Update 2007 July #3

Dear Friends and Family,

We are so grateful to all those who have asked how we are doing and what is going on with us! Thank you for showing your concern and good will toward us! It is so encouraging! We had a great trip up to Iowa and Minnesota last week. We were able to share at two churches—meetings that our future co-workers in Brazil, James and Molly Goossen, arranged for us with their supporting churches. The people were so caring and open to our family and sharing about the work in Northeast Brazil. We spent the week with the Goossen family at her father’s farm house in Northeast Iowa. We are so grateful to them and Keith Daggot, Molly’s father, for their hospitality and great fellowship. They had just found an injured puppy the week we got there so the kids enjoyed carrying around the puppy since it had trouble walking. But by the time we left, he was getting around on his own just fine. The children loved the farm atmosphere and being able to play outside without any worries.

On the 19^th and 20^th Todd went up to the Mayo Clinic to have his in-depth physical and psychological examination to see whether he was eligible to donate a kidney for Molly. We were very impressed with the care that the doctors and nurses gave to Todd, looking out for his best interest as well as Molly’s. They are very careful to not allow for a conflict of interest in their work, so they have separate doctors and coordinators for the donor and the recipient. It was good for us to see how thorough and careful they were. Todd was told he was very well and able to donate the kidney. And as far as we can tell, they are a complete match. We believe Molly has to go to Mayo to have more blood work done. They have to have a complete and up-to-date picture of her levels so they can make the final decision about whether to proceed with the donation. We do not know when the board at Mayo will meet to give us the go-ahead but we are anticipating that. At that point we will be scheduling the surgery. Please pray for Molly: for her heart to be calm in facing another surgery, for her body to receive this kidney well, and for wisdom for the doctors as they try to help her have success with this kidney. We do not wish for her to lose this kidney, we wish for her to be able to have many years of health—but we are completely aware that this donation may not be successful. We just pray for the Lord’s will so that she will be healthy and they will be able to enjoy many more years of ministry in Brazil. We will keep you updated as to the decision we hear from the board at Mayo.

We also have met with a couple who has a home we may be able to live in. They are still living in it and are hoping their house will be ready for them to move into, leaving this house available, by the end of August. All they have asked in exchange for our living there is that we pay for utilities and help them with some marketing of their work camp and some maintenance. Please pray for wisdom whether we should pursue this opportunity and if so, the timing of the move, Todd quitting his job, and the donation surgery. We know the Lord knows when/if all this will happen. Our main concern is to try to keep these things from conflicting with missions’ conferences and meetings we have scheduled. Todd’s recovery time with be intensive for the first two weeks following the surgery, and then for 4 more weeks after he has to be careful not to over do it. So we just ask for your prayers and the Lord’s will in all of these matters.

It has been amazing to see the Lord provide so much over these last few months. We are at 54% of our monthly support and close to 79% of our outgoing expenses. It is so neat to see the Lord at work and realize this is God leading hearts and really has very little with our efforts. We are learning so much through this process and are very grateful to the Lord for the opportunity He has given us to see Him at work through the hearts of His people! Thank you to each of you for your prayers and giving!

Serving together with you,

Todd and Julie Hendry

Update 2007 July #2

Dear Friends and Family,

We continue to praise God in how He provides! This week was Avalanche Ranch VBS at Dardenne Presbyterian, one of our supporting churches, and we were amazed to see how God reached the hearts of almost 500 children every day. It was such a pleasure to be able share with my, Julie’s, group of 10 girls, none who had ever been to church before, that God is real, He is with us, He is strong, He is awesome and He is in charge (Wahoo!). The highlight of my week was sharing with each girl the beautiful message that Jesus loves them and that He died for each of their sins and mine. What a thrill and blessing to my heart to have the opportunity to lead young hearts to understand more about Jesus! In response to one of the girl’s questions, I was able to explain that we are going to be missionaries in Brazil telling people that have never heard of Jesus the message the girls had just received. Most of them had no understanding of Christianity, let alone missions, and we were able to plant that seed. Please pray for this message to grow and produce the fruit of salvation in their lives!

And folks, we are seeing the Lord getting us closer to the point of being able to go to Brazil! This summer the Lord has led several individuals and two new churches to start supporting us, Abundant Life Baptist Church and Bonhomme Presbyterian! We are thrilled. So as of today, our monthly amount is at 53.1% and our outgoing expenses at 79.6%! Praise the Lord with us! Thank you to each individual and church that has committed to pray and give! We truly appreciate it!

Tomorrow we head to the border of Iowa/Minnesota where we will be spending a week with our future co-workers, James and Molly Goossen. Next Thursday and Friday, Todd will be doing the final testing and his complete physical at the Mayo Clinic to determine whether he will be able to donate a kidney to Molly. Please pray for the Lord’s will—we would love to be able to help in this way. Earlier this week James asked us if we would like to participate in a missions conference at Molly’s home church in northern Iowa—this weekend! We may also speak at another church the following weekend. We plan on driving back next Sunday. We also have a meeting with a church’s mission board in the St. Louis area in mid-August and Todd is working on setting up several other meetings! We are so encouraged with the Lord’s provision. Please pray together with us for His timing!

We are also still working on finding out where we will be living in the next few months and when this would be taking place. The Lord has provided two possibilities and we hope to find out within the next two weeks where He wants us to move. We ask for your prayers that all the details and timing would come together! We also ask for you to pray for direction as Todd decided when he should quit his job and that the Lord would bless the church that has been so kind to us. This is a time of transition—transition closer to getting to Brazil. I’m so amazed that the Lord knows our needs and limitations, and provides us with baby step transitions and times of rest along the way. We pray that you are experiencing His provision in your lives as well!
Thank you, faithful friends and family, for your care and support. We are so encouraged by your love! Remember that God is real, He is with us, He is strong, He is awesome and He is in charge! Wahoo! Praise the Lord!

Serving together,
Todd and Julie Hendry

Update 2007 July

Dear Friends and Family

Thank you all so very much for praying for our family as we traveled to Maine. It was such a wonderful time to visit my, Julie’s, side of the family and family friends during our trip. We truly sensed your prayers as the Lord protected and blessed us on the many hours of travel. The kids did amazingly well (very little screaming from Sammy and Michaela hardly complained at all), though by the end we were glad to be done with the traveling.

The biggest answer to prayer we had was that we were able to see my Grandmother, Gladys Hicks, several times during our visit. I went up without the children the first time. This was when my grandmother decided that since she couldn’t eat any more, she was going to refuse a feeding tube and would allow herself to slip away. She was completely lucid, her mind active and coherent, but her body not responding to her commands anymore. She joked with us about how a fly was in her room and kept landing on her and she couldn’t do anything about it to swat it away. I don’t know if I could have had the great attitude she had, but she truly was glorifying the Lord through her ordeal. She was in wonderful spirits, laughing, telling stories, and even attempting to sing. The second time we visited her was with the children and she got a real kick out of seeing them. She gave each of them decorative pins that she had collected over the years. We sang to her and shared a poem about waiting on the Lord’s timing. She was glad to have been able to see everyone but really desired to go home to be with the Lord.

Her prayer was answered and she slipped away at 1:00 this morning with a huge smile on her face. She was so happy to be “going home” as she said frequently. Another answer to prayer is that my father and mother were able to get their passages extended and will be able to attend her funeral and burial this weekend. As my father said, we wouldn’t wish to keep her (she’s where she wanted to be), but we’ll miss her. Please pray that her funeral will be as glorifying to the Lord as her life was and that my unsaved relatives would come to finally accept the Lord.

We were also able to meet our little nephew, Jonas, and spent some wonderful times with him and my brother Alan and his wife Glauciana. Her parents, Brazilians, flew up with my parents and are spending this month with them. Please pray that they will adjust to the American culture a little and enjoy their trip. My sister-in-law is pregnant and we are praying for a safe pregnancy and delivery in October.

There were so many parts that were wonderful about our trip. The scenery in Maine is beautiful and the people were wonderful. We stayed with the sweetest couple, Ron and Vesta Porter, who treated us so kindly. They loved the children and took care of us; they gave us a place to call “home” even if just for a couple of weeks. They were a true blessing to us and we all miss them already! We also were able to enjoy a family reunion in Canada with my mom’s side, and saw several relatives from dad’s side. And beyond that we were able to have a couple quick visits with supporters. What touched us the most was the heart of service of so many that allowed us to stay with them, provided meals, even loaned their van for our family as we traveled all over Maine and Canada. It was a true blessing and answer to prayer!

Thank you also for praying for our meetings with churches. We spoke at three churches and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with family friends and share our ministry. Please pray for the Lord’s will as we look to Him to provide for our support and His timing in our arrival to Brazil. We are expecting a call from a church that we met with recently who told us they would be deciding this week whether they will be supporting us or not. We only want the Lord’s will.

Please also pray for a resolution to our housing situation. We have been in contact with a couple different people and we ask that you will pray for God’s will. Our lease runs out the end of this month, and after that we will have to pay month-to-month at a higher rate, unless we want to sign another 1 year lease.

Todd also goes into the Mayo Clinic on the 19^th and 20^th for his physical. I believe we will be traveling up their together.

Again, thank you for all your prayers, support and encouragement through e-mails and letters. You minister to us more than you may realize!

Serving Together,

Julie Hendry for the family