Cactus Flower

In January we were part of a big group of people from several Brazilian states in an evangelism outreach.  We entered homes. We talked to people in the street.  There were hugs and kisses. In February we attended a wedding in another city.  We went by sandrail visiting small communities along the way. Lots of upclose and personal chats, lots of hugs, lots of photos,  lots of kissing. In March we had heard about a crazy flu bug in China that seemed to be spreading to other countries rapidly.  It all seemed very faraway from our middle of nowhere life in NE Brazil.  The day this photo was taken was the day I found out one of our boys was being sent home from school and that airports were closing down. We didn't figure it would last long, but I got busy with some at home projects that never seemed to get done.   There were video chats with family, and I started a new approach to the prayer ministry called Sombrinhas with weekly broadcasts and devotio...

On December 23, 2020 Byron and I enjoyed an "early Christmas" with the children of the small community named Abreus.  Six young people from Sobradinho went along to help us with a special program for the boys and girls.  Each child received a small gift and a little Christmas sweet bread called a panetone.   I've been making "video letters" for our grandchildren to learn a little more about what Vovô Byron and Gramma Michele do in Brazil.  Watch and see a little of our Wednesday adventure.  

Someone we know is having a birthday today.   Who could it be?  Watch the video letter to find out!

  Photo taken just before we left Abreus yesterday. Thankful this morning for my formula one racing/Nascar driver husband. He can drive anything well, and he can fix any motor. Truly, driving well is something that Byron takes seriously, and last night proved his quick thinking abilities and swift reflexes.  Coming home from an interior community last night with three young people in the back seat, we came close to hitting a stopped car along a dark stretch on a narrow paved section of the road. Both sides have tall bushes right up to the edge of the path.  I still have the image of the face of the man who had been stooped trying to change a tire when he saw our car within inches of his body. Byron had been blinded by the headlights of a passing car, and only saw the stopped vehicle at the last minute. The poor man didn't know where to go to avoid doom and almost jumped in front of us. Byron swiftly and smoothly maneuvered clear of the man, clear of the bushes, clea...