A letter from Gordon Gartrell in Brazil
September 2012
Happy Father's Day
Father's Day is in August in Brazil. One mother told us that on Sunday the children would be with their families, so we had the service on Saturday night. At 7:30 (it was supposed to start at 7), a number of children were present, but only one mother. Gordon said, "Let's start anyway." One little girl heard that and said, "Let me run home to get my Mom." In five minutes there were 12 adults present, plus the 13 children who participated! It was a wonderful service. The children enjoyed singing a Father's Day song plus their favorite choruses and presenting a dialog. We finished the evening in Brazilian style with refreshments. Afterward one father thanked Gordon for the good work we were doing with the neighborhood children. Now we just have to help the adults start coming and feel God's love for them.
We have been given more responsibility with the congregation. There was just a Wed. evening program for the children and a Sunday evening worship service. We added Sunday school on Sunday morning with a class for the children and adults and a Thursday evening Bible Study. The community sees us spending more daytime there and taking an interest in them. They're beginning to understand why the Americans are there with them and that we care for them.
Please pray for the leaders in the church. A woman who was going to help with the youth and a musically oriented family won't be able work with us for a variety of reasons.
We are beginning to learn more about living in the neighborhood, getting to know more people, realizing that some stores close for two or three hours after lunch, and how to safely and quickly walk on the sidewalks. It's best to walk near the wall, which is less broken up, especially in front of the schools, the large Catholic church, and the post office. We're getting more exercise, as the post office is a 20-minute walk in one direction and the church and bus stop are 20-25 minutes in the opposite direction. We've learned the bus schedule and the men at the grocery store like to take Dorothy's groceries home, as she tips and offers a drink of water. Dorothy enjoys the independence of Brazil—she can walk many places or catch a bus without having to intrude on Gordon's schedule.
Thank you for your prayers. If you would like to support us financially, on the computer just go to www.pcusa.org/connections and search for our name under G. Or use the link below.
May the Lord bless you.
In Christ,
Dorothy and Gordon Gartrell
The 2012 Presbyterian Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, Brazil, p. 27-28
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