So... What’s Next?

After more than 10,000 miles, 23 states, and 38 churches, we have made full circle and are once again back in Grand Prairie, Texas! Mike will now begin checking on the best way to ship a truck down to Honduras, and as soon as those arrangements are made, we, too, plan to head that way!

Last Tuesday, Mike saw his doctor and, once again, had his cancer checked. Within a couple of hours after arriving, we had received the good news! The sonogram and the MRI both attested to the fact that his cancer is shrinking once again and, since the last of July, it has gone from 14 x 15 mm to 6 x 8 mm and has minimal blood flow! So now we are free to go home and he will not need to be checked again for six months! And so, it was with great relief and thankful and excited hearts, we pulled out of the parking garage in New York City and immediately headed in the direction of Texas!

The very next night, we were in a church in Roanoke, Virginia, and by Thursday evening, we had passed through Memphis, Tennessee, and crossed the border into Mississippi before stopping for the night. Then, on Friday evening, after about eight hours of traveling, we arrived in Grand Prairie, very tired, but also very happy that we can now begin the arrangements to go home!

On Wednesday, while we were in Virginia, I received a text message from a dear friend, Cheryl Moore. We had met the Moore’s while attending language school in Costa Rica back in 1996. Before coming to Costa Rica, her husband, Greg, had served as a pastor in Mississippi for several years. It had been during a mission trip to Honduras that they had felt the call of God and surrendered to return as missionaries. Like us, they were in Costa Rica to learn Spanish. During that year, Cheryl and I shared several classes. And, because our lives had so many similarities, we felt a real bond with this family. In the course of that year, I babysat for them a few times and also fell in love with their five children. And later, while serving as missionaries in Honduras, our friendship deepened and continued to grow. Many times, when it was necessary to go to Tegucigalpa for some reason, we stayed with them in their home.

Greg and Cheryl Moore with their son,
Daniel.  Greg has a minitry of teaching
pastors in nine different countries.

Greg and Cheryl faithfully served with Baptist Medical and Dental Missions for about eight years, working in and around the Tegucigalpa area. Then, I think it was around 2005, Greg felt led to begin his own ministry of training pastors. They left Honduras, moved back to the States, and Mississippi became their base of operations for this new  phase of their ministry. Now, Greg travels extensively, training pastors in nine different countries!

When they left Honduras, we felt a great loss, and although we tried to stay in contact with one another as much as possible, we had not seen each other for many years. However, this past Thursday night while passing through Mississippi, we met them at a restaurant close to the hotel where we were staying. What a joy it was to see them and two of their children! Both of the boys, Timothy and Daniel, are now grown men, handsome as ever and proudly serving in the armed forces. Daniel, the elder of the two, is also the father of two precious little girls. (Please, remember to hold him up in prayer, for in January, he will once again deploy to Iraq.) We found out that their oldest daughter, Hillary, is getting married this week and moving to Japan, and Caitlin and Stephanie are both in college. Although the girls couldn’t make it, Cheryl had pictures of them all. It was hard to believe that the three beautiful young women in the photos were the same three little girls that I had babysat 14 years earlier!!

Seeing the Moore’s would have been a tremendous blessing, in itself. But, when you add to this the prior and numerous “providential” visits that we have had on this trip with other “long lost” relatives and friends, it’s easy to see that, it has obviously been one of those “God things” all along! For example, a month earlier, God made it possible for us to visit with another sweet couple with whom we had lost contact since our language school days!

For those who have never tried to do so, you need to understand that learning to speak a new language (especially if you are past your teenage years and closer to middle age!) can, in itself, be very stressful. However, let us factor a few other elements into that equation. Let’s say you are also: 1.)living in a foreign country, 2.) living in a new culture, 3.) living among people who think and act differently than what you are accustomed, 4.) living in a place where much of the food, including the fruits and vegetables, are new and strange, 5.) must now take a bus, a taxi, or walk wherever you go because you no longer have a car, 6.) reduced to feeling like a toddler in an adult body as you, once again, try to learn the words for simple commands and body parts, 7.) are totally surrounded by people who speak a language which you don’t yet understand!    Now, when you put all of these elements together, the whole process can be VERY daunting, frustrating and nerve-racking. And this was our situation! It was quite some time before we could even go into a store by ourselves and ask for a pack of gum! (I have often said that, for me, it would have been easier to have given birth to three sets of twins... ALL in ONE YEAR...  than to learning to speak Spanish!). So, while in Costa Rica learning Spanish, when time permitted, it was a real “tension breaker” to get together with friends, forget about Spanish for a while, and just have some fun.

Jim and Melissa Roe with their
two beautiful daughters,
Jerusha and Kimmy.
The Roe's love and ministry is
among the people of Cuba.

Probably, of all the wonderful people we met during that year (and we did meet some really wonderful people!), we spent more time with one particular couple than all the others. Jim and Melissa Roe was a young couple that had come from First Baptist Church in Milford, Ohio. They were always such fun and we so enjoyed getting together with them, simply relaxing, laughing and enjoying each other’s company! But, after graduation from language school, we eventually lost track of them, too. However, last month, while we were in Ohio, we were able to contact them and spend a couple of hours together. Even though they had no children when we were studying Spanish, they now have two beautiful little girls, Jerusha and Kimmy, whom they have adopted. Since graduation from language school, they have faithfully been serving the Lord, traveling back and forth to Cuba. They have a wonderful ministry among the Cuban people, not only reaching the lost, but also discipling and training those new believers in Christ!

As I am typing this, I realize that, even though my body is tired and I am anxious to get home, I am also a bit sad that our journey is over and this chapter of our adventure is coming to a close. Every day of this trip, there was probably a story I could have shared with you, and perhaps, should have shared! Stories about the places we’ve been, the things we’ve seen, and the people with whom we have come in contact!

I could have told you more about this great land that we have traveled and its amazing beauty, how it has thrilled and awed us at every bend in the road. I wish I had tried to convey to you the towering splendor of Mt. Rainer and the magnificent beauty of the rugged peaks of the Grand Tetons Mountains. And, as we crossed the desert in a nice air-conditioned car on our way to visit a church in Las Vegas, I should have shared with you the overwhelming impression of hopeless desperation that slowly crept over me as I looked out over that hot, empty desert and I tried to imagine what it would have been like to make that long, monotonous, mind-numbing journey in a slow covered wagon with no way to escape the scorching heat and choking dust. I wish I had talked more about that awesome spectacle that is called the Grand Canyon, with its breathtaking beauty and ever changing colors; and, how its sheer, incalculable proportions have the power to make you aware of just how small and insignificant you really are. Why didn’t I take a moment to relate to you the amazing endurance story of the monumental Sequoia trees and their history of survival?  I wish, now, that I had shared with you the tremendous lessons we learned from these massive trees as we read about them; things that, if incorporated into our own lives, could help us in our daily struggle as Christians. And then, there were the times when Mike and I were absolutely speechless at the inexpressible beauty of the fall leaves with their indescribable colors, colors so brilliant and beautiful that they cannot be duplicated by any artist on a paint palette. But, although I’m sure I would have failed, I should have tried to put it into words and shared it with you.

Neither could I tell you about everyone with whom we came in contact who has meant so much to us. There were just not enough hours in a day to recognize each relative, each friend, and each and every dear Christian that generously and unselfishly gave a gift or shared a meal, shared their home, their heart, or their resources. Nevertheless, I should have tried to communicate more about how each and every one of them has blessed us, and continue to bless us, and how they have touched our hearts. I wonder, if I had tried, could I have made them, and you, aware of the fact that, because of their love and generosity, their lives have become intertwined in the fabric of our own, and now, they have become a part of us, part of who and what we are.

I should have passed on to you, that we have learned that each church and every pastor has had their own unique experiences. If they were free to share those with us, from each one we would gain some valuable spiritual insights that could help us in our Christian walk. At some point, they have ALL, without exception, gone through terrible struggles and deep sorrows. Each one has been subjected to low times and high times, battles and blessings, times of defeat and times of victory. They have all felt the sting of Satan’s onslaughts and the cruelty of wagging, lying tongues. Yet, they have also experienced the indwelling and enabling power of God Almighty. We have seen a few (very few) that have wearied to the point that they have fallen by the wayside. Nevertheless, there are others who, though they may have stumbled and fell, allowed the Lord to pick them up and carry them until they were strong enough to walk again. There are SO MANY great pastors who, along with their faithful wives, have stood firm on God’s Word and continued to faithfully follow Him year after year. It is on the faces of those champions for the King, that you can see an inner “peace that passeth all understanding” and, it is in their eyes that you will see that twinkle of “joy unspeakable and full of glory” that only the Lord can give! It is not often, but occasionally, we have seen those that have become bitter but, praise the Lord, most have become better and stronger, more determined! More than any other time in our lives, Mike and I are aware of how blessed we really are to have known, and called our friends, so many of these truly great men of God.

As I said, I am thrilled that Mike is doing well and overjoyed that we can now go home. However, this 10,000 mile journey has been quite an adventure, and now that is drawing to a close, I actually feel a bit melancholy.

“So”, you may ask, “what’s next?”

My reply: “Only the Lord knows. But I can tell you this… Whatever it is,

it WON'T be boring!      Serving the Lord NEVER is!”

Maranatha!

BELOW ARE JUST A FEW OF OUR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS AND HEROES:

 

PASTOR ROY MAPLE and wife, LANA
are true heroes of the faith and tremendous
examples, not only to Mike and I but,
to anyone who needs someone
to whom they can look for guidance!
Standing true to the Word of God,
they have faithfully served in
Lancaster, Ohio, for many years!

BRO. OSCAR PERRY and BETTY,
his  his dear wife, have been long
time friends. They are both great
models of unselfish service and
dedication to the King of Kings.  Even

after retirement, they willingly serve

the Lord in whatever function

they are asked or needed. 

We dearly love this precious couple!

TERRY ARTHUR

is a dear friend and former

missionary to Honduras. In spite of
many trials and heartaches in her
life, Terry remains a beautiful example

of godly strength and beauty!

SHARON AND JIMMY WINTERS
are long time friends that we met
before we were married.  While
Bible College students they attended
our church in Grand Prairie, TX.  They
both have beautiful singing voices
that they have never ceased to use
for the Lord.  Bro. Jimmy has been the
minister of music in Grace Baptist of
Middletown, Ohio, for MANY years!
Love you two!

LYNN AND SARA GORDON
are former members of our church
in Tacoma, WA.  They have continued
to serve the Lord faithfully in
Middletown, Ohio.  Lynn is seeking a
church to pastor and has a "pioneer"
ministry in one of the local hospitals.
We're proud to call them our friends!

 

MASSILLON BAPTIST COLLEGE
(This is where our son and daughter-in-law went to college.)

While at Massilon Baptist Church in Massillon, Ohio,
we met a few of the students that are attending their Bible college.
 Mike spoke in their chapel service and also during one of their evening devotional times. 
For me, these young people are also heroes, for they have surrenderd
to serve the Lord as  pastors and missionaries and are training to that end. 
They are our future spiritual leaders and the ones to whom we shall pass the torch someday.
 HANG IN THERE, DEAR YOUNG PEOPLE, AND FINISH YOUR COURSE! 
WE'RE PRAYING FOR YOU! 
WE NEED YOU!