With Heavy Hearts...

It is with a heavy heart I write this morning. Our dear friend and IMB Missionary colleague, Elaine Lambach, a missionary serving here in Belém, Brazil, died Monday evening, July 14^th after a brief illness. Elaine and her husband Paul have been our mentors since Tara and I arrived in Brazil. Recently, Elaine became sick and went to the doctor. She was diagnosed, I believe, with pneumonia (or at least symptoms like this illness), she was treated and went home. She return with breathing trouble very early on Monday morning and was hospitalized. She was diagnosed with septic shock, a massive bacterial infection, placed in ICU and we were hoping all would be well. We soon found out that her kidneys had shut down. Later that evening, we were told things were much worse than we thought and she was not expected to live through the night. One by one, her organs were failing. Last night, just after 11:00pm Elaine Lambach passed away. Services here in Brazil will be held today and arrangements are being made to take Elaine home to Knoxville for burial. 

Please be in prayer for her husband, Paul, as he deals will all the emotion and the many details this all involves and sudden loss of his wife. Please pray for each of their 5 children – sons Joseph (serving in the military), Jonathan (at Union University in TN), David, (who graduated from high school this year), and two young daughters, Rachel (age 12) and Hannah (age 9). Pray for God’s peace and grace to permeate the lives of this family during this difficult and unexpected time. Also, please continue to pray for her extended family in the states, her mission family here in Brazil, and her dear friends.

A Time Of Spiritual Renewal...

Sorry for the lack of communication but life has been busy as of late. The family just return from AGM (Annual General Meeting). All the missionaries from Brazil with our organization gathered in a small community outside of São Paulo. The meeting was held at a wonderful hotel and conference center. We had buffet style meals which were wonderful. We had a wonderful guest speaker, the president of Golden Gate Seminary, Jeff Iorg. His teaching was poignant and thought provoking. I believe everyone was blessed by his presence. A group of people from a church in Florida came to provide the praise band and Vacation Bible School for the missionary children. What a blessing each of these people were to us. My children had a wonderful time and I know they were cared for and loved. Additionally, were able to meet and talk with missionaries through out Brazil. Some had served less time then us while others had served more than two decades. The stories and experience conveyed to us by these missionaries were uplifting and a blessing. Servicing in northern Brazil is difficult but the friendship built during this week together will serve to keep us focused on the task. This time was truly a blessing and a needed time of spiritual renewal.