What spontaneously sprouts from my heart is to be thankful before the reality that I turn 70.
Celebrating the reality of this anniversary among many friends gives me faith that I can count on you. Your welcome, love and giving of support are already a great grace. And I exclaim “I give thanks!”

Looking back on my life, I notice that everything was grace; everything was a lovely gift from god to my life. As I used to say; in occasions of my birth, I lived through the risk of death. When I was 2, due to an infection in my eyes, I almost became blind. As a poor boy in my childhood, my family pursued new opportunities living in Sao Paulo. This was also a grace. My education with the Providence Sisters, and later with Salesians priests and all those years of formation in salesian seminary living together side by side with men well prepared. Many of these men where truly saints. I must give thanks!

My sacerdotal ordination after 15 years was almost impossible due to a strange sickness that appeared during the last year of my stay at the seminary. Even after all treatment I was not cured and through a special concession I was authorized to be ordained. What I consider quite important is that soon after my ordination that sickness disappeared. I must give thanks!

My personal meeting with Jesus and my baptism in the Holy Spirit initiated a great change in my life. My work with youth that culminated in the establishment of Cancao Nova, this was all a grace. I can testify that Canção Nova was a great benefit. Primarily to my priesthood, my ministry and myself.

Mother Therese of Calcutta many times, repeated that she was only a pencil in the Lord’s hand. I may say that through everything that happened with Canção Nova during these 30 years, I was only a pencil in the Lord’s hand as well. He made everything.

The smallest TV station which had started in such precarious ways, after 17 years, grew into a great international TV network to spread the word of God worldwide. What God has been doing to Canção Nova through our publishing by means of videos, cds and Internet, that has being growing day by day. Our growth is amazing and what God has being doing to people through Cancao Nova is wonderful. How can I thank the thousands of people who left their lives to live in the community, consecrating to God services and dedicating their lives to the evangelization?

Canção Nova continues to be humble. Therefore God´s works continue to grow in a amazing way. The Lords work in Canção Nova is compared to a tree that grows without stopping, because this growth is natural. I am a pencil at the Lord’s hand, repeating Mary’s words, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.".

Thank you and may God bless you

Fr Jonas Abib

December / 2006