Saturday, June 30

What a month it has been. On the first of June, we boarded a plane in Lubbock and began our trip to Brazil. We returned on the 26th (last Tuesday) and is some ways we feel like we are still there. Our minds are filled with many wonderful thoughts of enjoyable times in Brazil. We are so thankful to God for another opportunity to go, and so thankful for the many people who supported us financially and who prayed for us. We are truly blessed people.

After my last entry we spent a very enjoyable afternoon with Nilton (one of the evangelists in Salvador) and Rose and their lovely daughter Priscilla. They are lovely, God-fearing people. How we wish we could spend more time with them and learn from them.

On Saturday, we went to the beach, just a block from our B & B, and enjoyed about an hour of swimming on a nice, warm winter’s day. The waters were very clear; a little cool, but easy to get used to. We walked around the area in the afternoon, ate some lunch, then left for a study with about ten couples that are part of one of the congregations. Jose and Nilza, Christians in Salvador since before our original arrival in 1984, lead this group. I was asked to lead a discussion of “Dating in Marriage.”

Somewhere along the way, Bev ate something that didn’t agree with her. She was sick most of Saturday evening and stayed in bed while I left for the morning assembly. The attendance was down (maybe 150 present), partly because so many leave the city during the weekend’s Saint John’s Day. I taught the class and preached; I am always so encouraged with the excitement and reverence that is manifested by the Christians there.

Bev was feeling better Sunday evening and just about “normal” on Monday. We packed our bags and got ready to leave the wonderful little Bed and Breakfast that had been our home for the past 10 days. A few met us to say goodbye at the airport and we boarded our plane with mixed feelings of sadness (leaving so many good people) and happiness (returning to family in USA). Every flight was comfortable (although I didn’t sleep much on the 10-hour Sao Paulo to DFW flight) and on time (ok, we did get to Lubbock about 30 minutes late after plane changes in DFW). It was good to see Jonathan and Lori in Lubbock, but only 2 of our 4 bags arrived. A third arrived the next day and we are still waiting for the fourth (Bev’s clothes and a few gifts).

There are many things I will not soon forget about our trip to Brazil in 2007. (I should never forget these, but then the way my mind fails me as I get older, who knows?) Here are some of my most treasured memories: the children’s hospital in Recife, building pews for the camp site with the wonderful members of the TORCH group, the VBS children, the food distributions in Recife, meeting with over 300 at the combined assembly in Salvador, talking and studying with many interested people in Salvador, seeing our dear friends in Salvador: Piedade, Jose and Nilza, Nilton and Rose, Celia, Marinalva, Josenias, Carlinhos and family, and many other good, life-long friends. Other good memories include Jorge and his golden fan, the camp animals (roosters, a donkey, huge bullfrogs, monkeys, opossums, and a tarantula), the Igreja Batista Portas Abertas (transl.: Open Doors Baptist Church) with the doors closed, the bus rides, the rain, the food, and the ocean.

God has been so good to us. May He bless your day.