Prayer Request - Missionary Seriously Injured in Shooting in Brazil

Article from GARBC:

July 06, 2005

Missionary Seriously Injured in Shooting in Brazil

John Leonard, Baptist Mid-Missons missionary to Brazil, was shot three times after a church service last Sunday in the town of Coqueiro Seco. John was in Brazil to care for his son, Joshua, who had recently broken his right ankle, right wrist, and hip from a fall and seizure. John was rushed to a public hospital about a half hour away in the capital city of Maceió. He was conscious and able to talk, and the doctors said that his condition was not life threatening. A missionary from another agency stayed with him during the night.

Please pray for the following requests:

1. for God's grace and help for John and for his wife Bev and their three children who are in the States;
   
2. for God's help in working out the legal hurdles for John and Josh to leave Brazil;
   
3. for wisdom for those who are making the decisions as to where John should receive medical care;
   
4. for the doctors who will perform the surgery;
   
5. for God to use this event for the furtherance of the gospel in Brazil.

Arrangements are being made to transport John and Josh back to the United States for medical care.

Evidently, during the church service three men waited outside of the church in a car. When the service concluded, two of the men entered the church, asking for Pastor John. When John turned to greet them, they fired two shots. One bullet grazed his neck and broke some teeth, and the other bullet hit his arm. After he fell to the ground, one of the gunmen fired another shot that severed his spinal cord. It appears that he is paralyzed in both arms and legs. The gunmen ran from the church and got away in a car. One of the members of a church John organized in Maceió is a police official and was able to get police protection placed around the hospital.