This month has been full of firsts. We attended our first Brazilian JROTC graduation ceremony and dinner, and it was also the first time I saw a power pole fall over. As it turns out, that same pole was holding the transformer that feeds power to our house.
As we continue in ministry, we meet a wide variety of people. I enjoy learning about their lives, their work, and their hobbies. Many pastors in Brazil also work secular jobs. Pastor Alberto, for example, works for the Military Police. His son is following in his footsteps and is part of JROTC at his military school. Benjamin invited us to attend his class graduation and promotion ceremony, and we truly enjoyed the experience.
Another unexpected “first” happened one evening when our power pole fell over. It was a wooden pole, and the base had rotted out. We’re used to losing power during storms or when work is being done in the area, but this was different. The high-voltage wires snapped, and the pole ended up lying across the road in front of our house.
We contacted the sub-mayor, who came right away and arranged for people to block off the road until the pole could be removed. It almost turned into a neighborhood gathering. Neighbors came out to see what had happened, we shared a few laughs, and helped stop cars from running over the fallen lines and pole until the road was properly blocked.
Later that night, we went to bed, and I’m happy to report that the power company worked until around 2 a.m. to replace the pole with a new concrete one. I know the exact time because all the lights in the house suddenly came back on.
We continue to host a weekly English Bible study. Recently, we had a small group come over for a meal along with a time of praise and worship. We also had the blessing of hosting a missionary couple for a day as they rested and shared about the season of life they are currently in.
Thank you to all who continue to keep us in your prayers. Please continue praying for the ministry as we carry on the work we’ve been called to do.
In our Savior’s service,
Guta and Jim