Todd & Julie Hendry Email Update March 2016

Dear Friends and Family (Note: Bold items= Prayer/ Praises), Last Thursday marked one month since our car was robbed at gunpoint.  Most of you have heard the story (if you haven’t, email us back and we can explain what happened), and even though it was traumatic, we have truly experienced the peace of the Lord.  God has been so good to us.  After a week in town, recovering from the shock, replacing things that we had to have (car seats and cell phone), and returning to the Police Station a couple times, we returned to Croatá.  It was wonderful to be home. Since we returned home we have been busy helping a new believer (Fatima) with preparations and counseling during her surgery and some difficult family problems.  We are pleased to let you know that she is doing much better since her surgery, though her recovery is going to take three months.  Her family has asked us to come out weekly until she is able to come back to church and we do a mini-service there.  Her husband said last week that he’s very close to accepting Christ, but he said that he wants to be “all in” and isn’t quite there yet.  Please pray as we study “The Lamb” from Goodseed Publishing with them every week.  Their nephew seems also to be close to accepting Christ and we are praying for the rest of the family. We’re also excited to start a Couples’ Group on April 2nd.  We’ve been praying about it for a while and would ask that you would pray for God’s work in marriages and families in Croatá.  We would love for at least three couples to come consistently.  Many more will be invited but our focus is commitment over quantity.  And of course if they are excited about what God is doing in their lives, they will tell others!  Please pray that each couple would follow God’s drawing in their lives and that Satan would not get in the way. Next week, over Easter weekend, Todd will be taking 4-6 youth to “Youth Camp” at Camp Pitombeiras about 1 ½ hrs. away.  This is a big step for them and some of their parents.  Please pray specifically for these youth to be safe, to see that there are other Christian youth out there and be more encouraged to follow Christ here in Croatá. Now, concerning the car.  We have tried to keep fanning the flames of interest of the police officers and other friends that have been helping us.  Several have asked what they can do for us, and they say they are searching for it.  It would be a miracle if it is ever found.  We have to say that, unfortunately, we were severely let down by the police in Eusébio.  Their errors delayed the process of the car being placed on the local or national registry of stolen vehicles until 5 days after the robbery.  We’ve been through all the theories of what has happened to it, but we simply don’t know.  Only God knows.  He is sovereign and good.  Either He will bring the car back to us, in at least fixable condition, or He will provide the funds in order to purchase another car that will fit our family and be dependable.  We have started looking, sort of half-heartedly, for a new vehicle.  We do thank you for those who have out of their generosity given toward a car.  In a couple of weeks we will need to head back to Fortaleza to update some documents and look at cars.  It has been a blessing to have our old pickup to get us around but it is completely necessary to find something that is reliable and seats our entire family. Once we purchase another vehicle, including the pickup, we will have owned 5 vehicles in under a year.  (1. Chrysler Minivan- sold when we left the US, 2. 2005 Mitsubishi Pajero- the lemon that we returned to the dealer after 3 months of engine problems, 3. 2004 Toyota Prado- Stolen, 4. 1997 Toyota Pickup “Bucket” probably will sell, 5. Next car.)  Optimistically, our education on car values and models is up-to-date so the next car purchase will take less research.  Please pray for the dollar to stay strong and for us to find something affordable, reliable, and with enough room to seat at least 6. It was good to hear our leadership at Avant and good friends remind us that we are only stewards of God’s provision.  Besides all the money that was given toward the car, we sunk a lot of our personal money in the car (before it was stolen) to make it dependable for all the traveling we do: new tires, engine and suspension maintenance, and a trailer hitch.  And, for some reason, the Lord allowed this.  But problem isn’t too big for Him and we thank Him that He is sovereign.  He could have been protecting us from something even worse, or He will be using this to increase our faith, as well as of those around us.  We don’t need to know the reason but instead trust in our wonderful God who is worthy of our praise and our full confidence.  Crime continues to rise here as there is much political unrest.  The crimes and corruption are frequent in local levels (Croata) and go all the way up to the president.  Protests, senators arrested, presidential impeachment, and corrupt police are the top stories in today's news.  These are all matters that we ask you to pray for because we often are indirectly affected by these situations. Please know that we respect our supporters and your sacrifice on our behalf.  Thank you for all you’ve done to keep us on the field.  The good exchange rate for the last few months has been a great blessing as well.  It has be so encouraging to hear from so many of you and to find that many people are praying for us.  Also, thank you to those who have already given toward the purchase of another vehicle.  That being said, please don’t give out of compulsion, as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 9:7.  This ministry is the Lord’s but we are glad to be part of it with you.  Feel free to write back or give feedback:  tjhendry@avmi.org and/or you can Skype us at thendry777. Serving together with you, Todd and Julie Hendry

Meet Lily and Levi or "The Littles".  Micky and Sammy are "The Bigs".  In case you didn't see our FaceBook Post.  I killed this giant centipede after it cut Neuma's foot and hid under her refrigerator.

Armed Robbery update Feb 2016

Details about Holdup-     Wednesday night at about 7:00pm 4 armed men in a black car followed our car as Julie and Michaela drove into our mission headquarters in Fortaleza where we are staying this week.  Julie and Michaela were brought at gunpoint into the main house where the manager of the facility and his family (Pastor Misael and Milca and their two little girls) were getting ready for church.  They stole all jewelry, cell phones and money as they waved their guns and made threats.  They left with the car we purchased just months ago and the purchases that Julie and Michaela had made.  They almost went back to the apartment where I was with the three littlest but Milca convinced them that nobody was there.  (Fortunately, she had no idea that the apartment was occupied with myself and the kids, thinking instead that we were still in the car and the men were holding us hostage.)  I was giving the two little ones baths and Samuel was with me too.  I heard the alarm go off, which isn’t infrequent, so when I was finished with the little ones I went out alone to see why the alarm hadn’t been silenced.  The entrance door to the road was wide open and I found Julie’s purse and wallet scattered all over the driveway.  At first nobody was to be found because the gunmen had locked everyone in the main house until they made their getaway.  Misael came out when he saw me and that it was safe to come out.  Only then were we able to call the police on my cellphone that had been sitting on a nearby table but unseen by the thieves.  Misael and I were able to close the garage door and within 10 minutes the police arrived.       Was the car insured?  Simple answer: Yes but not for theft.  Theft insurance is ridiculously expensive and it has been the habit over the years for none of us to purchase it.  Since we needed to do it here in Fortaleza it was on my list of things to do but it probably would not have happened anyway due to the impossible rates.  We have many security measures that we take with our car: coded chips in keys, The Club, and alarms but none work for experienced thieves with guns.  Julie did everything right.  She blew the horn and set the panic button on the gate control when she realized what was happening.  She made sure no cars or pedestrians were to be seen before opening the gate.  But they rushed in as she was pulling up and must have been hiding in the dark around the corner.  The mission too has many security features: electric fence, guard dog at night, alarm, and 10 foot wall.  But a forced entry cannot be totally avoided.  Our greatest security is in the Lord and He kept everyone safe during the trial.  So if you remember the "fun" we had in finding a car when we arrived last year, here we go again.  I will consider looking for another vehicle when the police have had enough time to find this one.       And Now?  Well, here in Brazil it is not what you know as much as who you know.  Even though the police who arrived here the night of the incident were absolutely no help, friends who know officers and higher ranking police officials are able to push the broken system until it is somewhat useful.  The system of police reports is so slow here that it can take days for the report of the stolen car to make it past the city where it happened.  With the contacts we have received we are able to get things moved to the next level just because someone has personally made sure that almost everything is being done to recover our vehicle.  In one case, our co-worker Neuma’s brother-in-law has notified a local talk show host.  Yesterday he included the robbery on his TV program.  And today a senator is supposed to call to get more details for his show this afternoon.  Twelve people have already called in about our vehicle (even though most of these leads are probably false and people looking for a reward).  But, everything helps.        Please keep in mind that our current situation, though it took us by surprise, isn’t something shocking, exhausting, or worrying to the Lord.  Unlike us, He is able to work through difficulties instead of just getting through them.  The Bible is full of examples where God has used difficulties (greatest example: Jesus’ death on the cross) to bring about great results (greatest result: salvation to many).  He has already given us a peace and the help of so many people.  Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words and messages.  We are now trying to take care of some small details.  Getting a new phone for Julie and trying to get her old numbers reinstated on this new phone.  And we are still thinking of those back in Croatá.  We have to let them know about it and cancel our weekend meetings we were planning on being back for.       Our missionary friends loaned us a vehicle that will fit our family.  Other colleagues brought it in.  And yet others have come for moral support and to let us use one of their car seats, so we only have to buy one other car seat at this point.  There has been an outpouring of support at the local church level, too, with Pastor Misael being such a well-loved, central figure in the area.  It’s been amazing.  We’ve relived it a hundred times, each time realizing one more area where the Lord protected us or didn’t allow the thieves to take one other thing.  It’s been amazing to see God’s grace through the whole situation.