Theology, opinion, fiction, and the occasional limerick.
So for three months this year I had a job working for a natural gas company in upstate New York. I am very grateful for the opportunity, and, what’s more, I found the job to be a lot of fun. It was different from pretty much every job I have ever had, and I actually…
Every five years or so our furlough travels take us through the little hamlet of Limestone, PA. Whenever we visit, I am flooded with memories of the five years I spent there as a child. This time, as I made my customary pilgrimage through ancient haunts, it struck me that, although I did not know…
This happened four years ago today. The wound is still surprisingly fresh. Did you enjoy this post? Consider making a donation to our ministry in Brazil. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.. This means that clicking on these Amazon links and making purchases is one way you can help our work. Also,…
My first encounter with Tom Willson was in 1989, in a missionary prayer meeting in Juazeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil. I was a skinny 17 year-old kid, and Tom was a veteran missionary. After a devotional and a time of prayer, Tom took me aside and gave me a quick overview of the Juazeiro’s culture…
A sample section of Missionary Max and the Lost City. * * * The helicopter touched down, the rotors slowed to a stop, and the hydraulic doors opened with a hiss. Even though he was blindfolded, Cascavel knew exactly where he was. The stench that emanated from the Cabrito Federal Corrections Facility made Cascavel want…
October 27, 2002. I was sitting with the Brazilian Bombshell in a Brazilian restaurant in Orlando, FL. It was my birthday, and Brazilian cuisine was my present. It was also the birthday of one Luís Inácio “Lula” da Silva, and his birthday present was a little bigger: he had just been elected President of Brazil….
There is no denying that the Western Civilization we currently inhabit is fundamentally different from the one inhabited by our parents and grandparents. A good part of this massive shift has to do with what is called today the “marriage equality movement”. In his book We Cannot be Silent (2015, Nelson Books), scholar, author, college…
The following are excerpts from our most recent prayer letter. You can read the whole thing here. The past month and a half has been for us–without a doubt–the most difficult of our ministry since we arrived in Brazil. Our walk through the valley began on April 2nd, when our beloved co-worker Francisco Bezerra was…
This was not the post I had planned on writing today, and even now, as my fingers move, I can scarcely believe what I am seeing appear on the screen. As I was getting ready to teach an English class last night, the phone rang. It was a lady from our church, imploring me to…
If you have read Missionary Max and the Jungle Princess, you will remember that our hero has a rather unpleasant surprise waiting for him as soon as he arrives at the airport. Faithful followers of this blog will perhaps not be surprised to learn that this episode has, as it’s inspiration, a real life event…