Skip to main content

Ministry in Uncertain Times

 

Gongorra, March 12,2021

Last year at the beginning of the Big Mess no one really knew how long it would all last, and what would become of church and missions.  It was a year of "What are we allowed to do this week?"  For several months, the answer was:  "Not much!" 

The big thrust of our interior work previously had involved lots of personal contact with people with home Bible studies and visits.  So, what were we to do?

Byron was able to continue Bible study lessons with one young lady through the cell phone app called Whatsapp.   Many interior communities have fair Internet via radio signals and antennas.  Most have no cell phone coverage, so it wasn't an option for all.

As things opened up some, we were able to use the time to make some "no-contact" mapping trips to complete Byron's work to plot all the dirt roads in our area with information about each community.  Occasionally we were able to do a little evangelism with our cute masks and not standing too close!

Fast forward to now, we are in a Big Surge moment with that same question popping back up after weeks of relative normalcy.  I'm afraid we may have made our last visit this past Friday for some time.  Cases are finally making it to the little communities we visit.  It's a waiting and guessing game while we hope boys and girls, and men and women without Christ don't get sick.

I'm praying this week that these silly good-byes won't be the last for any of these, but that we will be able to go back soon to tell more Bible stories and more about the Good News of the Gospel.

Prayers for Gangorra, Abreus, Bicas, Lage dos Negros, Lagoa do São Francisco, Mulungu, Goiabeira I, Queixo Dantas, Varzea Grande and many other communities along the Salitre River Valley.








Labels:

Comments

  1. cellartopMarch 13, 2021 at 12:26 PM

    We're praying for the happy smiling children and all the places you've been able to visit.May you be able to return soon.May each one stay safe and healthy.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for stopping by! Leave me a message if you would.

Popular posts from this blog

Everything New

I'm reading a book for old missionaries about all the crazy things people go through in returning from their field of service to spend time in their home country.  One of the chapters is all about how tough it is to "go home."  Things change and the missionary ends up out of sync with what's new since their last "home" visit. "Coming home" this time has been smooth in some ways and a little crazy in others.  Byron and I haven't had a real furlough for six years.  On one hand our recent short visits pathed the way for an easier transition.   But staying for a longer this time around means we don't have to feel as rushed to go and do and see, even though we are always reminded of that the pages of the calendar are passing by. Keeping in touch with our friends in Brazil is uniquely easy nowadays allowing us the privilege of almost instant contact, real time decision making and even seeing regular photos of my cat.  We can send money quickly an...
Post a Comment
Read more

Sabbatical Time

  Furlough, it used to mean getting my boys all prepped with new clothes, all ready to attend classes in real schools, and all set to interact with Americans.  Today, it means finding someone to take care of our Brazilian pets and hoping the grandkids remember who we are.  I didn't even buy any new clothes! Thankfully we found who I hope will be the best house/petsitter ever, and I think my grandbabies already know who I am.  Tying up all the loose ends of ministry and house took more effort and time than ever, but we made it to the aiport on time and so far so good.  I am sitting unstressed in the largest airport in Brazil this afternoon typing away with few concerns. Hopefully this sabbatical furlough will be just that unstressed with few concerns.  We need to visit around 25 churches, see as many loved ones as possible and go to Walmart as often as we can.  We also need to rally support for the missionaries that are joining our ministry efforts in t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Quitting

This fall I posted about a camping trip my husband and I took with our boys. Our oldest was getting set to head back to Brazil without us and we wanted to get away together with just the family for a few days. When it came time to get in the car, our middle boy refused to get in. We were leaving for a weekend with reservations in another state. It was a tense moment as he started walking away from the car and house and down the road away from us. It was just one of many such moments that occurred over the past two years as we watched our boy slip farther and farther away from us and our values. I worked literally day and night to find help, look for counsel, and often searching for our missing boy.  Nothing we did seemed to change the direction in which our son's life seemed to be going. Many times my husband and I felt like giving up.  We prayed.  We asked others for help and advice.  I remember one night in particular as I was chatting with a...
4 comments
Read more