!” Rev 19:3

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Smoke rose from his nostrils; consuming fire came from his mouth, burning coals blazed out of it. Ps 18:7-9
But the wicked will perish: The LORD’s enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish – vanish like smoke. Ps 37:20

Thank you for helping our ministry to “Smoke”!

Filed Under: New, Tzeltal Indians, Tzotzil indians Tagged With: christian missions, church planting, holy smoke, holy smokes, missions, Tzotzil indians

$19,520 Pesos and 3 Chickens

April 19, 2009 By Greg Nemer 2 Comments

This Tzotzil Indian Congregation Knows all about Giving out of Love

On April 12^th, Resurrection Sunday, I ministered in Tzenembolon, Chiapas with the Tzotzil Indians and witnessed a miracle.

The purpose of the visit was to work on stage 3 of our church planting program called the PACE Plan :

Outreach-Evangelism and the rental of a meeting place- We pay for this phase
The Assembly of New Believers into a meeting place- We help with the purchase of land
Transition of the work into an Indigenous Church- We help with the Church Building project by matching faith promises

The sermon topic was “giving by grace and not by law” We give because we love Christ, not out of obligation. I spoke on the Cross and the Resurrection as proof that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law. In other words Grace, not works is the secret to Abundant Christian living.

This Tzotzil Indian Congregation Knows all about Giving out of Love

I saw this poverty stricken church of 200 Indians step out on faith this day. You see, besides the Celebration of New Life Sunday (Easter) I also went to this village with the purpose of raising funds for a new church building. This family of believers has grown out of the smaller building and termites have eaten the wood so they desperately need $9,600 dollars to provide a large building made out of block to meet in.

After encouraging the Indians to step out on faith in their giving we began to raise up faith promises to pay for their new building project. I offered to match whatever faith promise that each person committed too. I carried a whole bundle of cash with me. (the money you give to our ministry).

“Within the next 2 months, how many people will promise to give $1000 pesos (Approximately $100 )” I challenged them.

11 Indian men raised their hands making faith promises. Wow! That’s certainly more than I had expected.

I know that these Indians are the poorest of the poor and that most of them don’t have a monetary income. The average person that does have a job makes about $35 dollars a week. (most of them work the fields or farm)

I continued receiving faith promises in smaller increments. $500, $250, $100, $50, and even 10 pesos so that the children could get involved.

That day a miracle took place- These people of Faith just kept on giving.

As they gave I matched the same amount by placing it in the offering plate.

To my surprise, this congregation raised up $19,520 pesos…. And 3 Indians also pledged to donate chickens. ($19,520 pesos is the equivalent of a little over $1,900 dollars).Talking about the widow’s mite and giving sacrificially.

View the video of me matching faith promises with the Indians:

How Your Donations To Our Ministry are Being Spent

That Sunday the total amount of funds raised was $39,040 pesos or approximately $3,900 dollars because I matched the same amount with the money that you’ve donated to this ministry. This $3,900 will easily pay for the foundation of the new church building.

If you’ve ever wondered how we spend the funds that you donate to Missions with Purpose now you have a prime example of your money being spent for a great cause….the building of a new church..

We use ALL of your donations for ministry (except for the tithe).

But that’s not all, with The P.ACE Plan, our new program for Planting New Churches, we promise to use methods of matching pesos for peso just like I’ve described above to actually multiply the offerings that you give.

Now I would like to challenge you- Would you make a faith promise today to support this ministry on a regular basis?

On Easter Sunday I was the one who received a blessing as I experienced the joy of giving. Not to mention that the Indians gave me a hen as my honorarium.

How much could you make a commitment to give today?

$1000, $500, $250, $100 dollars a month? Perhaps you could make a promise to give $20. The amount is between you and God .The important thing is that you give. When you do, we’ll wisely multiply your giving efforts and produce a greater harvest for God’s Kingdom by multiplying blessings just like God does.$20 dollars will purchase approximately 40 blocks. The members of the congregation will match the same amount. That equals 80 blocks using your $20 gift.

The economy is experiencing problems, but God is working just as He always had. He is blessing and he is supplying more than just our needs. Our family has increased our giving efforts. My 8 year old daughter even gave $5 to the Indians on Sunday. While others have suffered financially, we have seen more financial blessings as a result of sacrificial giving. I encourage you to make an eternal investment by donating or making a faith promise today.

This is our April 2009 Newsletter.Download this Article in pdf format:

April 2009 Newsletter (136)

For more information on how to donate to the ministry please visit our donations page.

We appreciate your comments in the form below

Greg, the Tzotzil Indian Pastors Family Cristi holding the honorarium

Serving Christ Together,

Greg

p.s. All your donations are likely tax deductible. Give to increase God’s kingdom while saving money on what the government sometimes wastes.”

Filed Under: New, Planting Churches, The PACE Plan Tagged With: chiapas, church planting, indigenous church, Matching faith promises, mission, missions, Missions With Purpose, new churches, outreach evangelism, Resurrection, The PACE Plan, Tzenembolon, Tzotzil indians

Children’s Bible’s In Tzenembolon

April 1, 2009 By Greg Nemer 2 Comments

We recently passed out almost 500 Children’s Bibles in Tzotzil.

The Bibles were donated by the American Bible Society of Mexico.

These children’s Bible include the Gospel of Mark. Coloring pages, stickers and a dvd with with both Spanish and Tzotzil languages. The dvd is great since illiteracy is a major problem with the Indians.
Tzeneembolon is located about 2 and a half hours from us.:

View a map of Tzenembolon
View Larger Map

View a Video of ,e and a Tzotzil Pastor Explaining how to use the Materials (Spanish and Tzotzil spoken)

View a Video of us passing out the Materials To children

View a Video of the Children with the Bibles

View pictures:

View more photos (click on the photo our ministry team):

Filed Under: Educating the Next Generation, Tzotzil indians Tagged With: american bible society of mexico, chiapas, childrens.s bibles, Greg Nemer, Missions With Purpose, social biblico de Mexico, Tzenembolon, Tzotzil indians

Christmas 2008 News and Video

January 19, 2009 By Greg Nemer Leave a Comment

We just finished a Christmas Video of the activities as we handed out 2100 toys and goodies to tthe Tzotzil and Tzeltal Indians over the Christmas holidays.

Besides the toys, we also had clowns, pinatas, candy, toothbrushes for everyone and a few extra goodies.

We traveled for 5 days in a row and visited 2 & 3 places a day. We took Christmas day off and then traveled for 2 more days in a row.

We were also fortunate to have some gringo friends visit from San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

In all we visited 15 Indian tribes and communities.

There are now 25 Indian Churches and missions that we work with. some of the churches met together so it made it a little easier to give out the gifts.

Hope you enjoy the video:

Filed Under: Assisting the Poor, Tzeltal Indians Tagged With: christmas toys, Missions With Purpose, Tzeltal Indians, Tzotzil indians

Mission: Tzotzil Indians

January 17, 2009 By Greg Nemer 2 Comments

This is a compilation of all the information that I am gathering concerning the Tzotzil Indians. We have been working with the Chenalho tribes for a year or so now as missionaries and I am hoping to continue to add to this page with the help of my readers.

If you come across some good information on The Tzotzil Indians that is not listed here, please let me know in the comment fields provided below.

The first place that I looked for information was on Wikipedia. Here is the results for my search on the word, Tzotzil:

Tzotzil – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Tzotzil Maya of the central highlands of the Mexican state of Chiapas are an indigenous group, the direct descendants of the Classic Maya civilization. …
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tzotzil – 32k – Cached – Similar pages –

The Tzotzil Maya of the central highlands of the Mexican state of Chiapas are an indigenous group, the direct descendants of the Classic Maya civilization. The Tzotzil language, like Tzeltal and Ch’ol, is descended from the proto-Ch’ol spoken in the late classic period at sites such as Palenque and Yaxchilan. Today, the largest Tzotzil municipalities are Chamula and Zinacantan, both studied at length by a project of Harvard University directed by cultural anthropologist Evon Z. Vogt.^[1]

The word tzotzil means “people of bat” (tzotz = “bat” in the Tzotzil language).^[2]

The Tzotzil were for centuries exploited by Europeans as laborers on coffee and sugar plantations, particularly in the central valleys of the state.

With the collapse of coffee prices in the 1980s, sustainable employment has been hard for many people in the highlands to find. As both population and foreign tourism have risen, the sale of artisan goods has replaced other economic activities. Tzotziles usually sell their products in the nearby cities of San Cristobal de las Casas, Comitán, and Simojovel. Recently, and increasingly, many Maya from the highlands of Chiapas have found migration to other parts of Mexico, and illegal immigration to the United States a way to break away from subsistence farming and abysmal wages.

Issues surrounding social integration persist, especially with white people, mestizos, and westernized indigenous people (all called “ladinos“). Also, most of the enlistees in the guerrilla Zapatista Army of National Liberation are Tzotzil.^{[citation needed]}. Other Tzotzil, such as those part of the pacifist group Las Abejas, support the goals of the Zapatistas but not their violent means.

Pre-Christian Tzotzil religion

“The Tzotzil discern two souls in the human body. One, the ch’ulel, transcends a human’s life; the other, wayjel, ties them to an animal outside their body … . The ch’ulel … when an individual dies … goes back to its source, the Katibak, or the world of the dead in the center of the earth. It will remain there for the same length of time it had been in the human world, and it will return to reanimate another human being of the opposite sex in another calpul. … Then the ch’ulel becomes younger and younger, regressing through its age, marching inversely through the years it had lived, until it is converted into the newborn’s soul”.^[3]
“The Winajel is in the Sun … . … Baptized infants and women who die in childbirth go directly to the Winajel. People who have been struck by lightning or who have drowned do not go to Katibak … . Neither do murder victims”.^[4]
“According to the Tzotzil, the souls of animals and of trees … go to the Katibak, … and then they return .. to the face of the earth. Animals, like humans, are reborn as the same species, but as the opposite sex”.^[5] “Animals and trees have a ch’ulel soul. The wayhel soul belongs only to human beings”.
“Each town has as a replication a sacred mountain. … Manojel-Tojel, the creator god, … caused humans to be born by leading them out of the caves of the original hills.”^[6] According to myth, each one of the patron-gods “installed himself in a hill, by order of the gods of the four corners of the earth”.^[7] “The Tzotzil speak of an animistic union between the patron god and the hummingbird … the waylel“.^[8]
“Yahwal Balamil … who lives inside the earth … frees the water-filled clouds from inside the earth through caves. … Yahwal Balamil rides a deer with serpent bridles …, but he announces himself with … the croaking of frogs”.^[9] [a note for comparative religion : with the name of this god /YAHWAL/ compare, e.g., that of the "Seminole ... god Yahola"^[10]]; and that of the “Creek god named Yaholi.”^[11]]

(This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article “Metasyntactic variable”.)

I am also learning the Tzotzil Language and am dedicating a separate article on “Learn The Tzotzil Language”

Most of my material is from a Christian standpoint since I am a missionary to the Tzotzil, Tzetal, and other Indian tribes in Chiapas, Mexico. You can find more articles on this website about our activities and ministry.

Filed Under: New, Tzotzil indians Tagged With: about the Tzotzil Indians, Missionaries to the Tzotzil Indinas, Tzotzil, Tzotzil indians

Greg, Ana & Cristi Nemer

January 1, 2009 By Greg Nemer Leave a Comment

The Nemer Family has served Christ as missionaries since 1987.

Our Mission is to “MAKE DISCIPLES FOR CHRIST AND ESTABLISH INDIGENOUS CHURCHES”

We are currently located in the mountains in San Cristobal de las Casas, Mexico. We travel to the Chenalho communities where we work with Tzotzil and Tzetal Indian tribes.

The 5 aspects of our ministry can best be described using the P.E.A.C.E PLAN:

Planting Churches (to attack spiritual lostness)
Equipping Servant leaders (to attack ego-centric leadership)
Assisting the Poor (to attack poverty)
Care for the sick (to attack disease)
Educating the next Generation (to attack illiteracy and minister to children)

We are also the International directors for Unanimous Ministries which provides a spiritual and support covering for a growing number of Churches and Ministries.

Unanimous Ministries

Visit the Ministerios Unanimes Website (in Spanish).

Filed Under: New, P.E.A.C.E. Plan, Unanimous Ministies Tagged With: Greg Nemer, Missions With Purpose, P.E.A.C.E. Plan, Tzeltal Indians, Tzotzil indians, world missions donatins

Providing a Joyful Christmas to over a 1000 Indian Children

December 4, 2008 By Greg Nemer 1 Comment

"Ana, Cristi and I are blessed by your desire to help share a message of hope and love with the people of Chiapas, Mexico."

As we near Christmas we would like to inform you of some Great News:

Some accomplishments this year because of you
Our Move to San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico
Our Special Christmas project
A special invitation to help the ministry

"Ana, Cristi and I are blessed by your desire to help share a message of hope and love with the people of Chiapas, Mexico."

Thanks to You!
This past year you have made it possible for us to minister:
*Salvation and Church Planting
*Leadership
*Medical help
*Assistance to the poor
*And ministry to the children
*P.E.A.C.E. Plan
BECAUSE OF YOU, our ministry in Mexico is providing a spiritual covering to 83 churches in Chiapas, Mexico. More than half of these churches are Indian Churches and 12 of these are brand new church plants. What a great way to end off the Year 2008.

You did this!

This not only applies to those who have given financially. If you prayed for us you were a part of our success.

Getting Closer to the Tzotzil Indians

Much of our work this past year was with the Tzotzil Indians. I work closely with these churches and the new Indian leader, Jose Alfredo. We even moved to San Cristobal de las Casas which is located in the mountains of Chiapas to be closer to the Indians.

Here’s where we’re located on the map:
View Larger Map

Providing Christmas Smiles to over a 1000 needy Indian Children

This Christmas we are making a large effort to provide a special toy to some very needy little children in the Indian villages where we minister.

Watch this video from last years Christmas ministry:

Last year was great but this year we really plan on going all out. These little Indian children are by far the most needy and the poorest of the poor.

A small doll or toy car may be all that one of these little Tzotzil Indian children will receive this year.

Beginning on the 21st of December and ending on the day after Christmas we will be distributing gifts in the following villages:

Chenalho
Las Limas
Cruston
Chimix
Acteal Centro
Poconichim
Takiucum
Zinichil Vo
Cancuc Pozo and 3 surrounding villages
- If you give $100 dollars your donation will buy 25 toys
- If you give $500 dollars your donation will buy 100 toys
- If you give $1000 dollars your donation will buy 250 toys

From Tzanembolom- Nov 16, 2008

We already have one church who will be helping us finance this Christmas project. Would you please help us also?

I wrote a thanksgiving article on my business blog at Real Life Purpose about how our daughter Cristi gave a special gift to little Isabel and want you to know about it.

The other day, Mari who is a Tzental Indian girl who lives with us invited us to go to her house. Mari is from a small village located near Tenejapa, Chiapas.

After driving on some rough roads to get to her village we parked the tuck and walked another 15 minutes to get to her house.

When we entered her home we immediately noticed the dirt floors, a place to cook in the middle of the room and chickens running around inside.

Mari is one of 9 children. One of Mari’s sisters, Isabel, began playing with our daughter Cristi.
Cristi’s had her favorite stuffed animal with her. Little Isabel was especially interested in the little doll since she her parents obviously couldn’t afford to get her one like this.

We are trying to teach our daughter the importance of giving.

Cristi gives little Isabel her favorite stuffed animal

Cristi gave little Isabel her build-a bear. Although the stuffed animal meant a lot to our daughter it was a very special gift for little Isabel. That gift really made a difference in little Isabel’s life.

Your gift will make a big difference in over 1000 little Indian Children s lives this Christmas.

“Would you please consider making your best investment in the kingdom of God with us?”

Since each gift will cost us around 5 dollars we need to raise $5000. Look at how many choldren you can bless with just a little bit of money:

Here are 2 Reasons Why An investment in our mission’s projects is a wise way to spend your money during this Christmas Season:

1. It’s the Giving Season. What better way to give than to invest in little children like Isabel.
2. It’s the end of the year and you can write it off on your taxes. Besides benefiting missions you can also receive some nice tax deductions from your donations.

During this Christmas what can you give to help these poor Indian children…and to be a representative of Jesus to Mexico?

Please pray and ask God what He would have you give to share His love with those who are hurting.

To make a tax deductible donation now click here:

Thank You

If you have any questions or would like to donate offline please contact me at gregnemer@missionswithpurpose.com

We appreciate you,
Greg

Filed Under: Assisting the Poor, New, Tzotzil indians Tagged With: 21st of december, Acteal Centro, Cancuc Pozo, chenalho, Children, Chimix, Christmas, church, church plants, Churches, Cruston, donation, gift, Las Limas, Ministry, P.E.A.C.E. Plan, Poconichim, san cristobal de las casas chiapas, san cristobal de las casas chiapas mexico, special christmas, Takiucum, Tzotzil, Tzotzil indians, Zinichil Vo

October 2008 Newsletter

October 16, 2008 By Greg Nemer Leave a Comment

Difficult Times and Funeral Photos with the Tzotzil Indians

October 14, 2008 By Greg Nemer Leave a Comment

We have been going through some difficult times with the ministry and even in our own personal lives. Trials and Difficult times are a part of life. Robbie Goodwin just described these in her most recent post called The Wilderness Place.

Greg With Pastor Mariano

It’s not an accident that She wrote about this. Many people are going through trials. Times like this are not easy, [Read more...]

Filed Under: Homeschooling, inspiration, New, Tzotzil indians, Unanimous Ministies Tagged With: breakthrough, chiapas, Christ, dark time, difficult times, encouragement, God, Greg, Indian Churches, Joshua, light at the end of the tunnel, mexico, minister, ministry photos, moses, pastors, Promised, Promised land, Tzotzil, Tzotzil indians, wilderness place

23 New Indian Churches

April 20, 2008 By Greg Nemer 3 Comments

Last month I told you about how I am continuing on my quest to make a million dollars this year. I also told you that I would use the money to start up new churches all over the world.

People laughed while I envisioned.

So how much money have I raised? A little.

How many new churches came under our ministry this year?

The answer: 23 Indian Churches so far. .

Ever wonder where the term “Holy Smoke” comes from?

Speaking of Smoking…

During the month of July, 2009 we were privileged to start 3 new churches:

How Your Donations To Our Ministry are Being Spent

Pre-Christian Tzotzil religion

Missionaries Greg, Ana & Cristi Nemer…