A letter from Virginia Gartrell in Brazil
October 15 – Midpoint of Mission Challenge ’07
What a blessing to receive electronic news from several people, points of view, and perspectives, all encouraging! To have almost real-time information and accounts and not have to wait for snail mail reports, which would arrive much later, is wonderful.
Mission Challenge ’07 (in case you are mystified) involves several kinds of actions taken by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) during October to highlight the mission work of the denomination around the world. After orientation in Louisville, Kentucky, from October 2 to 4, nearly 50 missionaries fanned out across the country to share stories of their ministry in a total of 144 presbyteries. The idea is to both inform the church and to challenge it to faithful prayer and financial support.
One of the great privileges of being a PC(USA) missionary is that we return to the United States periodically to share out stories. At the same time we get to participate in a missionary sharing conference, where we get a taste of the incredible ministry that PC(USA) missionaries are doing—preaching, teaching, healing, and otherwise demonstrating the good news of Jesus’ love and power. So I have a clue about the amazing smorgasbord of sharing that is happening.
My October 15 was spent in my regular routine. In the morning I was in the Bethel Association office, which was especially important since my colleague Cássia Ciano was out of the office in a public policy workshop about children and teens in Sorocaba. As we went about our regular tasks, things seemed calm. Our intern, Juliana, and I commented that the day still seemed to have an air of “holiday,” like the long weekend that preceded it. October 12 is a national holiday to celebrate Brazil’s patron saint, but it is also Children’s Day, which is intensely celebrated at the Children’s Home, as many groups plan special events and treats of all kinds that week. This activity spills over to the weeks before and after.
After lunch, I drove to the Children’s Home and even before I parked I could tell that the “holiday air” had a whole different dimension there! October 15 is “Teacher’s Day,” which means it’s a teacher’s holiday and all the children were home at Bethel. In addition, the children of day staff also had no school, and so they came to work also. That brought us up to over 30 kids, and they all seemed to be “wired” after several days of parties and an all-day outing on Sunday! The phrases that came to mind are, “things are hopping” or in Portuguese “Está pipocando!” (It is popcorning!) That was the exact impression I had when I looked though the lattice fence. There seemed to be children of all shapes and sizes racing back and forth, draped over the playground equipment, chasing balls, and generally “agitating.”
In the computer lab off the office were some quiet but happy kids—our volunteer teacher did not take the day off—and he was orchestrating the come and go as they took their turns on the five computers. Caio, 15, our oldest boy, was putting together another computer under the experienced tutelage of the computer coach, which meant various computer parts were spread around the corner desk where I usually put my things. That was fine, since the coordinator was at the same workshop as Cassia, and I could sit at her desk.
The great volunteer who helps some of the children with difficulties in school was glad to have access to all the children at once. She set up her workshop in the play room and spent the whole day examining the homework and notebooks of all. One or two of the kids were reluctant to buckle down to books after the break, but they were talked into it. Many of our children arrive completely unprepared for school, several grades behind their age group, and with emotional and learning difficulties that impede their progress, so Maria Augusta’s expert services give them the individual attention and encouragement they need. (She is an answer to prayer!)
Watching from the balcony as Dionatan, 11, directed a backyard soccer scrimmage, I was struck with the enormity of the goal of meeting the needs of each of those active little individuals, but I was also flooded with gratitude for the great staff—the houseparents, helpers, driver, and volunteers who give so much of themselves—and the team spirit that contributes to the family atmosphere at Bethel Home. Daily we depend on Jesus’ mercy, love, and power to minister to the “least of these.”
Thank you for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and support.
In God’s gracious love,
Virginia Gartrell
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 41
