Mike Constantz mentioned in his letter about us knowing just about everyone at church, and being "family." Well, that is just what we are, family of God, doing God's work in the family.

These pictures are of friends...no, family that we have worked with, cried with, laughed with, labored with, played with...you know, family things...over the past 21 years. Yes, it has been 21 years since we arrived in Brazil. In that amount of time we should have made lots of friends...no ...family!

All of these pictures have been taken in Brazil within the past three months. They are weddings we have performed, retreats we have participated in, and places we have ministered in during this time. Let me assure you, there is no better place than to be in the family of God. All these people have touched our lives in one way or another. All of these people are very special to us. All of them are very special in God's eyes, too.

You see, not only do we have biological family in the USA, but we have family here in Brazil, too. These, and many others have earned a special place in our hearts. Yes, we miss family back in the States, but God fills the void with other people, too.

I will share this; sometimes I miss my family that I even cry. That happened a few weeks back at a funeral. I wept, not for the deceased, but because during the funeral the deceased's ten grandkids got up and shared stories about their grandfather, how he played with them, spoiled them..you know, Grandpa things. Well, after about the third one, I was a basket case. I was thinking, "I may never get to spoil my own grandkids, but God knows that . He knew that when He called me to Brazil. He will have to send an adopted "grandpa" to my grandkids, just like He sends us "adopted" grandkids here. God always fills the void when we let our satisfaction come from Him.