Cactus Flower

BRAZIL vs. U S A So you're an MK from Brazil on furlough in the States.   Which World Cup Soccer team do you root for? People ask us if we've seen "the game" and we say "Didn't know Brazil was playing today." They respond, "No, the USA." And we say, "Oh, no we don't watch those." It never really dawned on me that we weren't watching the US games.  We just have no concern for them.  Who would ever watch games of a team that has no chance in a tropical rain storm of ever winning? It just never occurred to me to want to watch one of the USA games.  We wait years for the next world cup parties and games and excitement IN Brazil and FOR Brazil.  And I'm the mother of the MK's. The MK's in my house have never said, "Hey, let's watch one of those USA games!"  Maybe if one just happened to come on the tv here at the house, but with no ESPN on our basic cable we have to find places...

This past week I asked one of our neighbors in Brazil to go by our house and take some snapshots of our two dogs, Girl and Tiny.  He did.  Said they were so happy and wiggly that it was hard to get photos of the duo.  They both look sad to me with their ears slightly down.  How much do dogs think?  Do they wonder where I am?  Oh, my poor babies!  I miss you as much as you {might} miss me?  Ah, and there's where the Saudade word comes in.  "Saudades" in Portuguese means all those sad feelings a person has of missing someone or even someplace, that longing.  I have great "saudades" for my babies.  We have been in the States now since just before Christmas of 2013, almost 7 months now.  I miss the little barks of my girls, they nuzzling to get attention.  I miss Girl dog patting me with her paw for a pet and Tiny's coming to my whistles! Hold on, Girls!  I might be back soon.  I'll send the neighbor again t...

Our ministry sold.  Problems with a son.  Low financial support.  Dwindling ranks of missionary colleagues.   Low numbers on the results board.  Doubts and fears.    But I still believe in my calling and my faithful God.   I still believe in God's Word.  I still believe in the power of the gospel.  And I still believe in the need for cross-cultural missions. Today in church circles and publications we hear the resounding cry:  Let's not send any more missionaries from the States to foreign places, let's just support national works.  Mission agencies are pulling out of many old fields, selling off properties and moving on - to allow national churches to move up to the task. But I still believe in the need for American missionaries in foreign countries. N.E. Brazil regional BMM conference, 1979 On the other side of the missionary coin,        I also still believe in the I...

Byron and Michele Atha wish to proudly announce the high school graduation of their son, Byron "William" Atha, III, on May 23, 2014 from Community Baptist School of Reidsville, North Carolina