— By Dr. Howard W. Norton

Our ship docked in Santos, Brazil, on June 17, 1961. Passengers included thirteen missionary families with nineteen little ones. Jane was seven months pregnant with our third child. Ted was born on August 19, 1961. Jane and I were in our mid-twenties with three small children in a new country, with a new job, and a new language to learn.

Near the end of September, I was diagnosed with hepatitis. The doctor told me that to avoid a lifetime of problems, I should remain in bed for a month. Suddenly, Jane fell heir to a Big Baby besides the little ones.

I gathered key materials beside my bed: Bibles, a Portuguese grammar, reading materials, and a radio for listening to the new language. A friend delivered a Brazilian newspaper every day, and Jane brought my meals. I lay in bed one month and studied Portuguese.

Although it was the October of our discontent, God blessed me. I gained a grasp of Portuguese that I’ve used to teach, preach, and write the Lord’s message for nearly 60 years. Confinement seems like a curse, but it becomes a blessing if we put it to good use.