Cody in Time for Christmas!

Our 4th grandchild, Cody, was born Dec. 12 in R. I. He is our oldest son's 3rd son. Cody arrived a month early but is doing well. Weighed 5 lb. 5 0z.. 19 inches long, so is on his way. Our son hasn't told us the whole story yet but we are just very grateful to God that both he and his mom are doing so well. Vivian returned safely to Brazil Dec. 5 and now we are preparing for our daughter, son-in-law and only granddaughter's visit over the holidays. Still so rain but by the time they arrive next week, it could happen. My commencement speech went OK on Dec. 9, lasting 25 minutes. Ten graduated. After the holidays I must grade the dozens upon dozens of student papers turned in during the last days of the term. As a friend often says, God is good, all the time. Have a wonderful Christmas celebration. Wise men still seek Him!

Term ending, wife returning

The happy fellow in the dark blue shirt just finished successfully defending his monograph. The rest of us are his profs. Next Saturday is graduation for eleven seniors. Classes for me have already ended but I do have lots of papers to grade, most of which I will leave for doing after December 9. I was invited by the graduates to give the commencement address on the theme, "Jesus Christ, our Foundation" so preparation for that is my main concern just now.

Vivian is due to arrive in Sao Luis Tuesday AM. It will have been 33 days since she left to help care for our two grandsons in Rhode Island. She had a great time and I was able to survive, preparing most meals for myself. Our daughter-in-law rested more because Vivian was there and today her own mom arrived. Perhaps the new baby will be a Christmas present, or if he waits until January 1, he will be born on my birthday! We continue to pray that all will go well. We haven't heard the name they've chosen. That's probably the easiest part. 

Presidents & Pineapples

President Lula won 4 more years here in Brazil, an election result I promised you. We had a great 3-day visit with mission colleagues in Belem. Two days later Vivian was off on her trip to the U. S. (Nov. 3) but not without some serious re-routing through the south of Brazil and getting a later flight from Miami to R. I. She is really enjoying helping to look after our two grandsons while awaiting arrival of # three. But I do miss her a lot... Even made rice once, did three loads of wash and generally try to pick up after myself. Great to have a cleaning lady one AM each week. Oh yes, the growing pineapple out front fell off. Our neighbor boy was watching it for me but it was another fellow who found it. After a week in a bag on top of the frig, it actually ripened. I gave half to David who was thrilled. He agreed that it was really good and even took a slice to school in his lunch stuff! Reminds me of a story of a missionary who tried to grow pineapples and the locals never seemed to allow any to ripen..they just disappeared! He got very upset and the story ends something like the book of Jonah, as I recall: God had to remind the missionary that He was much more interested in people than in the missionary's silly pineapple patch (or gourd). So far, my pineapple has actually helped build a relationship with the neighbor boy. Told his mom he will invite me to his sixth birthday party in December. Must wait and see. No more pineapples ripening so maybe a children's CD or Bible would make a good present for David. What do you think?

Travel Time

Today we are off to mission meetings in Belem, a one hour flight. Back to Sao Luis Wednesday PM just in time for Vivian to pack up for her month's stay over November in the States helping to look after our grandsons while their family awaits the arrival of #3! Are praying that things will go well both in travels and that the baby arrives safely. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, things will be busy with seminary classes, church and keeping the emails, Skype chats and internet calls happening.

By the way, today, Oct. 29th, is the runoff election here in Brazil for president and a number of state governors including our own state of Maranhao. Everything is very quiet in the neighborhood this AM, great contrast to the last few days. Will let you know election results eventually.

Children's Camp & Other News

Vivian is helping out at children's camp this weekend. Thirty kids along with counselors, cooks and helpers are having a great time in a large house with a pool about 8 miles away from our home. Last night the mosquitoes about ate up everyone. I got a call to please bring out two fans along with some baking powder for making a special cake. Just before Bible story time this evening the lights went out so we dashed to a town nearby and bought candles. Fortunately, electricity was restored soon and the David and Goliath story was acted out as planned. I took some photos.
Is different and lonely with Vivian gone but I have managed to stay busy. I will pick her up Sunday after lunch, Lord willing. Is much more relaxing than last week when I was called upon suddenly to handle a funeral service Friday afternoon. That's another story told in our recent email update...By the way, the Brazilian election held on Oct. 1 resulted in a run-off election set for Oct. 29. President and a number of state governors will be chosen. Vivian and I will fly to Belem that day for a 3-day mission meeting with our U. S. director. Guess my students can work on their term papers during the classes I will miss.

Oct. 1, Election Day in Brazil

Even though we don’t vote in Brazil, it’s interesting to observe our friends trying to figure out whom to vote for. There are various party choices for state and federal congressmen, governors and president as some 100 million people peacefully cast their ballots today, all using modern computerized voting machines. Our seminary serves as a polling location, eleven different precincts set up in our classrooms. People come and go all day. Attendance was down at Sunday school this AM as everyone must vote and some had to travel to the interior. Our pastor heard a talk about whom a citizen should vote for and shared four points he learned in the Sunday school opening: You should vote for one who (1) Has a calling or commitment to the political process and is not in it for other reasons, (2) Has the necessary preparation for the post he or she is seeking, (3) Can truly represent his or her constituency, knowing well their social interests and needs, and (4) For one who has a basic fear or respect for God. I thought those were good guidelines for voting in any democracy, not just in Brazil. What do you think? Watch the world news and you will probably soon know if President Lula was relected today or if there will be a run off election in a month. May God bless Brazil!

50 Years of Marriage!

Congratulations today to Bill & Hope on the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary!
Bill is my older and only brother. He is a retired businessman with a successful career in sales. Hope is a homemaker and also worked in department store sales for a number of years. What impresses me about this couple is their commitment and love for each other even with quite differing personalities. Also, back in the 80’s they decided to move to Europe and ended up working in Germany, England and Holland for a number of years. That was quite an impressive adventure which they not only survived but even thrived on. As Bill wrote yesterday, it’s a pity we can’t live closer, allowing time to sit on the porch and reminisce. We look forward to doing that not too many years off. But for now it was fun thinking how we could honor this couple on their Golden. First, we snail-mailed a card from Brazil which they received yesterday. Good timing! Next was an email letter telling why we think they are such special people. Then, to top it off, we wired a bouquet of fall flowers that arrived on their doorstep this morning. Certainly they deserve all this and more, for staying the course for 50 whole years together.

What a Ministry!

“As you look back, what comes to mind as the most satisfying part of your ministry?” I asked Dorie this question today at our farewell dinner for her out by the beach. She is leaving in just ten days for retirement in the U. S. after nearly 40 years of ministry in Brazil. Dorie didn’t hesitate. What gives her great satisfaction was what she noticed in a sizeable meeting of pastors recently. “As I looked around the room,” Dorie said, “I realized that through the years 90% of those present had been my students at the seminary!” What a ministry legacy! Dorie was obedient to God’s leading to a teaching ministry here in northern Brazil in the area of Bible and missions. We her colleagues will certainly miss her. And so will her students, not just for her clear teaching impact but for opening her apartment for them to watch videos Friday evenings. And for creating the first computer lab on campus. And for loving and respecting them and insisting that they indeed could learn from her and become better equipped servants of the Lord. Dorie’s ministry reminds me a phrase I heard many years ago, “Only one life, t’will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Wow! What a Week!

Opening of SCEN classes was postponed for a week but things finally got under way. Now it’s Friday and I can say I finally met 32 first year students, worked on learning their names and generally kept my wits about me in following a checkered morning and evening class schedule. What really helped in all this was prayer. Also, reasonably good planning and a homemade cappuccino mixture that I carried along to class.

The subjects I am teaching? One is the Doctrine of Man. Once we get man created he doesn’t do well and ends up fallen and dead. Then God’s great plan kicks in to restore men to spiritual life through an incarnate Christ, great news for all who accept Christ’s salvation (Doctrine of Christ). However, at this point Christ leaves earth temporarily. What now? Not to worry, Christ sent another Counselor (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit) so redeemed men can make steady progress living & witnessing by His power while awaiting Christ’s return. Another great resource in this mix: God’s Word, the Bible. That’s where Bible Study Methods enters the picture to give first year students the joy of discovery in personal Bible study. This past week served as an introduction in all these subjects. Next week the real work begins!

Some photos of baby

Just over three weeks ago we said goodbye to our family and returned to Brazil. Our granddaughter continues to grow and bring much joy to her family. Will be hard not to see her for some months but if all goes well she and her parents will visit us over Christmas so we really look forward to that!

Driving Again...for a Price

Good to be driving again. My drivers license was ready last Wednesday and now we can get around town much easier but much more expensively. (Filled the Corsa with gas on Sunday and it cost us US$4.75 a gallon!) My better half is still working on her license renewal and hopes to have it within a week. Class preparation is slow but steady. I'm teaching 4 subjects starting first week of August: Bible Study Methods, Doctrine of Christ, Doctrine of the Holy Spirit and Doctrine of Man, all but one subject repeated in the evening session. Have taught all these before but each new group of students provides new challenges. Will have 30 or more students for one subject and smaller classes for each of the other sections. Can't believe how much good study material my predecessor left on a CD! Now I must decide what to include & exclude and get my lesson plans going. Anyway, the more time I spend working on course stuff, the less $ we spend on costly trips in the car!

DL? Not yet!

My approved medical test had not been run through the system till today, Friday. This means my new Brazilian license will be ready only Monday afternoon or Tues. AM! Not to worry, I am learning which are the best buses to catch back and forth from DETRAN. Good for one's sanctification, namely a good lesson in patience!

Drivers License Saga

Our Brazilian drivers licenses expired while we were in the U. S. So, off by taxi and bus I went on Monday to DETRAN, the traffic bureau, to renew only to find the computer system down for the day. Back on Tues. afternoon. The nice attendant carefully asked me if perchance I was 60 or older? Now that you asked, "Yes!" And then things began to happen rapidly as I went ahead of a very long line. Erika, a believer, found my info from the next state on her computer where my last license was issued. Printed out the forms and sent me for a photo and prints. From there I got No. 426 in the line at the bank to pay but only No. 350 or so was being helped at the moment. Not to worry, off to the medical test down the street. A girl wrote up my request and led me to a small clinic where the doctor tested & approved my grip, hearing and eyes. Back to the girl for my receipt. Then back to the bank in DETRAN to pay the other fees. The tellers were helping No. 376 or so by then so I found a chair and read PERELANDRA for an hour. Forgot that my age could have put me to the front of the line again. Finally paid the 3 fees and went back to Erika to schedule my written test for Thurs. It was past closing time but I found her. Got the wrong bus home but that was OK because I passed a driving school and bought a drivers manual. Studied most of that & did four simulated tests online for practice. Thurs. back at DETRAN I passed, answering 26 of the 30 questions on the test. This afternoon (Friday) I can pick up my new license at DETRAN and join the other brave drivers of São Luis once again. Vivian went with me yesterday to begin the same process for herself. Is good we don't have to wait in line much anymore, don't you think??

Moving Again?

Yes, moving again. Will it ever stop? Probably not soon as it’s an integral part of our chosen missionary ‘vocation’. This time from Texas to Brazil with a short visit in FL on the way for a partial family reunion with Ruthie, et. al. Is still dubious if all our stuff will fit into the suitcases but a week from now it will probably all be there when we unpack in our small house on a tropical island in northern Brazil. These nearly seven months in the land of our birth have been very refreshing with visits with friends, supportive churches and our loving, growing family. So, return here later for a progress report on our re-adaptation to wilder traffic patterns, year-round heat and humidity and speaking mostly Portuguese. Not to worry! Actually, we look forward again to preparing for the new school term and reconnecting with colleagues and students. God is so good!

So, here is that promised photo!

Granddaughter Doing Fine!

June 5 is an important date for Vivian and me. It's our wedding anniversary! And this year it was even more significant since that's the actual day on which our first granddaughter, Ruth Emma, was born! What a joy to be present for the event here in Florida and to help around home as Marcy & Rich discover the joys and challenges that first time parenthood brings. One thing is certain, God is very good to us and we are grateful for all who prayed for the safe arrival of this bundle of pink joy! We'll include a photo to show you how precious little Ruthie is, as soon as we can figure out how to do it!

Brazil Nuts

Our 530 mile drive to Louisiana and back went well this weekend. Was good to visit friends in a church that has shared faithfully in our Brazil ministry for over 30 years. The couple we stayed with before was traveling so we enjoyed the Jameson Inn near I-20 over Saturday night. Even swam some laps in the pool. Sunday AM in the adult Bible class just before we began rolling our power point slides, Mr. Bell asked if we’d brought our Brazil nut pod again. I said, “Yes, if you insist, I’ll get it out just after we see the slides.” And I did, much to the amusement and amazement of the folks. Later when introducing me to speak in the worship service, Pr. Bob referred to what I had said, that we are all like re-seeding Brazil nuts, some more visible than others in God’s work but all vitally important in bringing spiritual life to others within the context of our daily lives. Don’t know what this missionary would do without a few visuals. People of all ages respond well to show and tell. Guess I should have gotten out our piranha too!

Grapes & Oranges

Made an interesting discovery these past months: American grapes and oranges do not have seeds in them! At least not the ones that we’ve enjoyed from the supermarket. Things are different in Brazil. Most grapes and oranges, DO have seeds in them. Wonder why? One reason could be that the desire or demand for seedless fruit in Brazil just is not there yet. People don’t mind picking or spitting out the seeds. Maybe it’s for the same reason there are so few cars produced with automatic transmissions in Brazil. People prefer the cheaper, basic models and so don’t mind shifting gears. Plus the fact that gas mileage is a major consideration with fuel costing 30 to 40 percent more than in the U. S. (yes, even with recent U.S. price hikes!) That brings me to ask, would seedless grapes and oranges in Brazil cost more? Probably, but I don’t want to go there. I have decided that this missionary must stop analyzing and simply enjoy what each place has to offer. And once you get past the seeds and clutches there really is little difference in the taste and ride!

Welcome to our new blog site! My purpose here is to share some of those interesting, special or even mundane moments of life in a more informal format. Like experiencing God’s immediate protection when I braked just in time for an oncoming car while turning left at an unfamiliar intersection in PA. Singing hymns to my saintly friend now lying unresponsive with Alzheimer’s in TX. Listening to the country-western performer in a restaurant in Missouri singing about his girl from Texas. Playing ball with kids in Penna. and falling down going after a fly ball. Babysitting our adorable, active grandsons. Praying with a long time friend facing cancer surgery. Explaining the outstanding merits of our son-in-law’s hilarious CD of Christian music for kids. Speaking & showing our Brazil slides for the umpteenth time and still enjoying it. Writing thank you notes to so many good friends. Beginning to learn from our son Mark (pictured above) how to do a blog site! And the list could go on…

Routine & Rebates

'Tis good to be back in Central Texas, settling in again after our two month trip to the east and north. Still catching up with accounts, correspondence, doctor & dentist appointments. The 6:30 AM Men's Bible study today was great as Gary taught us the significance of Biblical adoption. Phil, Roy, Doyle, John and Bob are good friends who greeted me, wanting to know how it went on our 6,000 miles of driving in past two months. Went great, I explained, even as gasoline prices went up! Cost us 6.8 cents per mile first part of trip and 8.9 cents for second half to keep the Nelsons' 2000 Honda Civic glidding smoothly over the great roads of America. $3 a gallon is still less than the $4 plus that we will be paying in Brazil when we return in July. Maybe the $100 gas rabate proposal will become a reality by then! Even so, it's a long shot to imagine it actually reaching us there.

How did they remember all that?

Greetings fromTexas! Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas sure were hot when we made our way south beginning of this week. Visited some great friends and told our story to a number of children, youth, parents and even some retired folks. Hardly anyone was aware that Brazil nuts really grow in hard pods like that in the Amazon jungle. And, of course, our dried piranha evoked genuine interest from young and old. One 3rd grader asked his mom to take his picture with it after breakfast for show and tell... Found our nice apt. awaiting here, a delicious supper ready for us at grandma's house and plenty of chatting to get caught up with. Today we are doing laundry, accounts and shopping for groceries. Mail awaiting us included interesting letters written by 6th graders in Alabama who heard our presentation back in February. Apparently their teacher had them write us right after our visit, thus the vivid details of things they remembered: the color of Brazilian money, how Brazil nuts grow, that there are McDonalds there, our funny mistakes in learning Portuguese, different fruits and foods, a song we taught them, that Brazil has won the soccer World Cup 5 times, about umbrella ants, iron ore exports, 40 to 60 cell phones there, that the gov. is a democracy, and that the climate is hot where we work. Did we really say all that?? Many said they are praying for us as we go back this summer to continue our ministry. Was good to get those letters....

Travels & Stuff

Over the past week we have driven from the Detroit area, stopping to visit friends in northern Indiana. Since our destination was Siloam Springs, AR, we made a stop in Branson, MO to enjoy a patriotic show called Celebrate America, an excellent presentation that renewed our appreciation for our homeland's outstanding history. Since Friday we are visiting son Mark in Siloam Springs, enjoying our chats and doing some stuff together, even helping a bit with the landscapping project of his and Joy's new home. Tomorrow we are off again, first to Kansas, back to Oklahoma and finally two stops in northern Texas before arriving in Temple on Thursday, the 20th, Lord willing. It has been a great trip, two months total away from Temple, but it will also be great to be back in one place for awhile! How long that 'awhile' will be depends on when Marcy's baby decides to be born over in Florida!