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VOLUME XVIII

JANUARY - MARCH 1999

NUMBER 1

He says to the snow. Tall on the earth

Job 37:6 [NIV]

V\/hat a difference a few weeks make! During our furlough God blessed us with excellent traveling weather, for the most part. It is always a joy to be in "our house" in KImberlin Heights, TN and to spend time with Mike and Mary Lou Bieh! and kids. We
could not have asked for any more beautiful weather until the last couple of weeks. The weather turned cold and snow began to fall.

As we were leaving Knoxville and were making our way to New Yorkto depart from there to Lisbon, Portugal, the weather
took a turn for the worse - a winter version, One can see the difference between the photo taken in the middle of October

and the other one taken at the beginning of January in our yard

Bcomefrozen."

in Tennessee. The words of Ellhu to Job in verses 9 & 10 seem to

describe the change in the weather, '7he tempest comes out from its ctiamber, tt)e cold from frte driving winds. Tt)ebreath of
God produces ice, and ttie broad waters be-

As we made our way to Pennsylvania, the snow became a very real problem. When we got to Pittsburgh, PA, the snow and ice In

creased. Bill (Dick's brother) and Mary Robison, supporters for many years, provided a needed rest for the remainder of the trip to NY. We decided to leave under snowy conditions and made our way to visit the Thomases in Wliliamsport, PA for a short time. Since there

was a deadline to meet on January 20th and

there were things tobe doneoncewearrived

in New York before we could embark, we
decided to leave there in bad weather as

^
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well.

Through all of this God was with us.

Nothing happened to usduring the hundreds

of miles over snow and sometimes ice-cov-

' T

ered roads. For this we praise the One who

controls the weather!

It wasa realblessing to arrive in Glen Cove,

'tT^H

NY and to see Jim and Ann Phegley and kids * " J| and spend some quality time with them be- L _ ^ ^
fore leaving New York. David Roblson, our son. had prepared his Chevy van for us to use during our furlough. It never failed us during this last trip and provided us with top-notch wheels for the four months in the USA. (Please keep in mind that it has been 18 years since we had traveled on the snow and ice. Normally our furlough time is in the summer and early fall.)

yp-!

Old Planes vs. New Planes

Uln^^BSSSi iiliBESSSr
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London, which was interesting. However, would you like to have flown on the first airplane? Dr. Floyd Clark took Sarah and me to
where powered flight first took place. The Wright brothers, from Dayton, OH mode quite

travel d backto Portugalona Boeing

British Air. We had a five-hour layover

Kitty Hawk, NC to see for ourselves the place

" Q mark on the world today. Only 96 years ago they flew for the first time. Space travel is related to their first efforts almost 100 years ago. I am glad that we have the better planes today.

For This Reason'

Our base of operations was in Knoxville, TN and we visited Johnson Bible College several times during fur lough. "For This Reason," a group of students from JSC came and worked with us in Portugal in the summer of '98. Short visits with all nine members of the group were possible from time to time. However, it was not possible togetallofthemtogether. Sarah. Noemia. Dawn, Jessie and Kristen did moke a special effort to spend some moments with us at our house. They shared their plans for the present and future with us.

Not a "Lone Ranger" Mission

It does not take long for a missionary to realize that by
himself he cannot do much. One needs also the 'Tonfos"os

well. Ittakes a team effort. Once again Iwant to emphasize the great work that Dr. Phil and Dot Wiltshire do for us. They serve us daily in the USA. Their work isessential to what we do here. For almost 18 years their faithfulness to God and Portugal Christian Missionand the Robison family has kept us going. Thank you, Phil & Dot! Thank you. faithful supporters.

AVery Speciai Cliristmas

For the first time in 25 years we had a family reunion at Christmas. Most of the time we get together during furlough, but that isusually dur
ing the spring or fall. A very special time was enjoyed by all 15 people and 2 dogs. All gath
ered in Tennessee at the house in Kimberlln

Heights. TN. Our prayer is that it will not be 25 more years before we have another reunion like
this one,

Anna Fiavia Fife at JBC

Anna Fiavia Fife, the oldest daughter of Robert & Derlani Fife, our colleagues in the work here, has
enrolled at JBC for the second semester. She Is the

second young person from Carcavelos. Portugal to enroll at Johnson. Please pray for her as she adjusts to college life in a new country among
new friends.

RETIREMENT: Contrary to whqt some have asked and evidently some have stated, "We are not
retiring now and are not seelcing employment in Itte USA." Please correct this false information whenever you hear it. When thistime arrivesinthe future, you can rest assured that we will let you
know firsthand.

KNEE OPERATION: Dr. Voumons, orthopedic surgeon at UT Medical Center, gave Dick the
assurance that no knee operation (left one) isnow necessary. He said, "I'll see you in a couple of
years." Praise the Lord for this news.

REtURN TRIP: PraisetoGodfor thereturn ofour passportsand Resident Cards in theLondon airport.
Evidently, Dickdropped them while in the bathroom and they were returned to the information
desk. Another praise to the One in Heaven!

LEADERSHIP MEETING: After returning to Portugal, a leadership conference made significant strides to return to evaluate and to implement basic changes to our structure and outreach. DEBT RETIREMENT OF BUILDING: Sixteen more payments on the church building in Carcavelos need to be made. Praise God for this! Thank you for those who have been faithful through the
years and for special offerings for this project while in the States.

DEATH IN FAMILY: Col. Joseph Beck, retired, brother-in-law of Sarah, passed away on December 31st in Macon, GA. Dickparticipated Inthe funeral and we ministered to the family. PROJECT "600": Keep this project inyour prayers and inyour support as we seek to increase these

commitments. Weare$1^ belowthe$600thatweneedeach monthforthetwoevangelistshere.

APARTMENT FOUND!: We just received confirmation that, after a 10-month search, we will close

a deal for rental of an apartment in Montijo for Ediison Bandeira. Praise the Lord !

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VOLUME XVill

APRIL-JUNE 1999

NUMBER 2

"0 Death Where is Thy Sting? 0 Grave, Where is Thy Victory? iCorinthians 15:BS
Jackie Brant were missionaries in Zam-

Malawi, and most recently in Spain. However,

on his motorcycle and entered into a coma from

I^^Ba m

oble to visit them. Their daughterswerealsothere

m

^^^ich he never recovered. He lived about two

Portugal. There was a great outpouring of love from the acquaintances of the Brants. Especially helpful were Rob and Cindy Schooff who arrived recently to work with

saints." (Psa\m 116:15). Another verse that comes to

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his

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^

/hem."(14:13). Of course this has been a great shock to g|jr the missionaries in Iberia - Portugal and Spain. Pray -' ^
Spain.

in the Lordfrom henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, thatthey may rest from their labours, and their worics do foiiow

mind is from Revelation: "Blessedare the dead which die

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especially for the Shoaffs as they continue language learning and adaptation to Ten years ago, God called missionary Bill Loft home from Spain. A Spanish

preacher, Jesus Martinez, died a few years ago as well. It is not easy to interest
people in Europe as a mission field in spite of the obvious statistics available which indicate that the old continent is In need of evangelization. The Christian church/ church of Christ missionary force in Iberia has been reduced again, We have not

despaired but are trusting God to "thrust out more workers into His vineyard." Pray with us that God will touch others to come and join with us in trying to reach the 55 million people in these two countries. Who will come and help us "Carry the Torch?"
How beautiful it is for man to die

Upon the walls ofZion! To be called,

Lil<e a watch-worn and weary sentinel!

To put his armor off and rest - in heaven!
Nathaniel Parker Willis: On the Death of a t\/ilsslonary

Iberian Conference fer Missionaries

David Eubanks, President of

Johnson Bible College of Knoxville, Tennessee will do the Bible exegesis from the bool<of Hebrews each session. His wife, Margaret, will accompany him. Put this on
your calendar for special prayer that God wili greatly bless the missionaries, the
guests and Iberia.

Apartment for Woricer in iViontije

Praise the Lord for His provision and timing. For over a year we have been looking and inquiring about living quarters for Edilson Bandiera, who is working with Dickand Sarah in getting a new congregation established In Montijo.
Last summer, when the group from Johnson Bible College, "For ThisReason," was

here, they worked in this

I
*

theasked principal J3~ ji pork, near We hod God for a place then, but prices ffljP ^|H were so high because of
, EXPO, the World's Fair in

I^L|ggg|^'-8P corner of the park, God

4

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Lisbon. On the southwest

blessed us with a 3-room

apartnnent and a bath on

"

II

I the 1st floor. It will serve

well for preliminary meetings and an adequate living space for Edilson. There Is a remote possi bility of obtaining a meeting place in Molta,
nearby. Put this in your prayers as well. Presently, we meet on Sunday afternoons for

praise, communion, Bible study and encourage

ment. Pray for Edilson in the contacts he Is

making. Pray for Dick and Sarah as they also make contacts. May God be praised and glori
fied in this endeavor!

North in Braga City

Carlos Rebelo and his daughter, Caria, are busily engaged in ministering to a fledging group of people who form the nucleus of a new church in Braga, known as the city of the Bishops. "Project 600" funds are helping them in thiswork. Usually,
once a month they make the trip from Braga to Carcavelos to be with the other

leaders where we are discussing basic structure for the present and future of the church In Portugal. The meetings have been very helpful.

Before you move, please send the mailing label with a copy of your new address to
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION, PC Box 13111. Knoxville, TN 37920-0111.

ADDRESSES
Missionories:

Non Profit Org.

37950-9998

Mission Services Association PO Box 13111 Knoxville, TN 37920-0111

U.S. Postage Paid

Knoxville, TN
Permit #374

Dick & Sarah Robison Rua Por do Sol, 29 2775 Carcovelos

Return Service Requested

Portugal E-Mail: np21fl@mail.telepac.pt

or

cibertig@mail.telepac.pt

Phiil & Dot Wiitstiire

4824 Westbourne Dr.

Powder Springs, GA 30127

Teiephone: 770-943-4668

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m
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VOLUME XVIII

OCTOBER-DECEMBER 1999

NUMBER 4

THIS IS OUR LAST CHRISTMAS'

of this mlliennlumi

What would you do differently at Christmas this year If this were your last one? To whom would you give a present? What presents would you give? How would you celebrate
with your church, family, friends? Why not do these same changes now and make your Christmas a different one? Sarah and Icannot be with each of you this Christmas, but we do send you special greetings from Carcavelos, Portugal with a "BIG PORTUGUESE-AMERICAN HUG" from us to you. Have a blessed Christmas and a special New Year.

A CHRISTMAS PRESENT IN OCTORER

We received a very special present in October. Elma Borges Souza, came and visited with us for a few weeks from Brasilia, Brazil. Elma along with her brothers Celso, Pedro and sister Selma spent several years in the "LarCristdo", the Children's Home, In Belem, Para, Brazil in the 50's and 60's. She isnow a mother and grandmother.

-^

It was a very rewarding time together, You can

imagine the time together after thirty years. She was raised along with our children and many others during that time. It was possible to find out the
whereabouts of some of the other children who

were a part of the early years In Brazil. Elma, by her sweet personality, contributed much to our church family here and especially to us while we recuperated from the flu. She made many new friends while here. We are grateful for her, her

family and that which God has done through the years while we were separated, "Troin up a child in fhe way she should go and when she is old, she will not turn from it."(Proverbs 22:6)
Thank you, Elma, for a very refreshing time together.

SPECIAL CHURCH EVENTS

iraver for guidance to raise a child
Wilson and Elsa Spindola, along with the grandmother and godparents, agreed to
present Lucas Spindola to the Lord. Ail promised to do that which is in their power to help raise Lucas in the fear and love of

the Lord, The congregation also gave their

voice to do their part as well. These times

can be used to bind the people of God together in a common goal. Parents need all of the help they can get for this extremely
important task.

>eoDle of God eat toaether

God's people who eat together can do great things. This being our 4th culture, we are
amazed at how the people of God are similarIn many respects, I remember our times while

students, how welcome it was to visit churches on the long weekends. Tennessee, Georgia,
Kentucky and without a doubt North Carolina know how to lay out a spread as well as other parts of the USA, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Portugal is no exception. The people of God are blessed by having such good cooks. Thetime spent at thistime is a real blessing to all who participate.

Beingan international, multi-ethnic church, we are further blessed by special meals prepared
by those of other countries. Recently, we were privileged to have eaten a meal with a Danish flavor. Meals with Portuguese, Brazilians, Angolans, Mozombicans and others are a treat.
Thank you, God, for food.

The oeoDle of God sin toaether

Men praising God honors God, liftsthe spirits of the listeners and those who ore singing. Recently, some of our men, along with visitors, lifted up
their voices to our Father in heaven.

We praise God for our men.

The people of God honor those who

have served Him
Tina Vendncio and other Angolans had the opportunity to welcome to the church 2 missionaries with many years of service in Angola, They are waiting for the war to cease there in order to return. Thank you, God, for faithful
servants.

The oeoDle of God welcome new oeoDle

Seems like more new people are coming our way. We trust our Father who offers us the privilege to minister to them.

"Dorinho," from Brazil, is one of several new faces that grace

our services. Thank you, God, for your people.

Youth are a part of the people of God

Edilson Bandeira, who ministers to our youth, has a fulltime job with them. Our kids are multi ethnic and this makes foran excellent, spicymix. Portugal, Brazil, France, Angola, America, and Mo-

Before you move, pieose send the moiling lobei with a copy of your new address to
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION, PO Box 13111. Knoxville, TN 37920-0111.

ADDRESSES
Missionories:

Non Profit Org.

37950-9998

Mission Services Association PO Box 13111 Knoxville, TN 37920-0111

U,S. Postage Paid

Knoxville, TN
Permit #374

Dick & Sarah Robison Rua Por do Sol 29 2775-680 Corcovelos

Return Service Requested

Portugal
Phone: 0-11-351-21-458-1729

E-Mail; richarcl.robison@clix.pt.

Forwarding Aaents:

Phil & Dot Wiltshire

4824 Westbourne Dr.

Powder Springs, GA 30127

Telephone; 770-943-4668
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