Missionary Calvin Gardner Update

September 5, 2010
Dear Faithful Prayer Warriors,
Greetings in Our Lord Jesus Christ from Brazil! The Lord was merciful to preserve our going out and coming in between continents this last Monday and Tuesday. We left Pastor Koenig’s home for the airport around noon on Monday and arrived in our home in Presidente Prudente around five o’clock on Tuesday. Joy was there to meet us and it was good to see her at that time and then later the next day to see David when our schedules of our rest and his work synchronized. Praise the Lord with us for His mercies among the children of men.

After fourteen weeks of furlough we were ready to return to Brazil and get busy again. During this short furlough we ministered to twenty-six churches, drove over ten thousand miles, participated in three family reunions and one wedding. I gained almost twenty pounds in this short time from your loving care around the table. I gained much edification from your zealous care of us around the Word of God as well. Thank you each one for your fervent prayers, tender care of our persons and generous offerings for the work. May the Lord be pleased to fill you with such blessings in a double portion is our prayer for you.
Since our return we have focused on unpacking and resting up from our journeys. So far we have all our bags unpacked and almost everything put away. We are back into our regular routines of mealtimes and rest periods. I have been calling the local brethren and our colleagues in the ministry by phone to see how everyone is doing. It is good to be in touch with everyone again. I look forward to this week of getting back into the work. However, I can only do so bit by bit as my stamina is not equal to the desire to get busy. In the meantime I am listening to several of the sermons on CD and DVD that many of you blessed me with.
All of us are well at this writing. On Friday night David traveled to visit Daniel and hopes to return Monday morning Lord willing. We thank you for praying for traveling mercies.
I have a Vonage phone number and ask you to please call us anytime you think it necessary. The phone number is 330 439-6151. It is an Ohio phone number but rings here in Brazil. You pay only for the long distance charges to Ohio yet we get the call in our home here five thousand miles away. Is not technology wonderful?
Thank you again for your passionate care of us before the throne of grace.

Yours in Our Lord,
Bro. Calvin G. Gardner
330 439-6151

“You have not taken God to be your God if you cannot be content with Him alone” – C. H. Spurgeon

P.S. I was asked some questions about my Ohio phone number that you can dial from there in the USA and ring me here in Brazil, or, for that matter, wherever I am (except heaven of course). First of all, the number I gave you (330 439-6151) really is a phone number with a Wooster, Ohio area code. Everyone in that 330 area code region dials us for free. Everyone outside that particular area code region dials long distance and the rates charged are relative to the distance they are from Wooster. Could not be simpler!
I was asked about our time zone here in Brazil and the time difference that could be expected whenever anyone would happen to call us. This takes a little bit more explanation, so hold on. About our time zone just figure that since 90% of South America is EAST of New York we always get the sunshine before the East Coast even knows it is day, so you can figure us always at least one hour ahead of you. When you FALL BACK an hour we become two hours ahead of you for a little while. A couple of weeks later we SPRING FORWARD an hour so we become three hours ahead of you. We stay three hours ahead of you until YOU Spring Forward an hour which cuts US back to being only two hours ahead of you. But this is only for a short time since WE soon Fall Back an hour as we come off daylight-saving time making us return to our beginning one hour advantage. Simple is it not? So call away! I doubt you will ever call us in the middle of the night.
If you would like it explained differently you could give us a call. But until then we will bid you adieu.