August 10, 2006

A Blast from the Past

The Baptist Mid-Missions work here in Northeastern Brazil was founded by Edward "Guy" McLain back in the 1930's. Life here was much different back then than it is now. Recently, Guy McLain's son Philip posted some comments on some of the vintage pictures I have on the photos page--giving us a first-hand glimps as to what life was like for those pioneer missionaries and their families. I am posting the photos with his comments here.

I remember when a monsignor was murdered in about 1948 by a man because he refused to marry a black man to a white woman not far from here....there was a huge funeral and bon fire in front of this church. We lived just down the steet from the church and I could see the crowd and the flames....I remember hearing people chanting "kill the protestants". I had nightmares about that for years afterward. God is gracious in His protection.

George Knutson, unknown man, Guy McLain

1941 or '42

1941 picture...Guy and Inez McLain

The girls that lived with us in our home downtown...Inez McLain is standing on the left.

This is Guy McLain baptising...Inez is at the organ and Jonathan's head is visible behind the Brazilian boy. Probably taken in the early 60's when they traveled north from Sao Paulo for meetings in Juazeiro.

Getting to Juazeiro in the early years was a trip.....2 days by train.

I believe this is Inez McLain and a Sunday School Class

Water boys.

Edward Guy McLain in our first home in downtown Juazeiro....I used to sit where dad is standing and talk to people as the walked by...the girls used to call me angino (little angel) because of my blond hair and blue eyes....boy were they ever wrong!!

Guy McLain is the man in the dark tie. The little boy standing if front of Guy is probably me (Philip). If you enlarge the picture you can see Charles Hocking peeking around the corner of the doorway. This was taken in Crato.

This looks like one of the BMM conferences....these are all missionaries in the room. This is a classroom at the old MK Academy.

These are the kids that lived on the property....an early picture...about 1950....Louise Kinsall (Brooks) on the left...note the high wall....other more recent pictures show the wall as being chest high.

This is early picture of the house my dad (Guy McLain) built on the same property as the church. It served as our home, and each wing housed grade school and high school students....the boys in one wing and the girls in the other. We moved in in 1950 and lived here for one year before going to Fortaleza in 1951 because of dad's health.

I think this is the back yard for the first church in Juazeiro...as you know, most houses had yards in the back...but, this also might be Crato, where the Hockings lived and had a church.

First Seminary Building....

The airplane belonged to Harold Reiner...a Piper Tri-pacer. Not sure where....but not Juazeiro....the airport there was paved.

This class must have graduated about 1959 or so...in the front row is Jim Willson, Florence Willson, Nezita (she lived with us in Sao Jose dos Campos in 1954 & 1955, don't know the middle girl, Peggy Babcock, Bernice Lynn, and Mary Mills. The reason I think this must be 1959 or so is because Bernice Lynn is in the picture. She died in a plane crash that killed Peter Reiner and put Harold in the hopital for a long time...Not sure when that was, but I know it was shortly after I was in Brasil in the summer of 1960.

Harold, Ruth, Tim and I forget the baby's name.

This is the first church building - started by Guy McLain and Jim Willson. It was just a block or two (as I remember it) from the main praca. The crosses were painted on the door and the walls by locals as a curse against the "protestantes". We also found macumba chickens and such at the doorstep many times.

I believe this is a picture of the girls that lived with Guy and Inez McLain while attending high school in 1946-1947. The missionary women are (from left to right in the second row) Louise Kinsall (before she married Pete Brooks), Florence Willson, Inez McLain. I don't know the names of the Brazilians.

This is the first Seminary building under construction about 1948.

This is a funeral....the object in the hammock is a body...one of the Christians from the church in Juazeiro....someone waiting for us in Glory? I hope so.
Philip McLain

Harold Reiner's Tri pacer 1960...on a trip I (Philip McLain) took with him the summer I was there to visit my parents.

This is Pedro Metozo and his wife....one of the first converts under Guy McLain's ministry.

The three boys in the front from left to right: David Willson (son of Jim and Florence), Philip McLain (son of Guy and Inez McLain), Jack Hocking (son of Charlie and Martha Hocking) about 1947-48.
The woman on the right in the orange dress is Martha Hocking and the woman in front of her in the flowered dress holding the hymn book is Louise Kinsall Brooks. This is in the church that was downtown, before the campus was built that now houses the First Baptist Church

Guy, Jonathan, Philip, Inez McLain in a hotel...about 1948

Tom Willson Baptizing

The man is Jim Willson...One of the originals in Juaziero. Note his left arm...Jim had polio as a child and was weak on the left side.

This car is a Chevy Carry-all, forerunner to the Chevy Suburban. Owned by Guy McLain - taken between 1946- 1949

Harold and Ruth Reiner. The boy is Tim Reiner - Missionary to Brasil. Don't remember the girls' names, and not sure who the other woman is....taken in the mid 50's.

Posted by Andrew on August 10, 2006 6:07 PM.

Comments

Posted by: Marv Fray at August 14, 2006 11:32 PM

Posted by: Jim Leonard at August 15, 2006 12:38 PM