Cactus Flower

On our recent trip we were delighted to visit with many friends both old and new.  At the two churches we visited in Fortaleza it was great to see many new Christians and hear about how they came to know the Lord.  It was also our privilege to see many old familiar faces of those who accepted Jesus as Savior during our time of ministry. At the church in the Joao XXIII bairro, I am always delighted to see one certain lady.  For two years I made visits and did Bible studies with a certain woman whom I had met at the boys' swimming lessons.  All during that time she never made a decision about God in her life.  She didn't know how to handle the fact that all of her family went to church on Saturday!  And what would they think about her going on Sunday!  If you don't know what church meets on Saturday, send me a note and I'll tell you! After we moved away she began to go to church for Sunday school only with her children, while still going with her ex...

Sun + sand + surf = refreshment and relaxation for mind, body, and soul! We recently enjoyed a few quiet days as a family in a secret quiet spot near Fortaleza.  Look for more exciting articles, devotionals and musings next week as I get back into the routine of normal life!

What do you say to a little girl who says - Take me home?   During the second of our two recent retreats with the Aventura Brasil 2010 Missions Team, these two little girls asked me just that.   One of the nights at the retreat these two little ones wanted to go on to bed before the lights out time.  I agreed to go on up to our room with them while the older girl also their sister and another counselor stayed up to play table games. I told them to get their toothbrushes and we would all go to the bathroom to get ready for bed.  We all changed our clothes and then I fixed their little mattress they had for sleeping - one for the both of them.  I got their covers all fixed and tucked them in.  Then I told them we were going to pray and then I would sing them some songs after I turned the lights off.  They had both told me they don't like the dark, so I thought that would make them happy. So I sang my homemade translation of "Go to ...

This past week our whole family traveled to the Cariri Valley in Ceara to help with the second half of the Aventura Brasil teams' time in Brazil.  About 40 children participated in this retreat, mostly from the neighborhood near Missionary Jim Leonard's area congregation. The retreat center was a lovely campground right on the side of mountains in the Atlantic Rainforest region of Araripina.  Nights were super chilly and even the days were cool.  Several children made decisions for Christ. Later I'll write about singing "Go to Sleep, Little Baby" in Portuguese to two of the little campers in the room where I stayed.  Right now I am very overwhelmed with getting caught up after two weeks of camps and with school starting for the boys soon and very soon! Take care!