Cactus Flower

My last baby boy has finished his bachelor's degree at North Greenville University in the area of worship studies. The event took place this spring.   I've been a little behind on updating things every since our big trip. Byron and I had the immense privilege to be present in the USA. What a joy to see this day come! Just a week before we were also overwhelmed to participate in Greyson's senior music recital. Every piece was a blessing. All my grandchildren were there, all my boys and daughter-in-laws, assorted extended family and even a missionary aunt and uncle. Greyson's success in college life was certainly "A Village" of family and loved ones who encouraged him all along the way in word, deed and prayer. Byron and I can never say enough thank you's to express all the gratitude we have especially for his adopted American family - the Scott Potters of Reidsville, North Carolina. Someone asked me recently if homeschooling was worth it in t...

  On a fine sunny day in late September, Papa Byron and Gramma Michele hopped on a jet plane to head to North Carolina in hopes of being on time for the arrival of our third grandchild.  He beat us by a few hours, but we got to see the little fellow when he was only a day and a half old.  We couldn't have asked for more!   Our days were numbered, 15 to be exact, but each was well spent.  We were able to see all three of our sons and Byron's mother as well as my parents.  Mr. Logan was welcomed by his older brother and sister with open arms and many smiles. And everyone got a chance to pose for a photo with  the star of the show! Great Grandma Beckner and Great Grandaddy Beckner, Aunt Kerri and even Papa Scott.  Mr. Logan slept through most of the photo sessions! Mother and Father of Logan are well and doing great with #3 in their nest. We also were thankful to be present for the pastoral ordination services of our oldest, William Atha. He was exam...

We've been hitting the dirt roads since we got back from our brief trip to Fortaleza.  We have been making two main runs at week:  our regular weekly trip into Lage dos Negros with several stops along the way, and a shorter trip to one destination only called Abreus.   When we go to Abreus we take the big vehicle and fill it up with young people to help with the children's work.  This month two young people from another city are spending the month with us to observe what we do and assist in the ministry. Both are excellent assistants! Luise and Luan They even survived an all day trip in the back seat of  the sand rail with no complaints. We added a few other "runs" to our list during their time with us to fill the schedule a little more and for them to see some communities that we have visited in the past. Jesus Film in Gangorra on the way to Lage They will be sorely missed when they go home!

15 weeks without dust in my hair... Yesterday we planned a trip to Lage with stops along the way to see our Bible study people, but alas while some places in our area are reopening, others are locking down.  The county (Campo Formoso) around the little town of Lage is in a strict lockdown  for the next few days.  In fact one of our former students who lives in the county seat is sick and awaiting confirmation of testing. Novertheless, I wanted to go somewhere.  15 weeks!  My wonderful husband, at my insistent bidding, agreed to take me out for an afternoon ride and picnic to a closer location in the next county over from ours with less corona restrictions due to fewer cases and a smaller  urban population.  We never go anywhere without a plan. So he checked his maps, and chose a route where he'd been hoping to do some survey work. Master Mechanic has been upgrading our ride over the past 15 weeks. We have a new motor with lo...

December 14 - 21, 2019 the Wordless Ministry team came to Sobradinho - BA for a week of evangelism and discipleship.  The young people of the Maranatha Baptist Church were able to participate as team members. Byron and I were able to help out some during their activities in Sobradinho and accompanied the group to the small interior town of Junco, Sento Sé for three days. Activities were varied with a Vacation Bible School for children, an evangelistic soccer tournament, outdoor preaching and  door to door evangelism. 

Brazil Road Trip: Interior Evangelism : Imagine you want to take a survey of the counties nearest to where you live.  You're looking to see what churches have works in which city... Click on the blue link to read more about our most recent trip interior.

You know that road you see every day but you've never been down it and don't know where it goes?  That's how our trip started out, heading down a path less taken and coming home by a road few would dare to pass.   On Tuesday, November 14, we headed out to find as many "unreached" communities within 150 miles of where we currently live.  Our method was simple:  Stop and Ask!  Most of the places where we visited are not marked on any of the maps we own.  Some are identified on Google Maps.  Most all are on dirt roads - either roads that have always been dirt or old highways in need of repaving.   At each group of more than ten houses we stopped to ask the name of the community, took note of how many houses there were and asked about churches.  We visited about 200 such communities over the course of our trip of seven days.   Going was slow due to the bad roads and all the stopping.  Few places have any sort of sign id...

Part of the great missionary call is deciding where to go.  When Byron and I went to missionary candidate school way back in 1991, we heard speaker's from many different mission fields talk about the great necessities of their regions.  We were both convinced beforehand that God wanted us to work in the country of Brazil.  We left with the same conviction. BMM Candidate School, 1991 Fast forward 26 years to 2017!  Here we are nearing the end of five terms of missionary service in Northeast Brazil.  We've worked with churches in a big city of millions.  We taught at a MK school.  We helped with a camp ministry.  We've worked with a small congregation in a little interior town.  And now we look towards the future and ask,  What's next?   To help answer that question, Byron recently attended an inter-agency missionary conference near the city of Belém on the mouth of the Amazon River.  He heard about the needs o...