MaryEllen Montville, Contributing Teacher/Author/Ministry Overseer/

“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.” Isaiah 6:5.

Blessings, friends! I’m MaryEllen Montville; I currently reside in Southeastern Massachusetts, where I serve as an intercessory prayer minister at Highland City Church, our Ministry partner. Being called by God to share the Truth of His Gospel through Sosofthesea is one of my greatest joys and privileges, as my life’s purpose is to point souls toward my Lord and Savior.

I have been blessed to do this, having served in various inner-city ministries, including street evangelism, a transitional home for women, and a weekly feeding and outreach program designed to build relationships with inner-city youth in Albany, New York. Following this, I transitioned into advocacy and administrative duties at Project Hope Recovery Center in Houston, Texas. There, I had the privilege of serving individuals seeking recovery from addiction. God then led me to Oahu, Hawaii, where I served as a prison minister, and in 2015, He called me to partner with Him as Overseer of Sonsofthesea, this global blog ministry He birthed and continues to use to win souls and transform lives for His glory.

We at Sonsofthesea invite you to follow us as we follow Jesus…

Maria Braga, Guest Teacher/ Author

I am a student of God’s Word. Born on Madeira Island, Portugal, I am a born-again, Spirit-filled believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. My passions include studying and teaching God’s Word and spending time in His Presence. My life was forever changed in 1987 when I came to know Jesus as my Lord. I am married to Lino Braga, and we have served God’s people as Pastors for the past eleven years. We shepherd Highland City Church, located in Fall River, Massachusetts, and our three adult children serve in ministry. I desire to lead as many people as possible to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

For several years, I have had the great privilege of leading “She,” a women’s ministry. “She’s” objective is to create community and foster unity among women in the Body of Christ, building lasting faith and encouraging one another forward in Christ! This ministry has blessed so many women!

I enjoy studying, cooking, teaching, and serving God and people! I am a well-rounded woman of God whose life is steeped in faith and walked out with passion, integrity, dedication, and grace; these qualities are embodied in my daily walk. I desire to reach the orphan and the widow and tell anyone who will listen about Jesus.

Pastor Samuel Cordeiro, Guest Teacher

My name is Samuel Cordeiro; I was born and raised in Southeast Massachusetts by Portuguese immigrant parents. They received Jesus Christ into their hearts before I was born and raised my two brothers and me with Jesus as the center of our home, always directing us to biblical truths for answers. I started serving at our local church at an early age, knowing the Lord had called me to worship Him through music and, later, to teach His word.

I attended UMASS Dartmouth for my undergraduate degree, where I met my wife, Flavia. We served with the UMass campus ministry, Cru, for several years. Missions, both local and abroad, are very dear to our hearts. Flavia and I are passionate about serving others and sharing the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ with our community. I have recently been ordained as an Associate Pastor at Highland City Church, where it has been my honor to teach God’s word, play the piano on the worship team, and mentor engaged couples.

Some of my favorite things to do are spending quality time with family, including my two young daughters, playing the piano, and traveling.

I pray the Lord uses me to bless your lives through these teachings.

Thank you, and may God bless you,

Pastor Sam

Elda Othello Wrightington, Guest Teacher/Author

I love words. Words have the power to influence so many. No wonder words are the beginning of everything. God spoke, and it was so! I am excited to partner with Sonsofthesea.

My name is Elda Othello Wrightington. I was born in the Bahamas to parents of Haitian descent and raised in Miami, Florida, from age five into my mid-twenties. I have lived in New England for almost nine years and have been married for four years. I can honestly say I am still not used to this cold weather!

My life’s motto comes from Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 9:22: “I became all things to all people so that I may win some.” My way of interacting with everyone I meet has always been to meet them where they are, love them, and be willing to walk alongside them as they grow. I get to practice this every day in my mission field of mental health. I am a licensed mental health counselor working with youth who have experienced significant trauma.

With over ten years of experience, I count every day as an opportunity to listen, inspire, encourage, provide support, and, of course, provide psychoeducation on how to work through life’s challenges and stressors. Every so often, I get to share words of faith with the many I serve. I attend Highland City Church, where I serve as an Elder and prayer leader. I hope the words I write will inspire, encourage, and transform the many readers of Sonsofthesea.

Wesley Mendes, Contributing Teacher

My name is Wesley Mendes. I was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. I’ve spent most of my life living in the Fall River area of Massachusetts. I am the son of a Cape Verdean father from Fogo and an Italian mother from Sicily.

 I am privileged to be a youth Minister for “Straight Ahead Ministries,” a non-profit, faith-based organization that works specifically with at-risk youth—those involved in gangs, the court system, and those incarcerated or reentering the community. I believe God has called me to this line of work.

I’m also a youth leader and serve on the worship team at Highland City Church.

Personally, I grew up in the system. In high-crime areas, I was involved in gangs and was a victim of the culture that the enemy has set up. I ended up in juvenile jails, county jails, and all the way to a maximum-security state prison. But I’ve been set free and made new by the Lord to be used to proclaim the name of Jesus to the people, to testify of his goodness and grace.

I love to help, to serve, and to worship the Lord. I love my work, and I love being a father. I walk with an attitude of gratitude, trusting and following Jesus into whatever He’s calling me to do.

Emmanuel Lewis, Contributing Teacher

My name is Emmanuel Louis. I was born and raised in Boston by Haitian immigrant parents who love God and raised my two brothers, my little sister, and me with God at the center of our home. I grew up knowing God. I believed in Him. I knew the Scriptures. But somewhere in my late teens, I began to walk in a different direction. I left for Marshall University to play football and study engineering. I thought I was building my future. I thought I knew where I was going. But God has a way of interrupting the plans we make for ourselves. Even when I was running in another direction, the Lord kept drawing me back. Eventually, I listened. I changed my degree from engineering to architecture and attended Boston Architectural College.

At the time, it felt like one of the hardest decisions I had ever made. Looking back, it became one of the greatest blessings of my life. I thought I was giving something up. I didn’t realize God was making room for something I couldn’t yet see. That decision eventually led me to my wife, to Fall River, and to Highland City Church, where the Lord reignited a fire in me that had grown quiet for far too long.

My faith became real in a different way. And somewhere along the way, God began asking me to do something I never thought I could do: speak in front of other people. For a majority of my life, I struggled and continued to struggle with a crippling fear of speaking and writing in front of people because of dyslexia. The thought of standing in front of people and sharing what was in my heart terrified me. Yet God has a sense of humor. What I feared most became one of the places where He began to use me most.

Today, it is an honor to serve in Men’s Ministry and teach God’s Word. I get to sit across from men who are fighting battles, asking questions, rebuilding their faith, and trying to become the men God has called them to be. Now I have the privilege of encouraging other men in their walk with Christ.

I don’t speak as someone who has everything figured out. I speak as a man who has been lost before. A man who has been afraid. A man who has made mistakes. I speak as a flawed man who is still learning to follow Jesus. A man who has learned that God’s grace can reach you even when you’ve wandered farther than you intended.

I am a husband and a father. I enjoy painting, playing guitar, fixing and building things, designing, and serving God and His people. But more than any title I could put beside my name, I am simply a man trying to follow Jesus one day at a time. I am still being shaped. Still learning. Still failing sometimes. Still getting back up. Still saying yes. My prayer is that my obedience would leave a light on for my children to follow.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6 NIV

I don’t know where this journey will take me next. But I know Who called me to it. So I will keep saying yes. And whatever comes next, may it glorify Him.

Miguel Hernandez, Contributing Teacher

My name is Miguel Hernandez. I was born in Puerto Rico and came to the United States at age two. I live in Massachusetts currently. Growing up, I knew who God was, but I wasn’t truly living my life for Him. Even when I wasn’t pursuing God, He never stopped pursuing me. In His grace, He found a way to reach me, draw me closer to Him, and ultimately lead me to surrender my life to Christ fully.

In September 2025, I was baptized, and that moment marked a major turning point in my life. I decided to surrender my life fully to Christ. Since then, it has been a privilege to serve the Lord in different areas of ministry. I currently serve as a co-leader for our youth ministry, play guitar on our worship team, and serve on the prayer team.

Outside of ministry, I enjoy playing guitar, biking, and spending time with my family. My prayer is that through my teachings, God would use me to encourage others, point people to Jesus, and help people all over the world grow closer to Christ.