26 December 2004

 

Dear Praying Brethren,

 

Greetings in Our Lord Jesus Christ Who makes intercession for us (Romans 8:34).  As God the Father uses the prayers of Christ to effect His eternal will towards us, in the same way He uses the righteous man’s prayers to effect His will.  We desire to pray thus for you and thank you for such praying for us.

 

After toiling faithfully in home schooling six weeks we took this week off.  Six weeks of schooling would not normally necessitate such rest but missionary life is anything but normal.  Keeping guests, the regular responsibility of the ministry plus the need to travel each week, along with the health concerns of living in the tropics, we are usually worn pretty thin by this time.  There was plenty of extra work to do in the office, print room and home this week, but the change of pace with extra family time was refreshing.  We have six more weeks of study to finish this school year.

 

Lord willing this week we will converse with the home owner of the rental we desire to use for the assembling of the brethren in Presidente Prudente .  Homes are cozy and warm for services but we find that visitors are usually reluctant to return to private homes.   Also, the brother’s home we use for the Wednesday night and Lord’s Day evening services is to Lord Willing soon have their newborn baby arrive.  We would surely be imposing on them with continued services in their home under this condition.  Although there are more responsibilities to clean and equip a regular meeting place, everyone here is prepared to meet the challenges. We go forward seeking the Lord’s guidance.

 

Daniel (19), Joy (21) and I traveled Friday to Três Lagoas for the regular bi-weekly Bible Study.  Traveling through Dracena on the way to Três Lagoas we stopped to pick up two of the regular brethren with whom we study on alternating weeks, plus two more of their family members. Again we were eagerly received by the brethren in Três Lagoas.  We have begun to study the articles of faith we hope to use when we organize these brethren into a New Testament assembly later on as the Lord leads.  After an hour and a half of Bible Study that just flew by, we stopped for refreshments before leaving for the three-hour trip back home.

 

When we rented the house where we presently live, it was on the condition that the problems with the bats in the attic be taken care of.  After the owner sharing costs with us in purchasing an ultra-sound maker to disturb their living conditions, then, when that did not work, we, at our own costs, hired a professional eradicator that really seemed to do the  trick.  However, broken and cracked cement around the roof was found to be letting them in yet, as well as water when the rain came down in a certain direction. Communication between the owner in Japan and the Real Estate office in town was very slow. But, all of the sudden, we were surprised by a delivery truck delivering bricks, cement and sand on December 24^th.   They were actually going to fix things.  Well, they tried.  By the end of the day, half of the work was down.  Even though there were holes left unfixed and uncovered in the roof, the workers went off to their holiday parties. Things were okay until it rained the 25^th and 26^th.  I do not know if we have any more problems with bats or not but we have buckets all over the boy’s rooms to catch rain water. I trust the workers return Monday to finish what they started.  Sometimes, holidays call louder than duty so we will wait and see.

 

We surely appreciate the gifts and cards sent lately by so many of you.  The love sent in the cards and gifts helps us over several hurdles.  May the Lord return unto you with others caring as well for you as you are caring for us.

 

Yours in Our Lord,

Bro. Calvin G. Gardner

wbtbrazil@usa.net

Missionary to Brazil through

Wooster Baptist Temple

PO Box 433

Wooster , OH 44691

Pastor Floyd Koenig

fkoenig@bright.net

http://www.woosterbaptisttemple.org