u.

\*

Brazil f.

Gary and Kathy Meyers

Vol. 5

Jan. - April 1973

No,

Bible

Extension

Classes

Friday, March 1, 1973 marl<ed the beginning of a new phase of the work in the Belem area. It was the beginning of the Bible Extension Classes. This program was inaugurated after several months of extensive preparations. It is designed to bring the opportunity of a Bible education to the student in his own environment. By

giving the student the opportunity to study where he lives, men who are already leaders can be trained as they continue working in their own congregation. It is "on the job training." This promotes growth In the church as well as allowing many to study who otherwise could not because of their jobs or families. Extension Classes are being held In seven locations: Jurunas, Terrenos dos Cor-

reios, Sacramenta, Barreiro, Marambaia, Ananindeua, and Castanhal. The teachers are Paul Lanham, Norman Maddux, and David Bayless. Classes are held once a week

with six week periods. The student must study the material at home about five

hours per week and elates last two to three hours. The lesson material in the book is presented in ah ultra-modern educational method called Programed Instruction. In this study method the textbook itself teaches the material. The class period is then spent in discussion of problems encountered and in expansion of the applica
tion of the lesson material. Classes being offered are Sects (over 5 major cults). Epis tles of Paul (an introduction of all his letters), and Prophets (a survey of the 0. T.
prophetic books).

Special meetings were held February 14-18 to enroll students in the classes. Seventy-six students were enrolled. Of these, sixty-six began the classes and after
six weeks approximately fifty students were still studying. This teaching program Cb-directors of the Bible Extenision Program are Nomian Maddux and Lonnie
Bennett.

is filling an important place in training leaders and young Christians in the churches.

''For some have not the knowledge of God:

I speck this to your shame,"

EMERGENCY

Finances

A serious financial condition has become critical. We had to borrow money to re

turn to Brazil and we have been operating on borrowed funds since. We had been

slowly catching up on our debts, but in February and March real trouble hit. In February receipts fell short of regular expenses by $40 and in March by $145. With
mal monthly expenses. We already had dad make cuts in the budget, and can hardly

this added to the indebtedness we already had, the situation has become critical. Total indebtedness (including $400 yet to pay on our car here) is about $1100. This $1100 is needed above the regular $650absolutely necessary for meeting mini

seriously how you can help. Please send all offerings to our agent, Carl Hebner.
THANK YOU

make more so we need to get this indebtedness paid right away. Please consider

sharing in our work through your offerings and prayers. We especially appreciate
the special offerings many have given.

We want to take this opportunity to say thank you to all of you who have been

Future plans for the Bible Corre

spondence Courses include writing of

a new second course. We have found out that the second course presently

teaching an Extension Class in Marambala. Gary, therefore, has been go ing every Saturday, along with men
from various churches to hold the

being used is on an educational level too high for the majority of the peo ple in Northern Brazil. Therefore, a
course on an easier level is urgently needed to offer following the first course "Eu, Deus e a Vida". In order to make the correspond ence work more efficient and more

Saturday night services.

On Sat., March 31, Gary taught a follow-up study with a lady from the
church in Castanhal. She had been

attending services faithfully and had previously expressed the desire to be

a Christian but had never done any

thing about it. She decided at the

end of the study to be baptized and was baptized the next afternoon in a
creek near Castanhal. Praise God for
the victory.

effective, a new work of general co

ordinator of the correspondence cour ses has been established. Gary was chosen as the coordinator. The job

will involve general oversight of the correspondence work with the re

On Saturday, April 21 (Easter week end), Gary taught the lesson for the
Extension Class at Barreiro. Because

sponsibility of coordinating the vari

ous aspects of the work, including
enrollment of new students, office

work, lesson and diploma distribu tion, follow-up of prospects and fol lowup of prospects and follow-up of
converts.

of high water in that area, the begin ning of the Extension Class on Sects was delayed two weeks. David Bayless, the regular teacher, had to go to
Brasilia for a revival Easter week, so could not teach the last class on Spir

Upon returning to Brazil Gary be gan going again to Castanhal with Paul Lanham part of the time. Since the
first of March, though, Paul has been

itism. Gary gave the final exam and

led the class discussion. Gary will be

gin teaching regularly in the extension program in August after the July va
cation break.

unable to go on Saturdays because of

Belem
Families now working in Bel6m:

Norman Maddux

Bill Moreland

Dale Mason (on furlough)

David Bayless Gary Meyers

Lonnie Bennett Steve Stauffer

Lanny Maddux (began furlough April 9] Paul Lanham (began furlough in June)

PRAYER CORNER

"For the Lord himself will dascviid from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel's call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first; then we who are alive, who are left, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds tomeet the Lord in the air; andso we shall always be with theLord " / Thess. 4:16, 17. Are we ready if Jesus comes today? Are we really expecting that it might betoday? Or dowe

feel deep down that we still have time? What a difference it would make in our lives ifwe really expected Jesus right away. Our whole system ofvalues regarding material things miijht have to be rearranged. There are a lot of non-Christian people we would need to talk to right away. And how many other changes? What would you be doing today if you knew for sure that Jesus was
coming today or tomorrow?
After all, he might. THANK YOU

We want to say a special thank you to Maudie Williams in Leeton, Mo. She works as bookkeeper and since last July she has been doing the Brazil Evangelism bookwork. This literally saves me many hours ofwork and allows us to more rapidly get out financial reports. We really appreciate this work Maudie is doing in our behalf.
FORWARDING AGENT: (For Contributions)
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hebner R R 2

MEYERS MAILING ADDRESS:

(For Personal Correspondence)

Gary Meyers Caixa Postal, 926

66.000 Bel6m, Para, Brazil

Goldfield, Iowa 50542

Make checks'payable to: Park Church of Christ-Brazil Evangelism

Non-Profit Organization

Pork Church of Chrisf

Box 217

U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 1 Goldfield, Iowa 50542

Goldfi0ld, iowa 50542

/ ///
Address Correction Requests ' - t-

Brazil f.
9.
May-June 1973
Dear Friends,

Gary and Kathy Meyers

It hardly seems possible that we have been back to Brazil almost seven months already. The time has really flown by. And it has all been busy. Many of our acti
vities have been included in the "What's Happening" column, but one of the most

important as well as most time consuming has been reviewing and continued study of Portuguese. Because of difficulty in finding a teacher and also because of the shortage of funds, we have not yet gotten a Portuguese teacher. Therefore Kathy hasn't been able to start studying again, but I have studied since March with David Bayless. I have been making progress in Portuguese and we hope to be able to get a
Brazilian teacher as soon as the money is available so Kathy can study again, too. It is hard to believe how the kids have been growing up. Stephen had his

fourth birthday on May 6th and Kristi will be two July 24th. Kristi has become quite a chatterbox and both of the kids are picking up Portuguese and like to use what they know regardless of how appropriate (or inappropriate) it may be. We are fortunate to have adequate yard space for the kids. And because we have yearround summer weather, they really enjoy playing outside everyday.

We really enjoy occasionally hearing from various ones in the U.S. It is hard to keep up on news of everyone when we are so far away; so letters are always really

On Saturday evening, April 28,

students from the seven Bible Exten

until early Sunday morning. Antonio Pires, a Christian from there, is direct

sion centers met together for the first

Regional Center Meeting. Forty-four

students who successfully completed their class were awarded certificates and some of the students spoke brief

ing the services every other week and Gary and/or someone else goes out
from Belem the other weeks. Please

pray for this small group of Christians.

Paul and Shirley Lanham and family left Bel6m on June 10 to spend one year in the U. S. Bill and Janet
Moreland also left the same week to

ly about their class. The Moody Sci ence film, "The Professor and the Pro

phets", was also shown 67 stu dents began studying in a new period
of Bible Extension Classes on May 3. The classes will conclude with the

move to Araguaina, Goi^s on the Brasilia-Bel^m highway. They will be

Regional Meeting on June 30

working there with Bill's brother, Jim, Jim is leading a Bible Extension Cen
ter in Araguaina. He has 23 students. The first of the year a special dis
tribution was made in a housing area called Nova Marambaia. The first cor

extension center has been opened at

the Passagem Iracema church in Belem Gary is teaching nine class

periods that Paul Lanham was unable to complete before leaving for the U.S.
The classes are at Jurunas, Terrenos dos-Correios, Barreiro^^d Passagem
Iracema.

respondence course was distributed

around one block. A brief explana
tion^ of the lesson was made and the

Beginning in June the services of

the church in Castanhal were changed. Rather than meeting on Saturday

people were told that if they wanted to study someone would be by the next week to pick up their completed lessons. This method yielded a high
number of students with a low per

night, they are meeting on Sunday

afternoon. This change was necessary

because Gary is beginning to teach in

the Extension Program and will be

busy teaching extension classes on Sat

urday night. It was also necessary because it is difficult for the Brazil ians from Bel6m who often help with services to go by bus on Saturday eve

centage of dropouts. A total of 60 graduated. David Bayless, Norman Maddux, and Gary are presently teach ing follow-up lessons to seven family
units in the area. There are 2 to 5

students per family unit.

Jesus.

Pray that

these who are studying will accept

ning since they can't return on the bus

Churches and
In Beltoi
Marambaia
Sacramenta Barreiro Jurunas

Preaching
Near Belfai
Ananindeua Castanhal Americana

PclntS

Terrenos dos Correiros

Sao Clemente

Icoaraci: Agulha
Outeiro Road

Capitao Popo
Sou re

welcomed. The post office is always a must stop when we go

downtown since all our mail

| irr hi""!" '

'

^ ^

comes in our post office box. We would really enjoy hearing

from others of you who perhaps

% ' '.i-.-'X

have thought about writing but

answer all mail although sometimes it might take a little while. There are times, though, that we
never get our mail. We know of

never have. We do our best to

BjHr ...
' \:.ap
f ^
^ jtuT^ r . .

KSflE

" * ' S "W

particular cases when letters have

-nufc-^. Sfe'' '

been lost and we are sure it hap-

pens other times that we never know about. So if you write and don't get an answer right back, it may be that we happen to be

extra busy at the time or your letter may not have arrived here. So don't give up writing, but please write again, and if we are just slow in answering, it will prod us to write you. One special note, ALWAYS send letters to Brazil via AIR MAIL. It only costs 2 cents more and It will arrive in 7-10 days rather than 1-3 months.
Air mail to Brazil is 17 cents. We'll be looking forward to hearing from you.

We are so thankful for each of you who are concerned about the Lord's work in Brazil and for supporting this work through us by your prayers and offerings. It is our prayer for you "that your love may abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure
and blameless for the day of Christ."
In Him,

OrJi

Finances Still

Critical

Our overall financial situation improved slightly in April and May. Because of a special offering of $300 in April, we partially recovered from the deficit in the General Fund, but we still ended the month with a $180 deficit. Totals for May have not yet arrived, but reports are that there was continued improvement in May
But there still is about $900-1000 indebtedness. Help give if you can. And please pray with us for the money to pay this indebtedness.

PRAYER CORNER

God fms sent me to help his church and to tell his secret plan to you Gentiles. He has kept this secret for centuries and generations past, but now at last ithas pleased him to tell it to those who love him and live for him, and the riches and glory ofhis plan are foryou Gentiles too. And
this is the secret: that Oirist in your hearts is your only hope ofglory. Col 1:25-27 (LivingBible)

God has given everyone the privilege of sharing in the blessings and glory he has revealed through Jesus. But how are these ours? Notice that Paul doesn't say that God's plan was for us

to follow a certain series of steps to attain salvation; or to attend church regularly; or to accept certain doctrines, even though they be directly from the Bible; or anything that we should do or

say. Not that these are not important but that there is more. He says that our only hope of glory
but the result of Christ in us. This is the one ingredient in the Christian life that is absolutely nec essary. This must be thelife we live and themessage we share.
Bible)

is "Christ in your hearts." It is Jesus living in us, controlling our lives. Jesus living in us through His Holy Spirit is the key to the Christian life. All the fruit and good works ofthe Christian are And you, my friend? How is your life? What is your message? "And remember that ifany

one doesn't have the Spirit ofChrist living in him, he is notaChristian at all." (Rom. 8:9. Living

See (low ike fields ate atieadi^ uikiie jot kataesi

MEYERS MAILING ADDRESS:

(For Personal Correspondence)

Gary Meyers Caixa Postal, 926 66.000 Bel^m, Par^, Brazil

FORWARDING AGENT: (For Contributions)

Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hebner R R 2

Goldfield, Iowa 50542

Make checks'payable to: Park Church of Christ-Brazil Evangelism

Non-Profit Organization

Park Church of Christ

Box 217

U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 1
Goldfield, Iowa 50542

Goldfield, Iowa 50542

'-r////

OCT J 0 73

DRAZ -VANG

SM

7] lK.

Fd)

LD

however we request tLf^0^0^ vonT?"^" MS wife, (Kathy) and thnL?d'rL^s't%1^er^^d''l^^l^?!j!^

brazil evangelism
R.R. 2

Saturday October 6 IQ?^' by a tali-cab in felem^^Brazn we do not know all of the

home to be with his Lo?ri^

and tragic death of BrotLr

Evangelism of the untimely

being received here on
writing

called

struck

we ?emSd you that the^lSancL"?''''^^ children .0.. s"rs;;g;s; 5"/-f

% M/m Carl Hebner Goldfield, Iowa 505^2

would want thP

meirt\eSSent^neLs"?L^' Evangelism, to helpwortc :that shall contLur Cpr^ M t f Prepare for the future
^ Meyers, asto well as the and Lord only Jesus ntlnue and Increase, YOU
:

111 be wrarfable advlLrofthrfntnfpublished aL-?-L-v soon as to Evangelism, L '

Wives such Kathv^ May Unv^r^A ^ndwork for together. the faithful ^ I i^ucn as Kathy, God bless us as we
^-CVv-

Evangelism in the ^ unfailing support of Brazl to Gorarnfmakes'^reLw continue, looking -i We thani^ fn^ ^Q-Kes ready for a greater work for each of us.

? r i
, ?;

Box 217

park CHaRCH"op 'cS?St

NON-PROFIT ORGAN.

Goldfleld^ Iowa 505^)2

////

U.S. Postage PAID

Permit NO. 1

Goldfield, Iowa
305^2

J317 '71

%
e/;
DECEMBER 1973
OUR GIFT

No. 3

WEMA Y NOT RIDE ON CAMELS

AND BRING HIMSPICEAND GOLD; WE MA YNOT HEAR THEANGELSSING

SHEPHERDS DID OF OLD;

BUT WECAN BRING A PRESENT

THA T TO HIMSEEMSTHE BEST:

OUR HEARTS TRUE LOVE AND WORSHIP, MORE PRICELESS THAN THE REST.

Mmf Cki4tmi mi

Dear Friends,

I'm sure some of you haven't heard any details concerning the accident that took

Gary's life. On October 6th about 7:30 p.m. we left home to go into town to buy ice
cream with the kids. About two miles from home we stopped at the side of the wide

street, and Gary got out of the car to clean the windshield on the driver's side. All of a

sudden a ta^i C9me from the rear, hitting dWy but completely missing the car, and
speeded on down the.street ahead of us. After getting Gary to the hospital, the doctors
soon informed me that he had died instantly. Several of the missionaries and some close Brazilian friends were soon contacted. The hospital offered the use of their short wave radio to contact my parents in Iowa.
It is the law in Brazil that the burial be within 24 hours of death. So the funeral

took place at 9:00 Sunday morning at the Aguiha Church of Christ in Icoaraci, a satelite city of Belem. Each denominational church in Icoaraci was represented at the funeral. Many of the missionaries working as Wycliff Bible-Translators, and American missionaries working in other groups came, too. The church building was filled to over-flowing, and
people were standing outside.

The children and I stayed with the David Baylessfamily until my mother arrived

early Tuesday morning. For the next few days everyone dropped everything that could wait and helped at our house to pack, price things for the sale, etc. And Steve Stauffer spent hours in town getting paper work done so I could leave the country.
On October 18th we flew to Lima, Ohio. Mother came on to Iowa on the 20th,

but the children and I spent about a week and a half in Ohio, visiting family and friends
and visiting in three of the area churches.

The children and I are now in Iowa staying with my parents. We will soon be

moving into the little house next to theirs and live there until I decide where the Lord

can best use me. Stephen is attending nursery school for two hours three days a week
and really enjoys it. Kristi is growing up so fast and h talking more all the time. They
both have accepted their daddy's death wonderfully and have been a real strength to me.

I have been receiving news from our co-workers in Belem of others expressing their belief in Jesus and being baptized. Please pray for Samuel. We witnessed his bap

tism one Sunday in September. He is a University student, and his buddies are really
giving him a bad time about being a Christian.

Since we last wrote, two missionary families have returned to Belem after their

furloughs. Dale Mason, whom we worked with our first term, has returned. And John

Rodgers, who formerly worked in the city of Fortaleza for one term, has joined forces
with those in Belem. Both Dale and John will be working extensively with follow-up of
the Bible Correspondence Course graduates.

I want to thank all of you who helped to give us the wonderful privilege of serving our Lord in Brazil. It's so great the way tiie Lord uses His people to tell the Good News of Jesus. I'm so thankful for the way in which you let the Lord use you to further His
work in Brazil. Please continue to remember the work there in your prayers. We're pray

ing for more workers to go. If you are interested in continuing to support this work
financially, please contact me, and I can give you an address to write to.
Because of Christ,

Kathy, Stephen, and Kristi