When Perseverance Endures Long after You’re Gone
Sam Rainer
Like you, I get a lot of emails. I try to answer all of them within 24 hours, but sometimes it takes me a couple of days to get through them. When I noticed an email from Icaro, I did not read it immediately. I do not know an Icaro. When I read his message two days later, I realized how important it was.
In 1923, my church sent a group of missionaries to Brazil. Joseph Brandon, his wife, and four children were among them. Sometime in 1935 a six year-old orphan named Emilio heard Brandon preach and accepted Jesus Christ.
Fast forward to 2012. Emilio is approaching 85 years. He reads his Bible every day. He sings a hymn from the Brazilian hymnal every day.
How do I know this? Icaro is his grandson.
In his message, Icaro pleads with our church not to stop our work in Brazil (I reply we have no intention of stopping). He wrote to tell me that every generation in Icaro’s family since Emilio have accepted Christ. It’s a legacy of faith enduring through generations.
The evidence of faithful perseverance is twofold. God keeps His children. And His children endure. And in the case of a generational legacy of faith, perseverance endures long after you’re gone.
Hi. I am Icaro. I wrote that e-mail to the Pastor Sam. And I’m very happy because I really have a legacy of faithful and If is the God’s wish, I’ll be able to the ministery, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. I want studying at the seminary here at my city. When it happens you all will be the first knowing that. I have good news. My mom is at Peru in Arequipa city, to help some brothers of the Philadelphia Baptist Church because they was needing some food and something else. Pray to God about her travel. Thank you again, In the Peace of the lord Jesus Christ.
ÍCARO ALENCAR DE OLIVEIRA
Thanks for commenting Icaro. It is amazing we can connect through technology. May Christ be proclaimed from Murray, KY to Brazil and all over the world!