Cactus Flower

Well boys, I could tell you a whole string of wild traveling tales!  Today  Uncle Byron, Greyson and I are off to catch a jet plane to come and see you soon.  I won't be posting any stories until September when I'm back at home and on my own computer, but I hope to share some grand real life memories with you over the next days and weeks. Love, Aunt Michele

See all of William's bags! Today's story is about some dangerous little bugs.  Many people in churches ask us if we are afraid of snakes.  That question always makes me laugh.  I wonder when you all were on deputation before you went to Rio if anyone asked you that without thinking.  Did you see any snakes in that big city of Rio?  Ha, ha!  Maybe in a zoo! We do see snakes, but there are many worse and more dangerous things than old serpents! Remember that bed picture with those silly boys popping up!   Well, one time around 2008, William kept waking up with little red,itchy bumps.  The other boys were fine.  But William would wake up with these itchy places on his feet and legs.  At first I thought the fan wasn't hitting him enough to keep the mosquitoes away.  So I fixed two fans for the boys' room.  One to blow air on Greyson and Dalton and one for William on the top bunk.  You should know that all through the year...

Dalton standing in the middle Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Dalton marked by the red star Arlington National Cemetery This past week our boy, Dalton, attended a week long youth congress in Washington DC after winning a national essay contest. He was chosen as one of four of the 100 present to place a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on the last day of the conference. In two weeks he will finish his high school work at the boarding school where he has been for the past 8 months and graduate. It's been a long haul.  With great joy my whole family will be there to celebrate this important moment. With my gratitude we thank all of our prayer partners and friends who have faithfully supported us and  our three boys over  the big haul of the past year.   Please don't stop! Prayers for Byron, Greyson and myself as we leave for the States this next week for a one month-stay. Prayers for Dalton as he finishes up his w...

This is the story of how we got our dog named Tiny.  No before you say, "Another dog story," take a little breath and be happy.  Next week I'll try to talk about the strange bugs that carry a strange tropical disease that invaded William's bed quite a few years ago. Today you'll just have to settle for this story.  Ok?  Thanks! We got Tiny on the day that our old dog Blackie went to that great land beyond...  Blackie and Girl the scrub trees and was buried on the far side of the big field in front of our house.  Tiny was so small.  She was very happy to stick her head in one of Uncle Byron's old boots and go to sleep.  Nowadays she plays with that same old boot! The day that Blackie died was a rough day.  He died from a disease called CDV or canine distemper.  In the States, dogs are routinely vaccinated for it.  But in Brazil, most dogs are lucky to get fed.  Our little city has free dog clinics once a year for rabies sho...

Today I'm going to tell you about a little dog named Nicky... When your Uncle Byron and I first came to Brazil to start working as missionaries, we came with 6 action packer trunks and two carry-on suitcases.  We shipped some of Uncle Byron's tools and a microwave with friends who sent things in a shipping container.  We were allowed to come down with about "70%" of what was expected financially under three conditions:  we would be considered "short-term," we would have to leave the field if our support didn't hold out, we would help at the MK school which was in big need of workers. Our first apartment was totally furnished with things that we borrowed from the belongings of a furloughing missionary and it was very close to the MK school.  We lived simply and walked or took the bus to all the places we needed to go.  At the end of that first year, a family that was going on furlough offered to let us stay in their apartment which was also close to the ...

My husband claims I'm afraid of many things.  Personally I think I've overcome many fears over the years of my time in Brazil.  I've found 3 inch scorpions on my desk chair and called my boys to come take pictures.  I've helped my boys catch green snakes for their viewing pleasure.  I learned to catch and hold pet iguanas to move them from cage to box for temporary holding.  And I even overcame one of my greatest fears of all, wildly jumping from the big boat down to the sand without regard for possible broken limbs or dignity. Scorpion on my office chair.   Makeshift kitchen on week long boat trip. This was when I jumped in the water to rescue my water jug. Notice the closed eyes - it was from flying sand - not fear! There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear , because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18 And yet I fear.  I'm afraid of the future....

In 2004, we came back from a Stateside furlough and moved from Fortaleza to Bahia.  A nice man in Fortaleza had taken care of Blackie that year.  In fact, Blackie really did well and enjoyed learning some new tricks - like taking more baths and riding in cars.  Those new tricks came in handy as we returned to Fortaleza by car to get some of our belongings and to get our dog! It had been raining a lot in the Northeast of Brazil that year and traveling was not easy as a result.  Remember that the Northeast is called a "semi-arid" region where it only rains about 20 inches  a year.  When there is too much rain, it floods quickly as most of the dirt is sandy.  Most cities have poor drain systems.  Roads are poorly built and wash away quickly.  Many bridges are also cheaply built and don't last through serious flooding. As we started our trip, Uncle Byron had made a little spot for Blackie in the back of our big red truck. It was supposed to be a ...