Donna Rae Gislason and Clifford Eugene Biel Get Married

This year we celebrate 50 years since my parents got married in August, 1960.  They knew each other for six weeks before they got engaged, and six months later they committed to a life together which would take them to Brazil for eighteen years and then on to Wisconsin.

Este ano celebramos 50 anos desde que os meus pais se casaram em agosto de 1960.  Eles se conheciam por seis semanas antes de ficarem noivos e seis meses depois, se prometeram a uma vida juntos que os levariam ao Brasil por dezoito anos e depois de volta aos Estados Unidos em Wisconsin.

Grandpa Joe (Mom's father)

O pai da minha mãe.

Grandpa Joe, Grandma Helen, Donna, Cliff, Grandma Mary and Grandpa Harvey

Os avôs

Glen Gislason, Marian Biel, Marian Gislason, the pastor, Donna, Clifford, Stanley Biel, Nyla Gislason, ...., Louie Biel

Grandma Helen and Jay Gislason (Mom's youngest brother)

Antonio Roberto Monteiro de Oliveira (Toninho)

Visita aos EU, Pastor Biel no seu escritorio.
Visit to the US, Pastor Biel in his office.

Meu nome é Antonio R M Oliveira, tenho 50 anos. Hoje sou advogado. E quero testemunhar a respeito do P. Biel. Pastor Biel entrou em minha vida ainda na infância, quando minha mãe, muito doente, tentava garantir a sobrevivência dos três filhos, trabalhando, sempre doente, como professora de bordados. Não tínhamos nenhuma ligação com a Igreja Luterana, mas sabendo da doença e das dificuldades de minha mãe, o P. Biel vinha nos visitar, e nos trazer palavras de conforto, orar e mais de uma vez eu o vi também trazer comida, vendo nossa miséria. E sempre me convidava gentilmente a frequentar a Escola dominical. Apesar de vir do estrangeiro, dos EUA que imaginava na época como a terra prometida de riqueza e poder, o P. Biel era um homem simples nos seus modos, na maneira de vestir, e preferia andar de bicicleta a usar o carro da igreja. A forma gentil e carinhosa do P. Biel me conquistou, de maneira que fui ficando na Igreja Luterana, e fiz o curso do Ensino Confirmatório, e depois a confirmação em 1973.

My name is Antonio R M Oliveira and I am 50 years old. Today I am a lawyer. I want to give testimony in respect to Pastor Biel. He came into my life when I was still a child, when my mother was very sick and tried to guarantee the survival of her three children, working, always sick, as a teacher of embroidery. We had no ties with the Lutheran Church, but knowing of the illness and difficulties of my mother, Pastor Biel would come visit us. He brought words of comfort, prayers and more than once, I also saw him bring food as he saw our misery. And, he would always invite me with gentleness to come and frequent Sunday School. Even though he was a foreigner, Pastor Biel was always a simple man in his ways, in the way he dressed and he would prefer to ride a bike over using the Church's car. His gentle and loving ways won me over and I ended up hanging around the Church. I went through Confirmation and was Confirmed in 1973.

Confirmacao/Confirmation 1973

Como meus pais eram separados, acho que adotei o P. Biel como um pai substituto. E adotei um pouco sua família como minha segunda família, e seus filhos como minhas irmãs e irmão. Ao ponto de fazer aulas de piano com eles. P. Biel sempre foi carismático, comunicava idéias complexas de forma simples. Prá falar de Abraão no retiro de jovens, ele se fantasiava de Abraão e dramatizava o papel.

As my parents were separated, I think I adopted Pastor Biel as a substitute father. And, I adopted his family a bit as my second family, his children as my sisters and brother. I even studied piano with them. Pastor Biel was always charismatic, communicating complex ideas in simple forms. To speak about Abraham at the youth retreats, he would dress up like Abraham and dramatize the role.

Pastor Biel dramatizando Abraão
Pastor Biel as Abraham
(Note: The "Abraham" was actually Isaac, blessing his children before he died.
It was done at a Bible Camp in Londrina.
O Abraão era realmente Isaque, abencoando seus filhos antes de morrer.
Isso foi num Acampamento Biblico em Londrina. Pastor Biel)

Era impossível não acreditar. Por sua sinceridade, prá qualquer um que o escutava ficava evidente a importância de sua mensagem. Frequentei o grupo de jovens da comunicade e graças ao incentivo do P. Biel, me increvi para um Curso Bíblico de Assistente Comunitário do Instituto Evangélico Luterano de Londrina. Sra. Donna foi minha madrinha no final do curso. Aliás, é preciso fazer justiça e reconhecer que Donna sempre foi uma pessoa amável e querida como o próprio P. Biel.

It was impossible not to believe. Because of his sincerity, the importance of his message was evident to anyone who listened. I participated in the Church's Youth Group and thanks to Pastor Biel's encouragement, I signed up for a Community Assistant Bible Course at the Evangelic Lutheran Institute in Londrina. Mrs. Donna was my godmother at the end of the course. By the way, it is necessary to be fair and to recognize that Donna was always a loving person and as loved as Pastor Biel.

Donna e Toninho, Formatura da IEL, 1976

Ainda pelo incentivo do P. Biel, decidi fazer teologia e me tornar pastor como ele. Na minha juventude, a influência do P. Biel foi marcante. Tive nele um conselheiro amigo, compreensivo, enérgico ao mesmo tempo. E passei ileso pela maior parte dos perigos da juventude. Quando me ofereceram drogas pela primeira vez, eu me lembrei que meu corpo é templo do Espírito Santo e disse NÃO, com convicção. Me tornei pastor, e o apoio moral do P. Biel me ajudou a superar as dificuldades do ministério e encontrar inspiração para levar missão adiante, pelas várias comunidades pelas quais passei.

Still encouraged by Pastor Biel, I decided to study theology and become a pastor like he was. In my youth, he had great influence on me. I had in him a friendly counsel, understanding and energetic at the same time. And, I went through my youth unharmed by the dangers I faced. When I was offered drugs for the first time, I remembered that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and I said, "NO!" with conviction. I became a pastor and Pastor Biel continued to give me his moral support as I faced the difficulties of ministry. He helped me find the inspiration I needed to continue the mission in the various congregations I served.

Tive o priviléigo de poder visitar a família do P. Biel depois de seu retorno aos EUA e foi acolhido com muito amor. Aliás, AMOR, foi a marca registrada do ministério do Pastor Biel.

I had the privilege of visiting Pastor Biel's family after they returned to the United States and I was received with a lot of love. In fact, LOVE was the registered trademark of Pastor Biel's ministry.

Toninho, Donna, Pastor Biel 1990
Mondovi, Wisconsin, USA

Sei que não sou nenhuma exceção como beneficiário do amor que ele manifestava. Ele sempre foi uma pessoa amorosa com todos. E seu amor é que sempre credibilidade a sua mensagem. Tive várias orientações políticas ao longo de minha vida. E na juventude, também a fase "revolucionária" de contestação a que via como o imperialismo norte-americano. Mas nunca consegui ver o P. Biel como norte-americano. Ele era um cidadão do mundo. Prá ele uma pessoa era em primeiro lugar um filho de Deus, tão digno e tão amado a ponto de Cristo ter dado a vida por ele. E ele tinha paciência para não politizar as coisas e dizer sempre que o ser humano é que importa. Pobres, ricos, brancos, negros, criança, jovens, idosos, cada pessoa era sempre especial para o P. Biel. E isso que faz diferença, afinal de contas.

I know that I am not an exception as a beneficiary of the love that he manifested. He was always a loving person to all. And this love made his message believable. I've had various political orientations throughout my life. And, when I was younger, I went through a "revolutionary" phase, protesting against North American imperialism. But, I was never able to see Pastor Biel as a North American. He was a world citizen. To him, a person was first a child of God, full of dignity and so loved that Christ gave his life for that child. And, he had the patience to keep from politicizing life, always saying that the human being was what was important. Poor, rich, white, black, child, youth, aged; each person was special to Pastor Biel. And, this, after all is what counts.

Pastor Biel, Aquidaba 1974

A passagem da família do P. Biel deixou um rastro de luz no Brasil. Até hoje, décadas depois, todo mundo lembra dele e de sua família.

Pastor Biel's family passage here left a ray of light in Brazil. Even now, decades later, everyone remembers him and his family.

O Brasil daquela época em que P. Biel esteve aqui, melhorou um pouco, progrediu, embora ainda esteja longe de resolver seus graves problemas sociais. E, tenho certeza que o papel educativo e missionário que o P. Biel desempenhou e sua contribuição pessoal tornaram nossa vida melhor. Sou muito grato a Deus pela vida do P. Biel, de Donna, Rachel, Charles e Helen. Que Deus os abençoe e recompense pelo seu amor.

The Brazil from that time when Pastor Biel was here has improved a bit, progressed, although it is still far from resolving its acute social problems. And, I am sure that the educational and missionary roles played by Pastor Biel and his personal contribution made our lives better. I am very grateful to God for the lives of Pastor Biel, of Donna, Rachel, Charles and Helen. May God bless them and reward them for their love.

Na fazenda do Tio Stan, irmao do Pastor Biel, 1990
At Uncle Stan's farm, Pastor Biel's brother, 1990

The Rural Germans

I think these three photos are from Aquidaba, one of Dad's preaching points.  Sunday mornings he preached in Maringa, which we all attended.  Then, in the afternoon, he would rotate between rural churches up to an hour away.  Mom would take us to the movies and we hated it when we had to go out to these rural places.  Not because of the place itself or because of the people, but because we had to fidget through the same sermon we had already heard in the morning.  "Oh, no..... not again!"  One thing I learned from my father, which I still believe is key to life in the church, is that you don't go because you enjoy it or get something out of it.  You go because you are there for the community.  You go to give.

The photo above looks like a Confirmation photo.  I do remember the blond.  She was considered to be the hottest girl around.  I agree.  She was stunning. The precocious girl at the front probably wanted all of Dad's attention for herself.

The three German guys below were pillars of the community.  We were at their houses many times.  These people dedicated themselves to the church, many walking for miles to get there on Sunday afternoons.

I love the way these guys are standing.  They look like a cover for some band, all cool, all carefully poised.  But, notice the hands.  Don't they look huge?  That's called hard work.  The guy in blue looks like my cousin Scott.

-Rachel

Rachel's Baptism

Well, it's supposed to be a sacred experience, right? But, as you can see, I had absolutely no hope of looking towards a "normal" future. If you think I am strange, this is the proof: it's genetic! Mom being normal was not enough.

My outfit is beautiful! Dad's aunt made it (right? I'm thinking Great Aunt Martha who was also his Godmother...) and it is completely hand stitched, including little shoes. I still have it and some day hope to display it somehow.
-Rachel

More photos from my baby book.  Dad and Mom.

 

 

 Uncle Louie (Dad's youngest brother)

Aunt Marion (Dad's sister)

Estas fotos sao do meu batismo em 1962.  Ainda estavamos nos Estados Unidos.  A roupa que estou usando foi feita pela tia do meu pai, completamente costurado a mao.  O meu tio Louie e tia Marion, irmaos do meu pai tambem estao nestas fotos.