Memory work challenge

"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

The school holidays are long; classes in many Brazilian school start again only in February. In one family, Dad takes one of the boys at a time to his bicycle repair shop to work with him. However, the young people to whom we minister in Icui do not have very much to do, to keep them out of mischief and trouble. Early in February our mother church is planning a retreat - to take people away from the city during the terrible Carnival activities. The church leaders want to take the young people again this year, and their nonChristian parents have agreed to let them go, it seems. However, to get enough money together is a problem. Saving? What is that?
We had the young people come to our mission property a week ago Saturday; they love to come to the spacious green area to play. However, I also taught the girls to make Calzones (which we ate for lunch). As I was urging them to consider making such a thing to sell, I discovered that the girls had already made several different kinds of food and sold it, saving up the money for the retreat!
The same day Robert had the boys each help a little with the construction of a cupboard for the classroom at Sunday School.

Another idea that Robert had, to give these kids something profitable to do during vacation, and to help in a small way to send them to the retreat, was to challenge them to memorize Scripture verses. Last Wednesday he presented his idea. He would pay them 25 centavos for every perfectly-quoted verse. By Sunday six people had learned Psalm one! Our star student, by Sunday evening, had said three Pslams (1, 127, 128)!! Praise the Lord!

A wet Wednesday

Yesterday a heavy rain came in the late afternoon, after a very sunny afternoon. The flat campus where we live flooded - again! Our team leader said this week, "There's a small river nearby where the run off seems to go!" referring to the Amazon!
When we finally got safely to church at Icui, driving through rain in poor visibility, I led in the reading of Ps. 8 and one of the songs we sang was "How Great Thou Art" (only in Portuguese, of course).

A psalm of David... Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

How great is our Creator and how marvelous are His works! This reminded me of a poem I wrote years ago, while meditating at the side of the river sea, on the island of Mosqueiro:

Lord,

I marvel at

the immensity,

the power

and the vengeance

of the sea,

at the obscurity,

the weakness

and insignificance

of me! (Gladys Noble, 1976)

Gratitude

The lesson that I am preparing for tomorrow is about being grateful; expressions of thankfulness do not always come easily. Many people here do not teach their children to say the simple, ear-pleasing words, "Thank you."

I have read again the story of Hannah and her song of gratitude to God.

I reread Ps. 118:17, "To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord."

Also Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

One of the many reasons that I have to be thankful is that God has given us many friends. We have entertained a number of friends over the holiday season and been invited to join others.

Friends of friends who live in Regina, working here short term with Samaritan's Purse.

Friends from Alberta, one of whom used to work with us here in Brazil.

Our ample home became a meeting place for many of her acquaintances and former colleagues.

The lady who has been our hired helper over many years -
she helped Michael take his first steps by his first birthday.

We had a visit from a former student at AVA, a grad of 1982. He is from a Church of Christ missionary family. He and his wife, with their two youngest children are preparing to go to Mozambique as missionaries.

On Dec. 25th, this friend and team mate hosted our team for brunch. Yummy!A big family of friends we got to know when we went to church in Terra Firme district for 4 years. We were invited to the wedding of the youngest daughter - she is a friend of our girls. In fact our daughter who visited this summer took pictures for them and designed their invitation.

Their son-in-law on the left was the pastor at the church when we began to attend there.
How his family has grown up!

Praise God for friends!

Christmas 2007 Photos

Lundys desire a good year end and a happy new year to all!

I helped ladies at Icui make a simple Christmas decoration before Christmas.

Canadian visitors escape the Alberta winter and relax in the shelter in our big back yard!

Here is the Advent wreath which we invented to use for Robert's messages for the month of December. He spoke on the prophesies concerning Christ's first advent and the hope they gave, John the Baptist's role in preparing the way for Jesus, the many appearances of angels in the Christmas narrations, and the wise men's search for a new king. He said that the 4 candles can represent the 400 years of silence between the Old and the New Testaments. Then on Christmas Day he spoke about the birth of the Messiah himself and added the centre candle.
We all learned a lot from these studies.

Christmas Day brunch with our team members at Vances' home.

Trip to Barra in November 2007

It was special to be hosted by the team at Barra for a week in November. Grupps were in from the Canela village of Ponto for two weeks, so we had some visits with them and met their young teacher, Anne as well. Anne is very eager to learn Portuguese, so she wanted some classes in the evenings!

The Brazilian couple, Gilson and Iara, who did a year-long internship with the Grupps arrived back from São Luís while we were there. Iara is 5 months pregnant. They had plans to go now to live in Porquinhos village, but the chief has changed, and so the invitation to go is no longer open! They are hoping and praying that they will at least be able to go into the village as guests of Zequinha’s when he returns to the village after a trip to AMMI, where he studied, for a conference (the first week of December). However, to stay very long they will need permission from the FUNAI office in Barra, so pray about that need. He is very contra!

Irene Menzel was busy getting ready to leave for 6 months, to register as “retired” in Germany.

Her house will sit empty while she’s gone, as Ruth Graber is already on Home Ministry; they will both return at about the same time – possibly after MICEB conference in June. Irene’s cold water kept us from dehydrating and her special drinks, iced coffee and iced chocolate, were welcomed on several hot afternoons!

Graça Azevedo and Juarcy Monteiro were in Barra from Sardinha at exactly the time that we were asked to come, so they hosted us for most of our meals. We stayed in the guest room on the base. Graça and Gladys met in Cameta when Gladys spent Christmas of 1979 with Mary West; she was in seminary then, preparing for Christian service. Juracy is from Cururupu. They have served together for over 20 years.

Genildo and Carmélia Guajajara were also in Barra; it was great to meet them, to visit (in Portuguese), to see their humble home in Barra as well as to make a trip to São Pedro by Toyota, to see where they are living and seeking to be a witness and to build up the Guajajara believers.

Graça is a great driver, over very rough and hilly roads. She takes wonderful care of the 1982 Toyota, affectionately called Azulão! It is needing some expensive repairs just now, to make it safe for these arduous trips.

Graça is the nurse for the village of Sardinha, but in São Pedro she delivered the medicines that were sent in with us by a doctor who had been there last month on a short mission’s trip from São Luís. She matched the medicines with his hand-written prescriptions and instructed the people how to take the medicines.

Genildo studied at AMMI in Portuguese, so he and Robert could converse in Portuguese. Robert was able to show him some things about caring for the generator that they use to produce electrical energy for the church.

We went to the Mearim river bank and saw the well (prepared by Paucks, we believe).

Benedito and Dorilene also had us over for several meals. They have three daughters; this school year they are also boarding Genildo’s oldest daughter, for her to be able to study in Barra. Bené is the team leader; we had a good meeting with him. He explained the vision for the Carl Harrison Theological Training Center, showed us around the property which MEIB recently received from the First Church (it used to belong to MICEB), and explained what he envisioned our part might be in that ministry - helping in practical ways, encouraging the indigenous church leaders, and teaching.

It was a privilege to have a short visit with Duca, too. He has a lot of history with the missions in Barra, and he is excited about the development of an Indian Bible Institute. He was so pleased that the church decided to give the property to MEIB that he got the old tractor running and used it to cut the mato on the property!

We visited two different churches - Trizadela and Tamarindo - in Barra with our hosts .

We traveled to Arame by bus and van, visited two villages with Bron and Francisco, and attended the AICEB church in town. From there we went to São Luís for a few days. We visited the seminary, where we also have an invitation to minister, and we rested for several days before returning to Belém.

Thanks for your prayers. Please continue to pray for wisdom and understanding of God’s will.

We need some time to talk to our team leader here.

Telling the Truth

I am reading a book called Tell the Truth, The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by the Whole People by Will Metzger. It is a training manual on the message and methods of God-centered witnessing. I quote: "Man-centered evangelism shortens the message. It so focused on man that it reduces God. It so fears further doctrinal division among true Christians that it allows the most imprecise gospel messages to become common currency."

How we see that all around us! So many confused messages are broadcast over our TV and radio.
We sometimes listen, just to be aware of what the people here are being told. A "church" (we would call a cult) attracts a lot of people. Why? Because they talk about:
getting rich (the leaders appear to be rich, but they are very demanding of people who come - they MUST give at least 20 % of their income if they want to be blessed!);
those who follow Christ never suffering (Pare de sofre!);
casting out demons and healing diseases (I am going to pray and you will be healed.).

But they DO NOT talk about confession of sin, repentance and a personal salvation by the blood of Christ. It is so sad, as many poor people are following these groups which do not teach the true Gospel. Christ is the focus of the Scripture, and He is to be our message. The focus of the whole Scripture is Christ. We preach Christ! Pray that our message will be clear and the methods suitable.

Couples and Weddings

I was asked to speak last week at a meeting planned by a ladies' group of another church, but it was for both the men and the women. I was asked to speak about the family. The church is a long way from where we live, so I was very glad to be able to have Robert go along to drive. Neither of us had ever attended a meeting there.
I introduced ourselves, telling about how we are both Canadians but that we met here in Belem.
I talked about how we each came as a single person the first time, but after years of dating by letter and ham radio, we were married. Then in God's Math 1 and 1 became 3! We returned to the field with Esther! I talked briefly about our family and how now, after 24 years, we are again a "single couple". I used some pictures that I saved from my favorite artist to illustrate the stages of life.

The message? Well, we read the account in Genesis 2 of the creation of Eve and the institution of the practice we call marriage. Some observations, briefly:
1. God saw that it was not good for man to be alone.
2. Adam did not have a choice. But then realize that a perfect God created a perect wife for him, too.
3. God created Eve to be a helper, someone in whom Adam could confide and trust.
4. God took a bone from Adam's side, not his head nor his foot; Eve's place was to be beside him.
5. The two were to become one... means physical union after marriage, and so much more. They were to be faithful to one another all of their lives (see Malachi 2:15 - 16). Divorce was not in God's plan (Romans 7:2-3, Matthew 19:3, 1 Corinthians 7:10-11)
6. God created us to form a marriage between a man and a woman, not a homosexual relationship! He did not create Adam and Steve, but Adam and Eve!! (read Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 - God is very clear about this, and the penalty is severe.)
7. Adam and Eve did not have parents, they were the only ones on earth. Isn't it interesting that God said right from the beginning (Genesis 2:24) that a man should leave his parents' home and cleave to his wife, forming a new home? This is repeated in the New Testament.
8. Nudity was not wrong before they sinned, but after they sinned, they were ashamed. God sacrificed an animal to make clothes for them. Lack of decent clothing is so common in this tropical country, that I took the opportunity to talk about modesty, too.

From there we went on to talk about our own marriages, based on 1 Corinthians 7 , Titus 2, Ephesians 5:21-33, and 1 Peter 3:1-6. I had also prepared a list of things that they could do on a date, to help to keep their marriage alive and to actually do things together - they enjoyed that! Is it any wonder that the study took almost an hour? There were many young couples present, and they expressed appreciation for the study. There was even one couple who had come only for the second time to the church, and they came with the desire to become Christians that night. I had a good opportunity afterward, while the ladies served cake and guarana, to talk to them alone and encourage them in their decision to follow Christ.

We had a another holiday here in Belem this week, and although we decided to go to the mission beach house that morning, to prepare it for renters for the long weekend, we got up early and I made a chicken & macaroni salad to take along. We ate our lunch at the side of the river, enjoying the breeze and the view, before we went for a walk. Is that called practicing what I preach?