Out of ICU

I talked to Pastor Pat tonight. He said John is back out of ICU but still requests for no visitors. John still has the same abilities as before so there was no loss of feeling or control which is a answer to prayer. Pastor said John had a very tiring day today. I will be bringing up the messages from the guestbook tomorrow and should have another update and will have all the new address added to the mailing list.

- Doug

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Surgery Successful

I was informed yesterday afternoon that John's surgery was successful. They attached a plastic spinal column to allow stabilization and to keep the area from deteriorating. He was put back in ICU for at least 24 hours. Praise God for a successful surgery and pray for it to cause more healing.

- Doug Porter

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Video & News - Iowa Missionary Recovering (from Channel 13 News)

News Article and Video from WHO TV 13 in Des Moines, Iowa:



Iowa Missionary Recovering

Des Moines, July 28th, 2005 -An Iowa missionary continues to recover after being shot multiple times in Brazil. John Leonard just got out of intensive care this week. He nearly died after being shot in the arm and the mouth back on July 3. The closest hospital was an hour away, and then it took six days before he could get on a plane and fly home to Iowa.

"After the service I went out and the guy said whose Pastor John I said 'That's me, how you doing?' He shot me, I can't put a face to him - I've tried to." It only took a second for John Leonard's life to change. He was shot at least two times. One bullet fractured his arm. The other went into his mouth and injured his spinal cord. "I praise the lord for the prayers that everyone's been sending out for us, for our family, for the men who did this to me because I've forgiven them" Leonard told Channel 13.

John has been a missionary in Brazil for 20 years. He and his wife worked in a small fishing village. They started churches and government housing projects, doing whatever they could to make life better for the people who live there. "It's a real dark place, about an hour away on a dirt road to the nearest hospital. A lot of prostitution. A lot of drugs," says Leonard. He and his wife were making big changes in the small village and that, he believes is what led to the shooting. "I don't have any enemies. I would say the only person that would have done this is one of the drug lords."

Dr. Gary Anderson is the president of Baptist Mid-Missions in Ohio. He says there are 1,000 missionaries in 55 countries, and few ever experience this kind of danger. "In my 18 years I've taken four calls of missionaries being shot, but none like this we really. We have no indication that John was doing anything except what he was called to do. We know of no fault with what John was doing."

After six days John was flown from Brazil and rushed to Methodist hospital, where he's been for the last month. His friend Pat Members keeps daily tabs on John's condition as well as the whole Leonard family. "He's very tender hes very grateful to be alive to be able to give glory to God for what has happened to him," Members said. His family waits around the clock for any good news that their dad will pull through what happened.

John is making progress. He's now breathing on his own and has feeling in his upper body. He has a long road ahead and even with everything he's faced, John says he'd still consider going back to that little village in Brazil. "If the Lord gives me strength if he wants me to go down there I'll go."

The Saylorville Baptist Church is the supporting church for the Leonard family. They are offering meals and supporting family and they are also looking for a place for the family to live. John has surgery tomorrow to try to stabilize his spine.

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News - From the USA, John send a message to the faithful

News article from the Gazeta de Alagoas:
Original Portuguese (English Translation Below)

Dos EUA, John envia mensagem aos fiéis

Pastor John, da UTI: "Perdôo quem fez isso comigo"

Da Unidade de Terapia Intensiva, o pastor John enviou, com exclusividade à Gazeta, a seguinte mensagem: "Não tenho a menor idéia de por que alguém quis tirar a minha vida! Seja quem for, perdôo de todo o meu coração! Faço isso porque aprendi na Palavra de Deus em Mateus 5:44 Eu, porém, vos digo: amai a vossos inimigos, bendizei os que vos maldizem, fazei bem aos que vos odeiam e orai pelos que vos maltratam e vos perseguem.

Essa capacidade que tenho para perdoar, não vem de mim, mas daquele que morreu na cruz para pagar o preço do nosso pecado. Romanos 3:23 Porque o salário do pecado é a morte, mas o dom gratuito de Deus é a vida eterna, por Cristo Jesus, nosso Senhor. Entrega a tua vida a Cristo! Pede que Ele pague o preço do teu pecado! Estou no Brasil desde criança, não para fazer mal às pessoas, mas para pregar o Evangelho daquele que me salvou, pagando o preço do meu pecado". ###

Missionário já consegue falar e no futuro vai poder dirigir

O estado de saúde do pastor John David Leonard, 45 anos, continua melhorando. Em contato direto com o pastor Aureliano Colaço, em Alagoas, o irmão da vítima, também pastor, Jim Leonard, falou das esperanças que a família nutre na América do Norte, enquanto acompanha a recuperação do missionário que já consegue articular algumas palavras. "Os médicos aqui dos Estados Unidos já nos falaram que John poderá, no futuro, andar de cadeira de rodas e dirigir um carro adaptado para quem tem o seu problema", comemora.

O pastor John foi atingido por quatro tiros de pistola 380, no dia 3 de julho, por volta das 20h, em frente à Igreja Batista que construiu há cerca de 3 anos, no município de Coqueiro Seco. Uma das balas ficou alojada em seu maxilar e só na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva dos Estados Unidos foi retirada. "John mexe voluntariamente o braço direito, porém o esquerdo foi fraturado por uma bala e ainda não pode ser movimentado", afirmou o pastor Jim Leonard.

De Maceió, o pastor John seguiu em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Aérea, no último dia 8, para os Estados Unidos, num vôo que durou cerca de 18 horas.Infecção nos pulmões

Uma infecção nos pulmões do pastor John David é a maior preocupação dos médicos. Só depois que ela for tratada e seu braço esquerdo for recuperado, uma cirurgia na quarta vértebra de sua coluna poderá ser feita. Apesar do problema, o pastor Jim Leonard garante: "John continua respirando sem ajuda de aparelhos". O pastor também começou a articular algumas palavras, segundo o pastor Aureliano Colaço que responde ainda pela Igreja Batista do loteamento Canaã, no Tabuleiro do Martins.

Os fiéis, no Brasil e nos Estados Unidos, fazem correntes de oração, pedindo pela saúde do pastor. Um site na Internet (http://www.prayforjohn.com/ - reze por John) traz informações, em inglês, sobre a sua recuperação. A delegada Jeovânia Falcão, que comanda as investigações sobre o atentado, acredita que em breve o pastor John vai poder colaborar com a polícia. CS

From the USA, John send a message to the faithful

Pastor John, from the ICU: "I forgive who did this to me"

From the Intensive Care Unit
Pastor John sent, exclusively to the Gazeta, the following message: "I don't have the slightest idea of why somebody wanted to take my life! Whoever it is, I forgive them with all my heart! I do this because I learned in God's Word in Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

This ability to forgive does not come from me, but from He who died on the cross to pay the price for our sin. Romans 3:23 says For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Give your life to Christ! Ask and He will pay the price for your sin! I have been in Brazil since a child, not to harm people, but to preach the Gospel of the One who saved me, paying the price for my sin.". ###

Missionry is able to speak and in the future may be able to drive

The condition of pastor John David Leonard, 45 years old, continues to improve. In direct contact with pastor Aureliano Colaço, in Alagoas, the victims brother, also a pastor, Jim Leonard, spoke of the hope that the family nutures in the United States, as they accompany the recovery of the missionary who is now speaking some words. "The doctors in the United States have said that John could, in the future, ride in a wheel chair, and drive a car adapted for one who has his limitations."

Pastor John was hit by four bullets from a 380 pistol on July 3, around 8:00 p.m. in front of the church he built about 3 hears ago, in the town of Coqueiro Seco. One of the bullets was lodged in his jaw and was removed in the Intensive Care Unit. "John voluntarily moves his right arm, but the left arm was fractured by a bullet, so it cannot be moved yet," said pastor Jim Leonard.
From Maceió, Pastor John was lifted in a flying ambulance on July 8 to the United States, in a flight which lasted aproximately 18 hours."
Lung Infection

An infection in Pastor John's lungs is the greatest concern of the doctors. Only after this is cared for will they care for the left arm and have surgery on the fourth vertebrae. Despite the problem, pastor Jim Leonard assures us: "John continues to breath without the aid of equipment." The pastor also began to articulate some words, according to pastor Aureliano Colaço who pastors the Baptist Church in the Canaã Development of the Tabuleiro do Martins.

The faithful, in Brazil and in the United States, are making prayer chains, asking for the recovery of the pastor. An internet site (http://www.prayforjohn.com/) brings English updates about his recovery. The chief of police Jeovânia Falcão, who heads up the investigation for this attempt, believes that very soon pastor John will be able to collaborate with the police. CS

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New Prayer Requests

I went to the hospital tonight to bring the newest messages to John and found was moved to a regular room right before we all got there. He said it made him very tired. Although, not so tired that he couldn't witness to a nurse that just walked in. Between John and Pastor Pat she left the room with some things to think about, a track and a future chat with John. It was awesome to see him set himself aside to tell of Christ.

I also was informed of a surgery John will be having Thursday called cervical reconstruction. Basically this is a surgery not to cause more use of the limbs but to sustain what is there now. It is to stop the deterioration of the spine.

Here are some new prayer requests gathered from tonight:

1. John's surgery Thursday. Pray for no further damage and pray for quick recovery and healing.

2. Pray for the Pastors, realtors, home owners, John & Bev, and many others involved in choosing a new home for them. Wisdom, connections, both simple and large decisions, financing and everything that comes with moving, starting school, and all of it added to the current situation.

3. John's recovery from moving rooms.

4. No new info on Josh, continue previous requests.

5. "The work" in Brasil.

6. Opportunities for John and others to witness to hospital staff.

One last bit of information. PLEASE, NO VISITORS OR CALLS AT THIS TIME. This comes from John's own mouth. He is not ready and they are overwhelmed with other things right now. The best way to communicate is by using the "leave a message for John" link on the PrayforJohn.com website. All messages get straight to John and Bev and I am assured all are read.

- Douglas Porter

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Video - John Leonard Speaking to Saylorville Baptist Church

Here is the video from Saturday night at about 10:00pm CST:


There are no specific updates that I know of from today from John or family but there is an update about his church in Brasil. I had a friend from church read it to me due to it was written in Portuguese. She said that it was from a pastor, I am assuming from a church John planted. He talked about going out on visitation to about 13 people or families and that about 8 rededicate themselves to God. He also talked about "the work" is continuing and will never stop. I will try to get it translated better later, you can read it in Portuguese in the "leave a message for John" section.

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