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Singing Men of Texas North Central Texas Chapter Brazil Journal - Day 8 IN MY BROKENNESS… For those of you looking for the pictures of Monday, they will follow tomorrow. John Bell, our capable and creative photographer did not take photos intending to rely on Rex Campbell who left EARLY Tuesday morning with the medical team as they went to the Niteroi City Dump. Today was a ‘light’ day for us. We were given the entire day until 4:00 pm to do as we pleased. There were a number of bus trips offered to those people wanting to shop in Ipanema, but there were also many of us that chose to spend this beautiful temperate partly cloudy to mostly cloudy day strolling the beach and wading in the rough surf pounding the sandy beaches, going to the Hard Rock café, or even relaxed expeditions for massive ‘Zzzzz’s”… As we were boarding the bus, those that ordered specially made license plates had them delivered. They are dark green with yellow-orange embossed letters which read to the right of a white, circular impression of a small Christ Redeemer statue and the Copacabana beach at Rio: RJ-RIO DE JANERIO THE SINGING MEN OF TEXAS BRASIL - APRIL, 2004 The medical crew used their early morning departure to first attend the clinic where their translator was procured. Then it was off to the daycare where they observed until early afternoon. I thought you might enjoy a personal insight into one of our medical crew doctors who spent five years of her life here in Brazil as the daughter of missionary parents. Dr. Becky Posey’s parents, who now reside in Baton Rouge, were sponsored by New Tribes Mission. They worked with an Indian tribe and at a Brazilian Bible School for 5 years, and that’s when Becky was with them. They came back for four years when Becky was in college at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Becky is for the most part a quiet person when first met. That is contrasted by her bright smile and engaging eyes that peek out from her always coifed blonde hair. Though I know that she is significantly shorter than my 6’2” frame, her height and her age will remain a matter of conjecture. But rest assured—she is still very much a youthful person despite her comprehensive medical experience. From an early age, she disclosed that she wanted to do something medical with her life. Her father was not officially trained in any medical area, and she said her mom was always a squeamish person (“amazing that she became a missionary”)—then adding with personal understanding, “She’s brave.” When her parents were in the Indian village, her dad would help treat the Indians and would make a lot of injections, clean cuts, bandage wounds, and provide general first aid care. There were many times that Becky would come along and help. She muses that it is entirely possible that this time influenced her desire to help people through a medical career. She met husband, B.J. during her studies at LSU. He hails from the Lone Star State, but supported her in her medical career by moving to Charlotte, North Carolina after she attended the UT San Antonio Medical School. There she completed her residency in emergency medicine after three years. Her husband received a job offer in 1988 to work for NEC in the Las Colinas area of Irving as a quality manager. She’s been at Irving Healthcare System, now Irving Baylor ever since they returned to the state, working in the emergency room. She has been actively using her Portuguese skills in the concerts that she has been able to attend, helping those around her more completely enjoy their time with her. Smiling enthusiastically, she indicated to this journalist that this is her first mission trip! You can tell how grateful she is to have the opportunities bestowed upon her to work most especially with the poorest and most destitute children and parents in the arena that is most despicable—the Niteroi city dump!! She and her fellow doctor, James Slaton of Eastland Memorial Hospital in Eastland, Texas, along with nurses Shirley Wyley of Breckenridge working also at Eastland Memorial, Debbie Ashley who is this journalist’s wife and works at Zale-Lipshy University Hospital in Dallas—but also worked with Becky for 3+ years in the Irving ER, and Kim Leonard of Wautaga presently attending Harvest Church and now working as a flight nurse but who also is a former Irving Baylor ER nurse comprise the medical team that was requested to come by Dr. Fanini. It is their desire to see a special support for this poorest facility built on the edge of the dump that is not a part of Dr. Fanini’s system. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- For those of you that are wondering (as was I), the Flumenesa (sp?) Baptist Association is the local association with whom we are working, and they are based in Niteroi. The reason for our regular travel to and fro is that Niteroi has no suitable hotel that could house our group; hence the Rio travel is necessitated. Our concert tonight is in full tuxedo attire in the Niteroi Municipal Theatre. This cozy venue reminds one in size of a medium sized recital hall, but at eye level and above the interior is intensely ornate and florid in its accoutrements, reminiscent of an Italian teatro. Casting the gaze downward, one meets the allowance that is made for the tropical climate: open weave cream colored cane backs and bottoms with large tubular cane framing on both free standing chairs and theatre seating. The intermingled textures authenticated the Brazilian setting in a uniquely tasteful manner. The opened horseshoe seating arrangement with four vertically stacked balconies allowed the SMONCT to ring the lower floor for our opening number, “Praise to the Lord.” The theatre was full all the way to the brim with about 500 people; they burst into applause in their opening response. The room was quite literally alive with the voices of the men. Every pitch, every consonant, every vowel, every entrance was magnified—as well as every wrong pitch, lapsed consonant, misshapen vowel, and missed entrance were available to every ear as noted by our director during our warmup. We were to be on our highest guard for proper presentation, hand position, off-stage chatter and sidebar comments during opportune moments between numbers. And due to the closeness of our concert semicircle and the placement of the handbells to our rear, gently choreographed traipses on and off the stage by various rows of penguin attired Texans were executed with a precision that would be admired by the best East Texas military style marching band. (OK… I promise to hold down the adjectives here on out!) The music, we were told by the faithful wives who populated several chairs in the hall, was very fine tonight. Again, the songs were sung and played to God’s glory. It is always a treat to hear Rodrigo reach down into his expertly arranged and professionally played repertoire for the variety he adds to each concert. Tonight, being that the concert was not in a church, he chose an elegant arrangement of “Amazing Grace”. His “Via Dolorosa” omitted the drumming at the end this evening, but rose to a gentle conclusion with a joyful declaration of “I Love You, Lord.” Near the end of the concert, Dr. Fanini appeared for his pastoral opportunity and, as far as this Texan could tell, presented an invitation that was responded to with the raising of hands. After the concert, the men stayed on stage for pictures. Yet again tonight, a tremendous testimony was given by Chuck McElroy, FBC Corsicana. The depth of the riches of the grace of God in his life was made vibrantly alive to his listener’s tonight. Chuck share his testimony thusly: “As a Christian teen at youth camp, one of my favorite songs had this message: ‘God has never promised a day without fears. He gives grace for today in his own gracious way. His grace is enough for me.’ About two years ago, on a Monday in late July in God’s great compassion and foreknowledge, He led me to create a unique worship service. Instead of the usual rousing ‘Call to Worship’, it had a more subdued beginning. On the (following) Saturday, my wife of 20 years told me she was filing for a divorce. On the next day, the service God had led me to prepare started with a song that went like this: ‘In my brokenness, in my hour of darkness, I will lift up my hands and worship You.’ I knew God led me, without my knowledge, to prepare a service that ministered to me. Later that day, I knelt and said something like this: Father, I know now is the time to put to the greatest test all the songs of hope I’ve sung all these years. The healing was slow at first, but definite… But its happening… And He’s not through yet(!) He’s making secure that which was vulnerable. He has brought me what I needed just when I needed it. He is my Comfort, my Shelter. Tower of Refuge and Strength… May the love of Jesus Christ be with you all.” Although he intended to tell the audience something else, he felt that time was escaping him so he shortened his prepared text just briefly… But I get to tell you that final unspoken portion: “As we sang this morning, “For all that You’ve done I will thank You; For all that You’re going to do; For all that You’ve promised and all that You are is all that has carried me through. Jesus, I thank You.” So I have to ask each one of tonight, what is it that God has allowed into your life that makes you question His goodness, His love and His providence? Is it an incurable disease? Is it the death or absence of a spouse or child or parent? Is it the inability to correct or find something in your life or relationships that you have tried to time and again, but to no avail? Is it something else that is unique to your own path of life? Will you take this example that Chuck has given to each of us tonight, and reach down in the deepness of what you KNOW to be true of God—that He loves you… that He is a God of healing… that He provides for you in ways that are unsearchable to our minds. As you turn to Him, allow Him to cloak you with His arms, and offer the praise that is due Him: “In my brokenness, in my hour of darkness, I will lift up my hands and worship You.” We leave in the morning for Campos which is now been officially named as our longest trip—some 4 hours away. Pray that my fingers hold up as well as my batteries have. |