Cactus Flower

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...

 

Byron and I continue to praise the Lord for the young people from Sobradinho that have gone to the Peniel Bible Institute.  Each one has returned well-trained in all aspects of ministry and missions. Adrielly Santos may be the last of the bumper crop that God gave.  We pray for more men and women to be called to study and serve.  And we look forward to Adrielly's return to assist us in the work later this year. This letter is available in PDF format.  If you would like to have a copy for your church bulletin board, send a message or comment on this post.

Well, well.  We've been back from our big furlough for 58 days.  What's been happening in Brazil? First of all we had to buy a new washing machine.  Seems the girls staying in our house must have washed a lot of laundry.   The poor old machine wasn't wishy-washing anymore.  All it wanted to do was spin around and around. It took a while to order the right one.  But it's great. For the first few weeks we were back I felt like I was spinning around and around, too, and getting no where fast.  All of our vehicles needed major repairs and I needed some major dental work.  My teeth all got fixed at my local dentist, the cars are still getting taken care of.  Our "truck," the Mitsubishi Pajero is at a shop.  The Fiat Uno, our spare car, got new gears and a few other new parts.  The newer sandrail had some fractures in the metal tubing that hold it all together and needs a few other repairs.  Byron is working on switching the mot...