Cactus Flower

  Just another video letter from Gramma Michele in Brazil.  Things have been sort of slow with no kids' Bible clubs these days, but we have been busy nonetheless with interior trips, visitors and washing machine problems.

  Byron and I have been on the field for over 30 years.  I try to give newcomers to my life the benefit of the doubt when they start asking questions.  It seems though that some questions are always the same... Do you speak Portuguese? Do you like Brazil? How long have you lived here? What do you do? Do you ever visit the USA? Those aren't too bad to answer and make lots of sense when you meet a freckled faced lady that doesn't seem to belong in your part of the backlands.  The silly questions that always make me cringe are more from people I know and lately the same ones keep popping up... When are you going to retire? Don't you miss your grandchildren and boys? How long to you plan to keep working in missions? Haven't you been here long enough? When are you going back to the USA? For the public record I thought today I would just answer some of these repetitive questions that people often ask here in Brazil and even in the USA.  First of all, when do we plan t...

  Hold Strong  by Robert Dugoni Wow, this is a historical fiction work about American POW's in the Japanese theater.  It's also a love story about two young people from a small town in the Midwest.  The authors worked hard to document the factual aspects of the book. The Despicable Missionary by Annie Bradley This is a biography of Pakistani Christian who desired to be a voice in the middle of persecution in her country and how to rose above her anger to help others of all religions come to Christ. The Girl Who Escaped From Auschwitz by Ellie Midwood This is a sad novel with a sad ending, but nonetheless worth the read.  It's about a couple who find love in the midst of the death camps of Hitler. The Undercover Secretary by Ellie Midwood This was another historical fiction work based roughly on facts about the dark Holocaust days during World War II. Fragments of Light by Michele Phoenix I had been wanting to read a book by this former missionary and cu...

Adrielly is the last of our fine crop of Bible school students.  She is starting classes this week for her final year.  We are so proud of her work ethic and good study habits.   We can hardly wait for her to return to our region to assist in ministry.  She has a real heart for God and for missions.  

  Two days after our very long trip back to Brazil we jumped right into all the fun of Pedro and Luana getting married including bachelor and bachelorette parties (more like mild gatherings) and getting their documents at the justice of the peace. We were happy to have made it in time to participate in all the events, but we were just a little tired still and sorting through our luggage and trying to find things in our house. Thankfully our dear neighbors helped out with some meals that first week. The happy couple left later that same week to head to the location of their wedding ceremony in the state of Minas Gerais.  We spent the rest of our first full week trying to get things in order at home.  All of our vehicles needed something, the washing machine was working right, and our water purifier wasn't doing its job.  Little by little we felt more at home and all the cold of the USA wore off as temperatures between rains soared. And we found many places where water...