Cactus Flower

  Earlier this month I was famous for one day... watch the video to see more about our August.

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...

  Sometimes it's hard to know how to divide my time between personal stuff, interior ministry stuff and other ministry stuff.  Choosing is tough.   Oft times doing something different means more preparation and more trouble!  This weekend I got to do something a little different and went to be with some Baptist ladies at a regional meeting. To get to the host church I had to send Byron on his way to Lage early on Friday where we have Bible studies and outdoor Bible clubs.  Lots of prepping and packing and praying.  Then I had to get myself ready to leave at the crack of dawn to head to a town about an hour away called Casa Nova, and pick up local ladies around Sobradinho.  From there we left my little Fiat Uno and boarded a bus with the women from that church to head to the next place called Remanso.  Thankfully the two lane highway has been recently fixed up and repaved, so our ride was quick and smooth.  Took less than two hours. The R...

 

Click "read more" to see the PDF with recent news of our Bible school students from the Sobradinho church...

Career overseas missionary work is all about living here and there, and often means a lack of long-term relationships.  For our family other missionaries became "uncles" and "aunts."  We often spent holidays with regional missionary families, just as we would with family in the USA.  Our boys were actually very blessed in this area of M.K. life. Friendships with Brazilians were always a tougher thing with moves and responsibilities.  Byron and I have been privileged to have several important, close friends through the years even with moving to another state.  We were able to "keep them up" when the boys were young and we frequently returned for activities at the American school in Fortaleza.   One such family was that of Erinaldo and Ivanete Vieira.  We first met them in 1995 when William was just a baby.  As we worked to see a church built in their community they become true friends and "uncle" and "aunt" to our boys.  When we moved to...

People ask me all the time here in Brazil and even there in the USA, when are you retiring to be with your grandchildren?  Goodness, what a loaded question?  If I say, Never, people will think I don't even love or care about my three grandbabes and one grandcat.  If I say, tomorrow, some will think my missionary call is rather vague and limited. What a toss-up?  Do I love my babes and my stateside grandcat?  Well, yes!  What sort of a horrid question is that!  Do I think about them and pray for them every day?  Yup!  Would I like to live next-door and enjoy their presence on a regular basis?  You bet!  Even the cat! So when are you going?  Haha!  When my work in Brazil is done, that's going to be my new answer.   In the mean time, I pray.  I write real letters.  I send gifts.  I make short trips.  I send little messages.  I make video letters.  I plan for furloughs.  But I can't...