From: Norman Edward Maddux

Sent: Friday, January 09, 2004 3:59 AM

Subject: Praise!! Praise!!

 

Hi Everybody,

    This is the letter I sent to our children, F.A. and some relatives and friends--

 

Dear Family and Precious Friends,

    In my morning devotions the Psalms have drawn my attention the fact that I need to praise God and keep my attention on Him and His goodness, whatever other things are happening in my life. Here are some of the things I think

about:

    As we have gone to some different meetings over the past 2 years in the first two churches we worked with -Ananindeua (1971-198?) and Jaderlandia (1976-1988), we see those who were little children, but are now young men and women, some even married with their own children. And the Wonderful Seed of the Gospel just keeps going on saving and transforming lives!!  What a wonderful privilege to have participated in some way!! Only in Eternity in Heaven will we know how many lives God allowed us to help.

    I praise God for a faithful wife who has given more than her best, by my side, to win to Christ, teach, counsel and love many women and girls and all of us. She has been such a perceptive partner of my needs, a joyful giver, a good counselor, a good encourager and a tremendous helpmeet in working for the Lord. God gave her victory over histoplasmosis in 1971 and back she came to Brazil. She has had some very severe problems with asthma, bronchitus, allergies, and has given herself so sacrificially to me and to the Lord's people! My words seem feeble to sum up all the ways the Lord has blessed me and His people by Patty.

    I can't forget either, how our own children learned the culture here so well, to love Brazil and her people.  Each one helped in special ways--teaching music, winning other young people to Christ, being friends and helpers, and myriad ways, making our burdens lighter.  Even now they are a special encouragement and joy to us, and will receive us back to their homes and arms.  How we thank God for each one of you (them) and for those DOZEN Terrific grandchildren!

    I praise God for certain people who received the Word and whose lives have also been a spiritual and encouraging blessing to mine--Sobrinho, Elias, Gilberto, Miguel, Mário, Fábio and many others. They have remained faithful to the Lord in spite of many trials of their own.

    I praise God for all the churches and deeply committed personal friends in the U.S. who have given sacrificially, prayed much, and helped us in every possible way. We realize we have not been alone in this work--everyone is working and giving through us--we are all together--none of us could have done it without the other. We are His Body--each one doing his part. So, in the end, is one part more important than the other?  No- He is the Wonderful and Great One!!!  We just thank him for the AMAZING privilege of having had a part.

    I must emphasize the special role you have had, Rex and Carole. I praise God for the blessing you have been in our lives. Not only have you been our contact with the churches, you have helped us personally in myriad needs, transmitted prayer and need requests, spent hours in banking, financial reports, etc., etc.  Obviously you love the Lord a lot for all your constant faithfulness to us and the Lord's work here.  We praise God for you!

    And the blessing just keep rolling in--from people encouraging, prayers, help. It all shows us that our Great and Powerful God is behind all this--strengthening us to be His growing children, helping us help others, and giving us a great purpose and work in this life--with the certain promise of Heaven Forever. To Him be the Glory and Praise for ever and ever!

    One final item which I must add, and which does not cause us to stop praising our Lord and Redeemer, is about my (Norman's) health.  In early December I started having a backache just below the shoulder blades.

Sometimes it was in the spine, sometimes in the muscles and tendons on either side. I thought I had someway strained a muscle and it would soon go away. But it switched from side to side. It got a little painful to twist while getting in and out of the car, pick up things from the floor, lift heavier things, etc. On Dec 29 I went to a bone doctor. An x-ray did not reveal anything unusual. Based on my cancer problems, he asked for a bone scan. I had done one in 2000 and it was clear of problems. This one, January 6, 2004, showed spots all over my bones where cancer had spread to--especially a rather large area in the middle of my back. Consequently we went to an oncologist to get the most accurate diagnosis. He confirmed the cancer had spread, indicating the hormone therapy had obviously reached the end of its effectiveness. He said usually hormone treatment is effective for around 18 months, so mine had gone far beyond that (Praise the Lord again!). If we were to stay in Brazil, he would recommend various treatments in that regard. I will probably take only a one-time type before we return.  From the bottom of my heart, let me say:  receiving such news is not as traumatic as having received the news of  our having to leave Brazil and the work the Lord gave us to do. Going back to the States with all those uncertainties is quite traumatic, even though I trust the Lord's direction. Getting ready to go to Heaven, perhaps sooner than I thought, is quite SPECTACULAR!!

    I must say though, that I am feeling pretty good, just bothered by occasional small back discomfort. When it comes to lifting boxes and suitcases to return to the U.S., a brazilian young man who works in the yard, etc., can do a lot of that.

    And the next steps may be taking advantage of recent cancer treatments which have the promise of being much more effective than previous ones. So we still know the Lord is Good and watching over our lives and taking care of and guiding us. Whatever His will is for future work or for future address changes (Lawrence, Los Angeles or Heaven!!) we will keep on Praising HIM!!

    We Love each of you and our Lord,

    Norman