Thirty-five years ago ...

how life was different! I was single, adventuresome and had just arrived to teach at AVA.

This week we celebrated God's faithfulness over these 35 years - giving me some financial supporters who have been with me since that first year, and continuing to allow me to serve Him, in spite of all the mistakes I've made. Robert treated me and our hired lady/friend for 18 years to a buffet dinner.

A poem that I had referred to often is called Don't Quit

Don’t quit when the tide is the lowest,

For it’s just about to turn;

Don’t quit over doubts and questions,

For there’s something you may learn.

Don’t quit when the night is darkest,

For it’s just a while ‘til dawn;

Don’t quit when you’ve run the farthest,

For the race is almost won.

Don’t quit when the hill is steepest,

For your goal is almost nigh;

Don’t quit, for you’re not a failure

Until you fail to try.

Author Unknown

I have been doing a personal study in 2 Timothy.
Chapter 2:11 - 15 says:

"Here is a trustworthy saying:
If we died with him,
we will also live with him;
if we endure,
we will also reign with him.
If we disown him,
he will also disown us;
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.

Keep reminding them of these things. Warn them before God against quarreling about words; it is of no value, and only ruins those who listen. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." Pray that I might be A Workman Approved by God.

We are nearing the end of our packing up to move - a major move for us - to the state of Maranhao, to help the mission MEIB with the establishment of a Bible Training Centre for Indians. New challenges! The Great Shepherd has us on the move.

The termites beat Robert to his school notes from almost 30 years ago!

We are still making good use of the macaxeira that he planted and he is planting more for the next residents to enjoy.

Rooms and pantry are starting to look pretty empty!

We are enjoying our beautiful yard - before we move to a much drier place. We have had several families over for a picnic supper in the yard, too.

We took time last month to visit different churches in the city where we have had relationships with the people. The AICEB church in the Marco district is growing. Here is their new construction.
Thanks for your prayers and interest in our ministries.

Moving On

. I have enjoyed reading Phillip Keller’s A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. Part of verse three says "He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake." His commentary, as an experienced shepherd, was, "The greatest single safeguard which a shepherd has in handling his flock is keeping them on the move. … Coupled with this entire concept of management, there is of course the owner’s intimate knowledge of his pastures. He knows every advantage and every drawback; he knows where his flock will thrive and he is aware of where the feed is poor." The life of the diligent disciple following the Good Shepherd involves a cost (Mark 8ː34 – 38) and fresh attitudes must be acquired. I would like to share those with you –

1. Instead of loving myself most, I am willing to love Christ best and others more than myself.

2. Instead of being one of the crowd, I am willing to be singled out and set apart.

3. Instead of insisting on my own rights, I am willing to forego them in favour of others.

4.Instead of being "boss". I am willing to be at the bottom of the heap.

5. Instead of finding fault and always asking "Why", I am willing to accept every circumstance of life in a attitude of gratitude.

6. Instead of exercising my will, I learn to cooperate with His wishes and comply with His will.

7. Instead of choosing my own way, I am willing to choose to follow in Christ’s way, simply to do what He asks me to do - for my best interest as His disciple and for His reputation’s sake.

God wants us all to move on with Him, not only for our own welfare, but for the benefit of others and for His reputation’s sake.

Pray that our lives will display such dedicated discipleship!

AVA Reunion & Family visitors

Former Principal and his wife return

Former students returned, bringing families

Even AVA's first graduate was present at the 50th anniversary celebrations!

Decade parties - remember this era? And who is that?

Michael's anniversary T-shirt design was a success!

Graduation 2008

Renewed team loyalty

Celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary - dinner out! We missed you, JKL.

Did someone say food? A buffet? Wow!

Mother's Day

Mother's day in Brazil is given a great deal of emphasis. Too much, really. There is an air of "adoration" very much like the worship of the patron saint of the city. It was not impossible, but we decided that it was not a wise use of our time, to wait in line at our choice of restaurant last week. We had a quieter and quicker dinner at the same place today, to celebrate! The buffet was very tasty. Thanks, Robert/Dad! Thanks, too, for the beautiful gift that hangs on our wall now.

Psalm 127

A song of ascents. Of Solomon.

1 Unless the LORD builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.

2 In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.

3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.

4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.

5 Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

Creative works

Are we all given some gifts of creativity by our Creator? Do you wonder why our adult family shows so much creativity? Here are two samples of Robert's creative work projects - a snake bite kit (it is hooked up to a outboard engine or some such thing in the village, to give electric shock) and a simple one has saved lives of Indians and missionaries. This is his version. The other project is to make a new wooden handle for the shears at the beach house.

Moving?

Making a Move – these days we are sorting “stuff” in the office here at home, reading over journal entries and old magazines which we did not read when they were new (or which were too good to throw away!). I took time to read “Moving On after Moving in” in a Focus on the Family magazine (dated Jan 1996) by Susan Miller. People who relocate grieve – reactions: denial, anger, depression & sadness, acceptance.

Jer. 29:11 God has a good plan for us!

Isa. 43:18-19 I WILL DO SOMETHING NEW!

Her advice; Cherish, don’t cling Cherish means to hold in mind, to treasure, to hold dear, to value highly. Cherish distant family and friends, past memories, your heritage, the job you left behind, the house you loved, your roots, the city/town you left, etc.. To cling to means to clutch, to cleave to, to hold onto, to grab hold of. Her advice is to cling to God, the Bible, your faith, prayer, God’s promises, the positive, values, and each other. Real security comes from trusting God. Spiritual maturity comes in learning to depend on God to meet my needs. I will never grow if I always stay in my comfort zone. Things should not be held too tightly. They can keep me from embracing what God has planned for me.

Transition challenges our sense of personal purpose and meaning. We search for significance, desire to make a difference, and long to leave a legacy. Quote from Os Guinness in The Call

"All the Way My Saviour Leads Me"

All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

This is the first hymn in a devotional book that I rediscovered thus week. It was just what I needed. All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His tender mercy Who through life has been my Guide? Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, There by faith in Him to dwell! For I know whate’er befalls me, Jesus doeth all things well. . All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

Cheers each winding path I tread. Gives me grace for every trial, feeds me with the living bread. Though my weary steps may falter, and my soul athirst may be, Gushing from the Rock before me, Lo! A spring of joy I see. All the Way My Saviour Leads Me

Oh, the fullness of His love! Perfect rest to me is promised in my Fathers house above. When my spirit, clothed immortal, wings its flight to realms of day, This my song through endless ages: Jesus led me all the way. Then I read Psalm 31:1-3: 1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.

3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.

The devotional comment reads: “Those of us who know Jesus Christ as Saviour should never allow fear to have any part in our lives. God, the Creator, has taken on the responsibility of guiding us in every step that we take. And more than that, the One who said that He would always lead us has also promised to cheer us when we are sad, give us grace for every trial that we face, feed us spiritually through His living bread, supply water from His own everlasting fountain. What else can we need? We must remember, however, that whether the steps seem good or bad to us – He is leading. He leads when there is an increase in pay or when there is no job at all. He is there when a tiny new member arrives in the family or when death takes a dear one. He is there to lead when a wayward child breaks the heart or when we feel desperately alone and forgotten. Our Saviour has promised to lead when we go to the uttermost parts of the world, when we work in that small, struggling church, when business fails, when there is accident or sickness. Yes, all the way our Saviour leads. Devotional Thoughts with the hymnbook No. 2 by Ruth I. Johnson c. 1971 Back to the Bible Broadcast

He leads and is with us ALL the way - even when we are being investigated by the Brazilian government regarding our 2003 declaration, when Robert is sick with an uncomfortable infection, and when we do not clearly understand our way! On Sunday Ingrid read Isa. 40: 25 - 31, and that was a special blessing to me. Then she chose a hymn that I taught to the congregation some years ago - always a good reminder, too - "O segredo do viver, o segredo do vencer, eh em Cristo confiar, nunca, nunca duvidar." (The secret of living and of being vistorious is to trust in Christ and never, never doubt.)