Feb99

May '97

Dear Folks,

We greet you in the Name that is above all names.

Did you know Murphy is Brazilian? I thought I might escape his influence here south of the border, but his famous "anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time" DEFINITELY applies here - especially if you're dealing with the government. It took 19 hours to get the car transferred. It had been stolen in 1988 and the words "stolen", and "found" were OK, but "returned" was typed on the wrong line. It had been transferred several times without trouble until my turn came...

Along the same lines, we're still trying to get the permits to build the church. I was told it might take to the end of the year. Please pray that it clears much quicker. We are also looking for a house still. A couple of hours on the phone with real estate companies still hasn't yielded the perfect spot. A house in the perfect location with a large yard for meetings rented out just before we were able to get it.

Sickness has also hampered our household. Typhoid? Malaria? Sleeping sickness? Sorry, nothing so dramatic. Just a common virus, but it wiped out Michele and William for a week, and three weeks later Michele still isn't all there (that's not what I mean). Historically, medical treatment has been cheaper here than in the US. Recently that hasn't been the case and we have several receipts to prove it. Michele has been to the Dr. every month and is scheduled for the next several months until August when she'll go to the hospital and pick up William's little brother. A name hasn't been chosen, but Byron William Atha 4th didn't get very far.

William continues to grow and develop. He’s mimicking more and more which means Mama and Papa have to be on guard. He often tries to say "Amen" after we pray. He’s active and strong willed (now where’d he get that?). Pray with us that we will rear him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord training him up in the way that he should go so that when he is older he will not depart from it -- not only for his sake, but for church members who look to us for examples in rearing their own children. Brazilian philosophy tends to be more "Freudian" in this area and I think it shows in society.
Praise the Lord the rains came this year. They were late, but when they did come they came hard breaking 20+ year records. Our congregation helped the mother church interior financially because the rain delay caused their cash reserves to run out. Crops will be late, but there will be a harvest.

Two more prayer requests. Please continue to pray for our youth. I fear the big city temptations are causing materialistic priority shifts and I fear losing some quality servants. Pray also that our permanent visas would soon come through. With a Brazilian born child, the process should have cleared long ago. That brings us back to Murphy, and, having come full circle, we bid you adieu.

Thank you for your prayers,
(The Athas)
Byron, Michele, William and ???


	Dear Folks, We greet you in the Name that is above all names. Did you know Murphy is Brazilian? I thought I might escape his influence here south of the border, but his famous "anything that can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time" DEFINITELY applies here - especially if you're dealing with the government. It took 19 hours to get the car transferred. It had been stolen in 1988 and the words "stolen", and "found" were OK, but "returned" was typed on the wrong line. It had been transferred several times without trouble until my turn came... Along the same lines, we're still trying to get the permits to build the church. I was told it might take to the end of the year. Please pray that it clears much quicker. We are also looking for a house still. A couple of hours on the phone with real estate companies still hasn't yielded the perfect spot. A house in the perfect location with a large yard for meetings rented out just before we were able to get it. Sickness has also hampered our household. Typhoid? Malaria? Sleeping sickness? Sorry, nothing so dramatic. Just a common virus, but it wiped out Michele and William for a week, and three weeks later Michele still isn't all there (that's not what I mean). Historically, medical treatment has been cheaper here than in the US. Recently that hasn't been the case and we have several receipts to prove it. Michele has been to the Dr. every month and is scheduled for the next several months until August when she'll go to the hospital and pick up William's little brother. A name hasn't been chosen, but Byron William Atha 4th didn't get very far. William continues to grow and develop. He’s mimicking more and more which means Mama and Papa have to be on guard. He often tries to say "Amen" after we pray. He’s active and strong willed (now where’d he get that?). Pray with us that we will rear him in the nurture and admonition of the Lord training him up in the way that he should go so that when he is older he will not depart from it -- not only for his sake, but for church members who look to us for examples in rearing their own children. Brazilian philosophy tends to be more "Freudian" in this area and I think it shows in society. Praise the Lord the rains came this year. They were late, but when they did come they came hard breaking 20+ year records. Our congregation helped the mother church interior financially because the rain delay caused their cash reserves to run out. Crops will be late, but there will be a harvest. Two more prayer requests. Please continue to pray for our youth. I fear the big city temptations are causing materialistic priority shifts and I fear losing some quality servants. Pray also that our permanent visas would soon come through. With a Brazilian born child, the process should have cleared long ago. That brings us back to Murphy, and, having come full circle, we bid you adieu. Thank you for your prayers, (The Athas) Byron, Michele, William and ???