Restoration Ministries (RM) is an exciting outreach ministry to the poor and downcast children in Sao Paulo, Brazil. For many of these children, the reality of their lives centers on drugs, domestic violence, prostitution and poverty so severe that there is often no food to eat. The mission of RM is to transform underprivileged children and their communities through the good news of Jesus Christ, equipping them to serve.

The ministry reaches into children’s lives through many opportunities, including weekly evangelism programs in different slum areas, home visitation, church planting, leadership training, on-going discipleship, and the offering of several different classes which help develop the whole individual including English, Brazilian martial arts, drama and music, as well as a camp ministry. A key ministry area for RM is in partnership with American churches through the receiving of short-term ministry teams and individuals who work with the ministry through different projects and programs.

The ministry was founded in 1991 by Brazilian nationals Paulo and Ireni Mota, who have been working together in ministry with WorldVenture since 1998. As Director of Restoration Ministries, Ireni oversees the daily operations of the ministry, including staffing and team development, which includes on-going discipleship and leadership training; investing with volunteers and staff, beginning at a young age. She oversees the management of all ministry assets, and under the guidance of an advisory board develops and implements the strategic direction of the ministry. Recognizing that the Lord’s work is best managed through the efforts of many, Ireni is also invested in developing and maintaining local, national and international partnerships with churches, business and non-profit organizations to further the mission of Restoration Ministries.

Ireni writes, "I became a Christian when I was 9 years old. When I was 18 years old I started as a volunteer on the favelas [slums] around my neighborhood. I felt like God was directing me to do something special with my life. When I was around 23, I went to work with a group downtown with girls and boys involved in drugs. My passion was toward the teens. As the years went by I was working full time on the ministry. In the 90s, I met Paulo who had a ministry in a different area downtown with the same passion and vision for the kids. After 3 years we started to date and got married."

 
Paulo and Ireni with their two kids, Daniel and Sophia