Grandma finally gets to blog

Well, the guys finally left on their fishing trip this morning, and I don´t have to fight Mitch and Grandpa for the computer. I thought I would just give a few thoughts from my perspective. Mitch popped up at 6am to leave on the trip. He was quite excited. I know he will have a grand time. They took a huge styrofoam ice chest to bring the fish back. I sent both cameras with them. Mitch has been using the little digital camera taking dozens and dozens of pictures. Last night I taught him to use my big camera. I hope they will bring back some great pictures and lots of memories.

We are having a wonderful trip with Mitch. He has just been super, super. All the Brazilians are commenting on his Portuguese and his good manners. Of course we just agree that he is wonderful. He makes me laugh a lot. He loves to find someone who speaks English from time to time, but he is understanding more and more Portuguese. He thinks we take too long at meals talking in Portuguese. He is always ready to get on to the next thing. I told him that one of the things he is learning on this trip is patience. We are loving our time with him, and I feel sure that he is learning far more than he would at DisneyWorld--things he doesn´t even realize at the moment.

Last night we went to church at the congregation "planted" by the SerCris students. It is growing and doing great. Charley Huffman--whose family was on the ship to Brazil with us in 1967--preached. In the middle of the sermon on the faithfulness and provision of God he asked Dale and I if we remembered the "theme song" of our group. Dale reponded immediately--"I Know the Lord Will Find a Way for Me". We sang it in Portuguese. I can´t sing it without crying. It brings back so many memories--so many times we were waiting on the Lord or needing help from the Lord in our attempt to take Jesus to Brazil. I remember little devotionals in someone´s home when we didn´t yet have support or devotionals on the deck of the ship under the stars with just the sound of that ship cutting through the water taking us to the unknown--so many occasions when we would sing with all our hearts, "I know the Lord will find a way for me...", and He always did. The last verse is, "Won´t it be grand to hear Him say, 'Well done!'" I always cried then, and I am crying now. I sat looking at that group last night, listening to the precious children sing songs in English that they had prepared for us, knowing that in some incredible way God found a way to use our teeny, tiny insignificant offering of faith to Him as part of a great big plan He had. Now the Brazilians are the leaders and are doing a fantastic job. We were with an incredible Brazilian missionary couple in Uberlandia who became Christians in Belo where we began in 1967 and worshiping in the hotel with just the hotel maid and our team. (The hotel maid was the first "convert".) I also wonder if God used our tiny, insignificant experience for 4 1/2 years in Brazil to prepare us for the ministry that we have now--being able to encourage the missionaries--mainly Brazilians. Dad is fantastic with them. You would be so proud of him. Everyone wants time alone with us. I think he is probably doing far more ministry in Brazil now than when we lived here. He provides a "father" role that they seem to crave. His Portuguese is still unbelievable. Every Brazilian, including taxi drivers, comment that he speaks like a Brazilian. (They don't make the same comments to me. :) We both taught classes (Dad the men, me the women) in Uberlandia, and we have been asked to teach classes Thursday night. (For me that is pretty stressful, but I will do my best.)

All that to say that it all made me think of Ben and Trisha. They are taking a step of faith with their family that is every bit as scary in many ways. Maybe it would help, Trisha, to sing, "I know the Lord will find a way for me..." around the house. It still helps me. I am so proud of both of them. Someday they will be telling their own children their "faith story" of following the Lord to a strange place. (Nothing intended against Odessa :))

I am missing everyone. I miss Ellie and Molly and Maggie. I miss all the grandkids and look at their pictures every day. Last night I showed pictures to all the little children at church. They were enchanted with so many kids. I promised one little 8 year old precious boy that Reagan might come some day to play "futbol" with him. It made him very happy. They all "screamed" when they saw the picture of Josh with the frogs. Here everyone is very afraid of frogs--almost like snakes.

I think I have blogged too much, though I think I could say much more. I love you all and the blog has been great. I am going through cell phone/computer withdrawal. Please keep praying for us. Jill and Cary, you would be soooooo proud of Mitch. Thank you for trusting us with him.

I am so proud of each one of you. I love you all. Mom