Pain. Suffering. Brokenness. These are all concepts that everyone can associate with easily. They pervade our daily lives and our world. But how do we handle them all?
Look around. The world is plagued with brokenness, which is manifest in different ways:
At In Mission First, we believe that there are many pathways to wholeness and that the strengths and advantages of one person can supplement the weakness and disadvantage of another.
It is the driving purpose of this organization to provide opportunities to connect those people who can help fill the void of each others’ brokenness and together, with the guidance and counsel of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit and the Bible, journey toward a state of purpose and restitution. “Restore unto me the joy of my salvation and renew a right spirit within me.”
The In Mission First organization began as a dream from more than 20 years ago. Working as a young adult pastor in a large, affluent church in Brazil, Alex Fonseca saw the vast need of people in the local city, but also in the nation and across the world.
A passion for the broken in heart, spirit, and body developed in his heart. Through his realm of influence within the church, Alex began conducting inner-city, national, and international mission projects. Since people of like-hearts tend to gather, soon there was a team and Tiago Anziotto and Edmilson Silva became vital members of the core mission team who impacted their home country of Brazil and beyond.
Together they organized and led more than 100 mission trips, involving thousands of volunteers and managed hundreds of thousands of dollars in places like: Brazil, Kenya, Angola, Haiti, Bolivia, Argentina, Ecuador, India,Portugal and more.
From medical mission trips in the primitive riverbed communities of the Amazon to Bible camp in the slums of Kenya, these three have dedicated their lives to service in missions and have influenced countless others to do the same. In Mission First as an organization was conceived with this mission: bring the Good News of Christ to the lost by meeting the brokenness of each person.
In the midst of life, work, and family, there was never enough time or energy to begin a missions-based non-profit until the quarantine of 2020. That is when life slowed down enough to chase this audacious dream. In the Fonseca family living room, in Star, Idaho, the journey began by completing the necessary documentation to become a federally recognized 501c3. In June of 2020, the paperwork was approved and In Mission First was officially born.
Life picked up again and work on the startup was slow going. Until recently. In March of 2023, God called Alex to quit his job and step out on faith to pursue the development of this ministry full-time. In the short time since then, families, friends and churches have been committing to be partnering with this ministry in prayer and finances. The number continues to grow daily!
The first project is to build and develop a community center in Namialo, Mozambique, a community of approximately 10,000 people. The economic need is great. The education need is great. The need for Jesus is the greatest. We believe that the community center will be the catalyst for change in this village, bringing access to water, literacy, and an avenue to know Jesus Christ.
When we live our lives in mission first, not only can we relieve the brokenness in others, but we can also mend the brokenness of our own lives. There is this paradoxical relationship between serving and receiving: the more one serves, the more one is served.
Sometimes when faced with the magnitude of the task, we ask “Why are we doing this?”
And God whispers the simple reason: this is your mission and your calling. We are commanded to love our neighbor
and to reach the lost. This is not only our calling, but as a believer, it is yours as well.
