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Dear Folks,
Trust you are all well. We have had some of the normal maladies but nothing serious. I had some back problems followed
by some kind of respiratory infection that took awhile to shake. Our annual "vacation" weekend to go
to Fortaleza for a sports day at our school there clashed with a retreat so the family went without me. William
broke off the corner of a tooth and looked like some kind of head-hunter and everyone brought home a souvenir -
the virus that was going around the city.
The dollar’s health continues to drop. In fact the dollar is so weak here in Brazil that the government doesn’t
even want them - the US government. Michele went to renew her passport and they refused cash, insisting on the
local currency. I suspect they have another motive. The exchange rate they use is usually well below the market
which increases their profit. It’s bad enough being gypped, but to get it from those claiming to be friends and
family is worse yet.
The weather is improving. Within days after sending out our last prayer letter asking you to pray for rain it started
raining. Popular wisdom here says that late rains are better and this year that has proved true. Now the winds
are picking up and temperatures are going down. That makes for good sleeping and bad showers. The winds make lake
travel a challenge, especially for the caretaker who must bring in his girls for school every couple of weeks.
I was surprised the other day when someone called and wanted me to help them find their lost pet fish. Maybe that
needs some explaining. As fishing wanes in the area, the government is trying to develop fish "farming".
The fish are raised in floating cages anchored a few yards off shore. During the night the wind carried off 2 cages,
one of which had several thousand fish that needed to be fed every couple of hours. The only motorized boat available
was ours and I gladly carried them around. We found the one with fish but the other one didn’t wash up for several
days. Pray with us that contacts like these might lead to opportunities to share the gospel. I often give rides
going to town when traveling where there are few busses. There has been no visible fruit but seed has been planted.
There is risk in picking up people, but I try to be selective. Other means of transport are no less risky. When
the truck could not be fixed by closing time I took the bus home. At the edge of town two young men got on and
robbed the bus. Sometimes the bus is driven out into the bush and they take everything - including the passengers’
clothes. This time it was only the company money they were after and they took every last coin. Two off-duty policemen
were on the bus and there was quite a scene after the robbers left. We spent a couple of hours in the parking lot
at the police station and eventually got home.
Where we have seen fruit is in the life of the unsaved husband of a member. After an argument that lead to minor
violence, the husband - who had said he wanted to resolve some things before coming to God - admitted he wasn’t
doing too good a job and decided to turn his life over on God’s terms, not his own. There is still healing needed
and problems on both parts, but at least they now have the same Foundation. Illiteracy will hinder his growth and
his wife’s spiritual life is lacking. Pray for Deda (Deh-duh) and Edna and their three girls.
Yours in Him,
The Athas in Brazil,
Byron, Michele, William, Dalton, and Greyson
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