April Showers

We have just finished the coolest summer that I can remember since arriving in Brazil back in 1988. Not that we haven't had some hot weather and not that I can document the temperature range, but it sure seems cooler than normal. For example, Jeff Traver and I walk together most mornings so that we can both stay buff and fit...well, we walk anyway. Usually we leave at 7:30, but in the summer we start at 7:00 a.m. because it is so warm at 7:30. This year we've been debating wearing sweat shirts! At church I usually don't wear a sports coat or suit during the summer. This year I did most every Sunday because it felt good due to the cool air. Well, El Nino or La Nina or whatever, it was great not to sweat so much.

In addition to the cool weather we've had lots of rain. There has been some serious flooding in much of Brazil. One of our prospective neighbors who is building next door to the Travers has a serious problem since the retaining wall behind his construction collapsed. His mostly finished pool was left dangling out into space. Fortunately, Jeff's house seems okay.

We began a Church Campaign called, "Bring Forth Fruit". People committed to coming by signing a "leaf" and gluing it to the bare branches. Each visitor they bring is represented by a little apple that is hung by the person who brought them. We also give an apple to the people who brought the visitor and to the visitor as well. On our first Sunday, April 6, we had several visitors. See if you can count the apples and you'll know. Each Sunday we'll add leaves for verses quoted and apples for visitors.

We had Dr. Ken Rathbun for a weekend evangelistic conference. Many people raised hands requesting prayer for salvation. One lady was saved Saturday night and was back Sunday night with two neighbors.

We went out for lunch and ice cream with Ken and here is some of the proof. It is a buffet service for both the food and the ice cream. You stack it up and then you pay by the weight.

Though we are about to start on the roof, we haven't done too much on the building lately. We did put in handrails and a fence most of the way around the building. The fence was built by one of our preacher boys. He just graduated from the Bible college and is working with a new church. He needed some work and we needed a fence.

In my recent letter I mentioned a family that I was able to evangelize due to a "chance" meeting at the Bible Society. Here they are at church last Sunday. We are still doing home Bible studies with them.

A church asked for a new picture for their missions bulletin board. The photo at the top picture is the one we took. Here we are posed and beautiful, at least Rene is beautiful.

Lord bless, Graham and Rene Foran