RURAL BRYANT, SD, PRESENTS:

37590 Jacutinga, M.G., Brazil

Nov. 4, 1989

MS Gloria Brown

[Address withheld]

Dear Gloria:

Calvin gave us your up-dated address and encouraged us to come by and see you when we get to the states along in Jan., Lord willing. Excuse me for putting an accent over the "O" in your name. Am used to writing in Portuguese. An O which has two sylables after it has that kind of an accent over it. It could be close to the beginning of Feb. when we'd get close to Atlanta. We have a church that has helped support us since in the fifties, located in College Park which we most likely will visit. That's on the other side of Atlanta from you not too far from the Airport.

We do not know for sure at this stage if we shall be going to Greenville on that trip or not. If we do we would not be very far from your house. Just in case we should be able to visit you and you'd be home and would be able to receive us, I would like to ask you a few questions. From Calvin's sketch we would turn off at Exit 40. How far is that from Atlanta city limits. And then how far is your house from exit 40? That would give us an idea just how far out of the way we would go just in case we would not continue on to Greenville on this first trip thru there. We shall be headed, Lord willing, thru Chattanooga, Memphis, Tulsa, Dallas, El Paso, Tucson, Phoenix, L.A., and on north to Seattle to visit Aunt Pearl, Bernice, and various friends. We may run into weather, but will hope, no earthquakes.

Was so glad to hear you were at the "family reunion". Hope you can repeat it this coming year. But we would like to see you in your own "setting" if this is the Lord's will. I think you know what I mean. This would be a real delight for me and Cora.

Our plan is to come back to Brazil along in Oct. [1990], most likely celebrate our 50th Wed. anniv. here in Brazil if He so works it out.

Do greet your children when you write them. They grew up without knowing too well their Aunty Cora.

May this find you being encouraged in the Word and in the our blessed Lord Jesus Christ.

Cora joins in sending our love and very best wishes to you, Gloria. Please feel free to always call on us if there is anything we can do.

In His marvelous grace, Carl and Cora

That fact alone makes this letter most poignant and worth preserving for Stadem posterity.

Now a few observations about the Taylors: Anyone who knew my Uncle Carl and Aunt Cora couldn't help but love them--they were so full of Jesus and His love for people, including RELATIONS on both sides. Could we all be more like them? It would truly give a tremendous boost to all "family reunions" in the future. It is "fervent love" the Bible speaks of that "covers a multitude of sins." Read I & II Thessalonians sometime. They are short epistles. The Thessalonians were a new, young church, newly formed from souls saved from paganism and still had fornication (of all things) in their midst, apparently, shown from Paul's telling them to abstain from it, but he still strongly commended them for their brotherly love, that is how high he valued love amongs the believers in the church. In our family reunions at PVF, love should be also a high priority, as then we will find all the other problems people bring as baggage will be worked out in God's time and way and not fester beneath the surface, destroying fellowship or dampening it, as I have seen happen there on PVF at times. With love, an entirely different Spirit operates and pervades everything. Everything goes so much better then with Love in charge. Forgiveness and Reconciliation are loving sisters or brothers too, and they attend Love, arm in arm. Wouldn't you agree, all? I am not saying these things just to say nice things, love is an absolute essential, not an option.--Ed.]