Celebrations

Last year our wedding anniversary celebration was on an island in South America (São Luís). For our 40th last week we enjoyed two days at a bed & breakfast just down the road in Salado, TX, near the historic Stage Coach Inn. Good food, quaint shops, nice picnic by the creek and plentiful chigger bites!





Our second recent celebration was an outdoor baptismal service Sunday afternoon in the Leon River near town. 54 folks from Temple Bible Church and Grace Bible were baptized in just over an hour! So spiritually refreshing to hear a short testimony from each child, youth and adult just before decisively expressing their inward faith in Christ through the rite of believers baptism! Two pastors were joined by several husbands and fathers who baptized the members of their own families. Impressive indeed!




Life certainly has its moments for celebration, whether for 40 years of joyful, marital bliss or sharing a special occasion of spiritual commitment of others in the growing Body of Christ! Next month there should be another celebration, that of moving into our new home/house! Meanwhile, celebrate your special moments and try to list two or three things for which you are especially grateful today!

Newspaper Report - May 22, '10

After church one Sunday a reporter asked to interview us and this is the result. Interesting to see ourselves through someone else's 'filters.'

4 Mil Milhas

"Four thousand miles" is the title above in case you missed it! My, what a trip from Texas to Rhode Island and back, via AR, TN, VA & PA, all in 27 days. Was great to visit family, friends and church folks who've prayed for us for years.

This stone farm house built over 200 years ago is where we stayed for two weeks during the trip.



Returning to Texas last weekend we encountered a 2-hour delay on I-40 in TN due to flooding. Were grateful to arrive safely but sad for those who suffered life and property loss.



Now we are awaiting our new house to be completed so we can move into it in June, God willing! Are planning to close on the mortgage soon and are forming our shopping list for furniture, etc. Our church here wants to treat us to a kind of 'house warming' so that will a great help! Many uncertainties and challenges as we transition into part-time retirement. But God is faithful and we are safe in His care.

Transitions

Guess you've been wondering what the Stoners are up to! We are in transition. Left Brazil March 4 and are now settling in a nice town in Central Texas by the name of Temple. One of our primary supporting churches is here, Temple Bible, and we are renewing contact with these dear folks, other friends and supporters and especially with our wonderful family in the area. Vivian's mom is providing us a comfortable place to stay while we negotiate a contract on a house and finish up Medicare enrollment procedures.

During April we'll be traveling east all month in a nice car the Lord provided for us with stops in TN and VA before staying two weeks near Calvary Church in Lancaster, PA. That visit will include participation in Calvary's week-long Global Focus (Missions) Conference and visiting friends and family. Then to RI to visit our oldest son and family before returning to Texas in early May to close on a house, Lord willing. We already enjoyed a visit with our daughter and family in FL. Youngest son and family are coming from Siloam Springs,AR to Temple Easter weekend. So, it's obvious we are being guided, provided for and blessed beyond measure. Thanks for reading this and praying for us as we come to mind.
Here are some photos of our last days in Brazil, our farewell at church and at the airport.

'Jubilado'

The term is a little difficult to explain in English, but last Sunday night I was 'jubilado' by the AICEB national church here in Brazil. The idea is to honor pastors who reach retirement age and are winding up full time ministry. The leadership of our church region contacted me and two others, asking if we desired to be thus recognized. Two of us agreed: John Oldehus, retired missionary from south Brazil, and myself.







As you can see from the photos, our wives were included in the ceremony and both couples received a nicely engraved plaque which reads: Pastoral 'Jubilamento' In recognition of missionaries Carlos Stoner and his wife for their years of service dedicated to the work of Jesus the Master. São Luís, 14 of January, 2010, Regional Workers Department/Evangelical Christian Church of São Cristôvão. AICEB

As we said to Pr. Joel Maia, master of cerimonies, all glory goes to the Lord. We also expressed our sincere thanks to the AICEB for this special recognition of our 38 years of ministry in northern Brazil, mainly in the area of theological education.

Here are the photos I promised!

Feliz Natal!

Now that semester grades are turned in and Vivian back safely from her two trips to the U. S, it's time to blog again. AND, it's Christmas day, 2009 in northern Brazil! Last two times we were with family in the States for Christmas and New Years. Thought it would be nice to spend this one here as a kind of finale, especially as we rapidly approach our March move to Texas.

We are proud to welcome Ruby into our family (Nov. 27,'09), our third granddaughter, making a total of six grandkids in Florida, Arkansas & Rhode Island. Will include some photos later.

HAVE A WONDERFUL 2010, remembering that this may well be the year of our Lord's return. That's what he promised to do, you know, return to take His disciples to be with Him in Glory forever. Not science fiction, just a wonderful, certain Bible promise. Can't wait, can you?

After Ten Years

This past week I spent a day in Belem where I was invited to receive a presentation, a gift to the Mission. Was from the construction firm, Leal Moreira, that purchased our downtown property ten years ago and built a luxury condominium of 26 stories. They could do this at the back of the property only after preserving the original house near the street built in 1882. During the sale/purchase process, as president of MICEB at the time, I gave Dr. Carlos Moreira, the old deeds and other documents with special stamps used in those years for legal transactions. He was pleased and made these documents into a booklet and presented the Mission a copy this past Wednesday. As you can see from the photos, the Mission also made a presentation to Dr. Carlos Moreira, in the form of a Bible in recognition of his company's dedication and success in the area of civil construction projects in the greater Belem area. I read: "man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" in the dedicatory page and he was pleased.

So, one never knows what may occur after ten years but it is important to be ready to give a witness and receive a gift on various levels of society. And I was grateful that Dr. Carlos' firm paid my flight to Belem for this special presentation!

Unexpected Visit

Last evening we were well into a game of Scrabble when we heard singing at our outside gate. Who could that be? I ambled outside to see while Vivian quickly put some items in order in our living room area. Sure enough, it was a group of students and profs from SCEN campus about half a mile away who had come to visit. They usually have an informal get together on campus Friday PM's but this time decided to hold their meeting at the Stoners's house! Was a kind of farewell gesture since we will be leaving Brazil in a few months.




As you can see from the photos, we invited our friends in to sing and share. There was a Bible reading and then different ones spoke, telling what they have appreciated about Vivian and me, our ministry among them as teachers, counselors and friends over the years. Wow! What a wonderful ending for the day, one that had started out with a staff meeting full of discussion how to fix a certain SCEN department, quite a discourageing encounter. But now we were being encouraged and built up in a very unexpected way. Most of their kind words had to do with what they had observed, expressions of our character with little mention of what we've tried to teach in the classroom. And I find that to be significant, in line with the adage that more is caught than taught.



One colleague said that over 25 years ago he observed the way we raised our children and wanted to do the same when he had a family. A student said that he was impressed last week when he overheard me asking a student for forgivenes concerning a small incident in class. Another spoke of the dedication with which Vivian cares for the school library.




As the visit ended, we expressed our sincere thanks, pointing out that whatever has been accomplished has come from the Lord's enablement, and was certainly not our doing. After saying goodbye to our friends, we decided to finish our Scrabble game, which, incidentally, I won by a few points!

Celebrations

On Sept. 7th, the country of Brazil celebrated 187 years of independence from Portugal.

Then, on Sept. 8th, our city of Sao Luis on the northern coast of Brazil celebrated 397 years since its founding by the French in 1612. There was a succession of French, Dutch & Portuguese rule over the years.

And guess what! Sept. 7, 2009 was also the day our Brazilian friend and campus resident, Dona Melu, turned 100!

The municipality of Sao Luis has a population of around 800 thousand. D. Melu is now one of 144 of these residents who are 100 years old or older. This dear lady was already over 80 when she memorized the entire book of Revelation in the Bible! For her special birthday, some 200 relatives and friends gathered in the seminary auditorium for a praise service followed by a buffet dinner, birthday cake and fellowship. Her four children, extended family and friends expressed great appreciation for D. Melu's faithful Christian life and testimony during all these years.
Here are some photos from the occasion:

Now that a new semester is underway here at SCEN Bible College, it's time to reflect on what went on in July, the month of recess. Mainly three things: (1) Mark, Joy and Mia's visit, (2) our time in Brasilia at national church convention,(3) four days after that in Campos de Jordão enjoying cooler weather and doing some tourism. The photos should be self-explanatory as to which of these three is pictured.





Vivian and I were honored for our 37-plus years of service in Brazil. The group picture is of our former students, most now leaders in the AICEB. Some weren't there but you get the idea... What a privilege to have served God all these years in this great land of Brazil! Was our last national convention, thus special to us. And what a privilege to have had Mia and her parents here for that special visit in early July!