Feb99

Jul '98

Greetings from Winston Salem,

Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I wrote a letter and E-mailed it to the printer in plenty of time. Unfortunately it appears that an Internet E-goblin ate it. I still think it’s a communist conspiracy... In any event I’m sorry. I’ll either have to do a better job checking up and/or use a more secure means of transport.

I regret you didn’t get the letter, most of all because we needed the prayer. I am convinced there exists a Junque Union and that all my possessions are card carrying members. Someone called for a general strike as we prepared to leave, perhaps in sympathy with GM, and everything that could, broke. What didn’t break didn’t fit through the door to the storage room. The 14 hour daytime trip with a toddler and a baby was about as uneventful as a 14 hour daytime trip with a toddler and a baby can be.

I was expecting more reverse culture shock than I experienced. I certainly noticed some differences... We almost froze the first week. Everything is so green and clean. People leave stuff out at night and it’s actually there in the morning. There are so many good drivers (relatively speaking, remember) and everyone is so rich - and f... uh, "well insulated".

After a week of recuperation, shopping (is that redundant?) and helping some in VBS in Roanoke, we loaded up most of what was stored there and came to Winston Salem. It’s almost as if we never left. We have the same house, the same cars, the same friends, the same kids... OK, some things did change, but there were not the radical changes here that I expected. In just the year we were in our last house in Fortaleza, Brazil, 8-10 new stop lights were installed going to the school and around it. With the draught, the rapid growth will likely increase. I guess I expected the same here.

Still, there were some changes - both good and bad. Most everyone got older. We didn’t even recognize some kids and thought others were their parents. A number of our churches have new pastors. Winston has a large immigrant population. Television has a serious profanity/vulgarity addiction, to the point that it doesn’t seem fit for consumption. We would not drink a glass of water if we knew someone had put even a drop of raw sewage in it. That which contains even a little contamination is no longer pure. "Think on these things" because "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

With the lost letter we are farther behind in scheduling. We need to set up a time to visit and give a report; not just with those who support us financially, but with all who take an interest in us and our ministry (both churches and individuals). Many schedule meetings and vacations far in advance and I’d like to put furlough meetings early to allow time for finishing deputation. We went down somewhat "under budget" and then our family and many costs doubled. Thanks to your - and more importantly the Lord’s - faithfulness we came back debt free, but do not have the reserves that helped carry on the ministry this term. We have around 35 supporters and there are less than 50 weeks discounting holidays so get in touch. We can be reached at...

Byron and Michele Atha (336) 767-9004 {note 1208 Pleasant View Drive new area code}
Winston Salem, NC 27105 byron.atha@gte.com

In Christ,

The Athas to Brazil

P.S It now appears that at least the last 2 letters never went out. It usually takes me a couple of days to compose a letter and for it to then never get to you is a double shame. I’m sorry.


	Greetings from Winston Salem, Surprised? You shouldn’t be. I wrote a letter and E-mailed it to the printer in plenty of time. Unfortunately it appears that an Internet E-goblin ate it. I still think it’s a communist conspiracy... In any event I’m sorry. I’ll either have to do a better job checking up and/or use a more secure means of transport. I regret you didn’t get the letter, most of all because we needed the prayer. I am convinced there exists a Junque Union and that all my possessions are card carrying members. Someone called for a general strike as we prepared to leave, perhaps in sympathy with GM, and everything that could, broke. What didn’t break didn’t fit through the door to the storage room. The 14 hour daytime trip with a toddler and a baby was about as uneventful as a 14 hour daytime trip with a toddler and a baby can be. I was expecting more reverse culture shock than I experienced. I certainly noticed some differences... We almost froze the first week. Everything is so green and clean. People leave stuff out at night and it’s actually there in the morning. There are so many good drivers (relatively speaking, remember) and everyone is so rich - and f... uh, "well insulated". After a week of recuperation, shopping (is that redundant?) and helping some in VBS in Roanoke, we loaded up most of what was stored there and came to Winston Salem. It’s almost as if we never left. We have the same house, the same cars, the same friends, the same kids... OK, some things did change, but there were not the radical changes here that I expected. In just the year we were in our last house in Fortaleza, Brazil, 8-10 new stop lights were installed going to the school and around it. With the draught, the rapid growth will likely increase. I guess I expected the same here. Still, there were some changes - both good and bad. Most everyone got older. We didn’t even recognize some kids and thought others were their parents. A number of our churches have new pastors. Winston has a large immigrant population. Television has a serious profanity/vulgarity addiction, to the point that it doesn’t seem fit for consumption. We would not drink a glass of water if we knew someone had put even a drop of raw sewage in it. That which contains even a little contamination is no longer pure. "Think on these things" because "as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." With the lost letter we are farther behind in scheduling. We need to set up a time to visit and give a report; not just with those who support us financially, but with all who take an interest in us and our ministry (both churches and individuals). Many schedule meetings and vacations far in advance and I’d like to put furlough meetings early to allow time for finishing deputation. We went down somewhat "under budget" and then our family and many costs doubled. Thanks to your - and more importantly the Lord’s - faithfulness we came back debt free, but do not have the reserves that helped carry on the ministry this term. We have around 35 supporters and there are less than 50 weeks discounting holidays so get in touch. We can be reached at... Byron and Michele Atha (336) 767-9004 {note 1208 Pleasant View Drive new area code} Winston Salem, NC 27105 byron.atha@gte.com In Christ, The Athas to Brazil P.S It now appears that at least the last 2 letters never went out. It usually takes me a couple of days to compose a letter and for it to then never get to you is a double shame. I’m sorry.