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Dear friends,
Much has happened since our last quarterly letter. Our schedule filled nicely, though I’ve not been able to catch
a couple of you. If you’d like to see us before we go, please contact us now. We still have a few dates open, though
sometimes it’s a bit wild. One week we had 15 services. After that I wasn’t sure if I should dry-clean my suit
or just throw it away.
Though we miss Winston Salem, the house, church, and school here in Reidsville have been real blessings. We are
closer to our parents and I’ve seen my Mom more than any time in the last 15 years. The boys are settled in nicely
and are enjoying school - but they’ll get over that. Greyson is uniting with his Southern roots and taking on some
local color. In fact he no longer has any monosyllabic words. "Cat" is now "Kay - yacht" and
"yes" is "yeah - yus". They all still sometimes miss Brazil (or at least the dog), and are
eager to go back. The colder it gets the more eager I am. In fact, by the second week of September I was ready
for winter to be over. The boys were so excited about frost that Dalton ran out side for several minutes - in his
bare feet - and William told everyone he met that there was ice on the car. Imagine when we try to see snow.
I am trying to enjoy fall. One thing I miss in Brazil is the colors of autumn. We always drove up the Parkway,
but dragging 3 little boys 6 hours just to see a tree . . . well, it just isn’t going to work out. Never-the-less
we are all eager to return. In fact, Michele has been watching prices and felt like she found a deal too good to
pass up so we bought our tickets already.
In other news, I had a birthday since our last letter. That in itself isn’t too significant, like MOST of you,
I have one almost every year - usually at around the same time each year. Nor is the number 39 significant in itself,
except that I am now officially the same age as my mother. I moved from son to younger brother a few years ago
and will soon pass to older brother, but there I draw the line. I will not be her Dad. That would make me my own
Grandpa instead of just a monkey’s uncle.
Please pray for us as we travel. For safety, but also for strength. Though we worked hard to stay locally supported,
it’s still tough on the boys, especially now that they go to school. We are in good over-all health, but the doctors
did find some minor things that need attention. Pray also as we prepare and gather for the upcoming ministry changes
on our next term. Two requests from our churches on the field: Faith, where we worked the last year, is voting
on a new pastor soon. This is especially important in light of past problems. A more serious need is at the first
church. The pastor holds an extreme doctrinal position and is militant about it to the point that even those who
have been persuaded by him are tired of him preaching only on that subject. Some time late this month a meeting
is being planned by the members to again ask him to diversify the topics. Pray for humility and meekness and that
the name and cause of Christ not be hampered.
I do not yet have a computer of my own so I have not been able to update the web site. I have, however, arranged
an easier address: www.theathas.org. Several years ago I offered an e-mail update, but got 2 address - including
relatives. Amid several comments, I am again considering sending them. If you would like to receive a SHORT update
occasionally, e-mail me at bwaii@yahoo.com and put "add: e-mail update" or something similar for the
subject. This will NOT replace the quarterly, paper letter.
We look forward to seeing the rest of you in the weeks ahead and sharing in detail how the Lord blessed during
our second term and what we believe he has in store for our third. Until then we may be reached at the addresses
below.
Byron & Michele Atha (336) 616-1826
2349 Wentworth St. (336) 324-7136 (cel)
Reidsville, NC 27320 bwaii@yahoo.com
www.theathas.org
Yours in Him,
Byron, Michele, William, Dalton, Greyson Atha
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