May 2003

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Gordon and Dorothy Gartrell in church-planting and evangelism work in the large city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Our partner church here in Brazil is the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil. For the last year and five months we have been working with three churches in the area. In January, Gordon was elected chair of the presbytery mission’s committee. That has involved some travel to visit and encourage the churches of our presbytery. Dorothy was elected a deaconess this year. She is a delegate to the national deaconate conference in the state of São Paulo the first week of May.

Let me (Gordon) introduce you to Edivan. He worked with us last year as a lay evangelist taking care of the brand-new congregation in Laudo de Freitas. The work began with eight members. For many years Edivan had his own mechanic’s shop where he trained young men to be master mechanics. For a number of years the Lord had been working on him, letting him know that one day God would use him. Edivan tried to drown out these ideas with the use of alcohol. God persisted.

Little by little the Lord showed Edivan that he had ministry skills. One day he turned to a co-worker and said, “As of now, this shop belongs to you.” For a number of years, Edivan served as a lay evangelist in two places, strengthening small congregations.

Edivan felt called to seminary to be an ordained pastor, but he faced a barrier because he had not completed high school. He’s 44 years old, has a wife and four children. Our seminaries require a high school diploma or its equivalent to study there.

I asked him in October of 2002 if he would consider moving to Fortaleza and studying at the seminary. He said, “Let me talk to the family.” They decided that they should go. That was a huge answer to prayer!

Edivan still needed to pass two exams to get his diploma. These exams are only given in February or March, but he needed to start school in February. By the mercies of God, the exams were given in late January and he passed. His older two boys stayed here in town because they are gainfully employed. His wife, Vanda, went with him, as did their daughters, Vanessa and Rachel. Quality schools opened their doors for Vanessa and Rachel even though other students had been turned away.

Vanda is also taking seminary classes. Everything fell into place just at the right moment, in God’s timing, so they could both study at the seminary. We’re grateful to God that another couple is being trained to serve the Lord of the Harvest here in this massive country of Brazil.

I have been very busy this year building a new church and living quarters for the pastor in Laudo de Freitas. We began building late January. I had hoped we would be finished by the end of March. We have been able to build the church and apartment over the church through donations given for our work. I’ve been going out there every day. We dedicated the church building in April. The classroom is not ready yet, but should be in the near future. It has taken a lot more time and money that I had originally thought. Lives are being touched by God’s grace.

We appreciate your continued prayers for our work. We deal with a number of hurting people. Physical needs must be met, so they are open to the gospel of the Lord Jesus. It’s hard to hear of the love of Jesus when you’re hungry. We do see lives being transformed. Pray that that continues. Pray for safety in travel.

Yours in Christ’s service,

Gordon and Dorothy Gartrell

The 2003 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, page 258