Cactus Flower

A few years ago, we had a wild idea.  The camp where we had worked closed.  The church where we had assisted got a national pastor.  All of our boys left the household.  It seemed like a good time to consider a move or a new type of ministry.  We weren't too old, but not too young.  It was around the end of 2017. We briefly considered going to Mozambique.  Local churches had made some trips to the country helping a national missionary there.  One of our sons had gone on a missions trip.  There was a definite need and we already spoke the language.  Culture adjustment at our age could be rough.   Byron took a three-week trip up and down the Amazon River.  He had always thought it would be a possibility with his boat and mechanical experience.  We knew a few people in the region, and the language and culture part wouldn't be too much of a problem.  After his trip, he just didn't feel that someone else running up an...

  Byron, the guy in the white helmet, turns 61 today.  That's our son, Byron the Third in the black helmet.  He'll be 30 on his next birthday at the end of the year.   My husband and I were close to thirty ourselves when we had our first son. Lately it seems that every other day or so someone wants to know "When we are going to retire?" Sometimes it feels more like, "When are you going to leave" is the real question, but that's a story for another post sometime. Has the sunset on our work and ministry in Brazil?  Is it time to hang our hats and pack it all up.  Are we too old? Too old for what?  Too old to tell others about the love of God?  Too old to preach and teach?  Too old to ride a motorcycle on dirt roads? Okay, you may have us on that last one!  It took a few days to recover from our 8 days of motorcycle travel with our oldest and his wife last month.  It took a few weeks to recover from all the bumps and aches of our ...

  This past month, Byron and I traveled by motorcycle to meet up with one of our boys and his wife arriving from the USA.  Several times along the route we weren't sure if we would make it.  Somehow God protected us inspite of ourselves. Watch the video made with my grandchildren in mind to see and hear the whole story.

Adrielly is our last from our crop of Bible school students.  She will finish up at the Peniel Bible Institute at the end of the year.  Pray as she considers how God can use her in missions. Byron and I really like the fact that the Bible course of the Ethnos 360 New Tribes school includes practical work along with study of God's Word.  Each student has assigned duties in the afternoon.   You can read Adrielly's letter below.

Sand.  Here's the spot where we took a dip in the dirt on the first day of our ride to meet up with William and Kerri last week.  We nearly gave it all up and considered limping home, throwing everything in a car, and joining them closer in. But we got up and moved ahead, and fell five more times in a section of 15 kilometers of road.  Thankfully we didn't fall any more after that. This morning it made me think about all the times in live when we just need to get up - again, and again, and ride on. The Bible talks about "pressing on for the prize of the high calling of God."  Missionaries and all people often get tired, discouraged and consider quitting.  We've had some rough patches along the way.  Some ask, how have you made it through thirty years of missionary service - just getting up one tumble at a time. After few of the six falls, I just laid on the sand and looked at the clouds!  It was okay, there was no traffic!  Just three cowboys who ...

Is it possible I am getting too old? Too old to keep up? Last week we just had said good-bye to two American guests who were with us for eight days. I was bushed. I spent four of the eight days mostly at the stove and kitchen sink. The next four were in our interior work where I hardly saw either of our guests with all the rush of activities and "runnings around." This week Byron came down with a cold or flu or virus and he is currently crashed on the floor.  I think sometimes old or young need a chance to catch up and recover - physically, emotionally and even spiritually.  Oh, but the tasks of a missionary never seem to end and taking a "day off" is like a luxury. But are we too old?  I should say not, even though we get asked frequently these days about retirement.  I guess the white hair is some sort of sign on the road of life.  I do tend to get snippy when people ask if it isn't time to go sit and be close to our grandchildren.   So, what do...