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Winter Wonderland Greetings. Winter, 2009 #34
At the time I write this we are hearing reports of heavy snow there. Meanwhile we are melting under steady temperatures
near 100 here. I keep wishing there were a way to mix our miseries and see if we can’t find a comfortable medium.
We are in the "rainable season". The term "rainy season" gives the idea that it IS raining
while here in the semi-arid northeast Brazil, it only means that it COULD rain. I believe it has rained only twice
since we got here, but there are a couple of months left. What has arrived, however is the heat, and this year
it seems a bit worse. Maybe winter in the US softened me.
We seem to have finally rid ourselves of some unwelcome tenants. We lost count somewhere around 20, but we have
"promoted" a lot of rats. Some we chased out and the dogs got and some were trapped. Unfortunately we
had to poison a few and as I feared would happen one chose behind our built-in closet (between the wood and the
brick) as his final resting place. Our bedroom was quite odorous for a week or so - though not much worse than
my average sock.
The lady who often cooks for our camp here says that when you put out poison you can’t say the word or the rats
will hear and won’t eat it. You have to say "I’m going to leave some of this SUGAR here behind the ‘fridge."
I tried to convince her that it was silly. I didn’t even try the moral issue of lying - if only to a rat. When
I asked if you didn’t have to also put the poison in a sugar bag so they wouldn’t SEE the word she answered in
the most condescending tone, "Of course not, rats can’t READ!". I tried to ask if it mattered whether
you said it in Portuguese or English but by then her patience with an unbeliever had been exhausted.
First semester is ending here at the "Atha’s School for Boys" and we are fully back into our routines.
The boys are happy to be back and to see the island and Dalton’s stomach has settled now that he isn’t eating that
wild food you natives in America eat. Maybe someone should have told him to not drink the water. The church, however
continues to be a challenge. The few that remain have announced plans to move away leaving only one woman. My plans
are to set aside this location after the new year and concentrate on some "house" meetings nearby. One
location is a poor area where we give away fish after a fishing trip. The other is a new government housing development
where we have had kids clubs. Saturday we showed the film on the life of Christ there.
Retreat season is coming up - New Year’s, Carnaval, Deaf, Easter . . . Don’t forget about Aventura Brazil. Pray.
If you’re interested in joining, the time is NOW. Write me for info.
One last happy note: Mr. Simmons, for whom we have asked prayer, went home to his family for Thanksgiving. There
is still a long way to go, but praise the Lord for answered prayer.
Prayer
Current congregation
New outreaches
Retreats
Aventura Brasil
Praise
Rat reduction
Ministry opportunities
Mr. Simmons
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BWMOM / P.O. Box 3303 / Chattanooga , Tennessee 37404
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