Life changing stories of mission trips

Declare his glory among the nations.

Psalm 96:3

A publication of Henderson Hills Baptist Church1200 E. I-35 Frontage Road, Edmond, Oklahoma 73034www.hendersonhills.com

Other books compiled and published by the Henderson Hills WritingMinistry:

Hearts of Hope 2003Hearts Growing in Grace 2004Treasures From the Heart 2005Hearts at Christmas 2005Hearts of Faith 2006Two Hearts as One 2008

Copyright© 2009 Henderson Hills Baptist Church

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible®,Copyright© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The LockmanFoundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English StandardVersion®, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of GoodNews Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) taken from the Holy Bible, NEWINTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. All rightsreserved throughout the world. Used by permission of Biblica.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New LivingTranslation, Copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers,

Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Cover design by Eric GranataBook layout by Dorothy Palmer YoungEdited by Bonnie LanthripePhotography by members of Henderson Hills Baptist Church

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; And let them say

among the nations, “The LORD reigns.” I Chronicles 16:31

What a great blessing for us to compile this book! It has been aprivilege to see and record the outstanding work God has done in themidst of our church. Much prayer has gone into this project and we wantto thank all who shared their stories and pictures, some emotional anddifficult to share. Please accept our apologies if any names, stories orpictures have been left out or are incorrect. All effort has been made tobe correct in dates, places and other information.

Many thanks go to our Missions Director, Mike Wall, for hiscomplete cooperation, inspiration and support. What a leader! Also,HHBC staff, Lauren Stewart, Jeff Wilson and Eric Granata, have been agreat help.

Special thanks go to the Mission Team at HHBC for theircooperation. This book could not have been put together without thehelp of men and women who submitted information, reviewed stories,and answered the many questions that arose.

Our Henderson Hills Writing Ministry Team did an enormousamount of work. Writers include Alesa Campbell, Andy Deck, Kala Sigler,Diane Stout, Anita Wadley and Deborah Coplin who helped the novicewriters. Pam Wanzer collected and screened the stories. Bonnie Lanthripespent countless hours editing them and Pam Humphreys, Sara Odomand Sharlene Wulf assisted her. Many people helped on this project.Dorothy Young did an excellent job preparing the manuscript to sendoff.

Thank you to our pastor, Dennis Newkirk, and our church bodyfor their continual encouragement and willingness to follow God’sleadership.

Above all, we praise God for His guidance in this endeavor.

Kathryn SpurgeonWriting Ministry Team Leader

Acronyms Used in this Book:

HHBC–Henderson Hills Baptist Church, Edmond, OklahomaIMB–International Mission Board, Southern Baptist ConventionVBS–Vacation Bible SchoolFLOCK–Fellowship, Leadership, Outreach, Care, Knowledge

(small group)UCO–University of Central Oklahoma

OKC–Oklahoma City

Acknowledgements Kathryn Spurgeon........................................5

Foreword Dennis Newkirk......................................................11

Introduction (Oklahoma) Mike Wall....................................................13

Belize, an Inspiration (Belize) Jerry Childs...................................15

There was a Beginning (Belize) Duane Lawrence.........................18

Calvin’s Stewardship Lesson (Belize) Joey Sager..........................21

If That was My Boy (Belize) Larry Steele.....................................23

Hope for the Rejected (Guatemala) Joey Sager.............................25

Staying Put, but Not Standing Still (Oklahoma) Andy Deck..........27

God’s Answer to Jeff’s Prayer (Belize) Joey Sager........................29

José’s Faith (Oklahoma) Joey Sager.......................................31

Quechua Ministry (Ecuador) Duane Lawrence..............................34

A Man Wanted by God (Ecuador) Syretha Lair.............................38

Not by My Strength (Ecuador) Joey Sager.....................................40

Take up Your Cross (Mexico) Rita Hernandez with Anita Wadley.....42

Precious in His Sight (Romania) Mike Evans with Andy Deck.......45

A Long, Cold Night (Romania) Joey Sager...................................48

He Has No Shoes (Nicaragua) Syretha Lair...................................50

The Beautiful Baby (Nicaragua) Syretha Lair...............................52

Humility (Nicaragua) Leigh Ann Hudson......................................53

Moises (Ecuador) Syretha Lair......................................................54

God’s Destination, Not Ours (Texas) Cindy Loehrs.......................57

One Life, One Lord, One Mission (Oklahoma) Marci Wintz.............61

Get in the Game (Mexico) Ramiro Rangel with Andy Deck...........62

No Translator (Romania) Mike Wall..............................................65

Mr. Lin (Taiwan) Justin Vorel.......................................................67

Praying for New Churches (Ecuador) Larry Steele.......................69

Remember Aracaju (Brazil) Anita Wadley.....................................70

A Thousand Handshakes (Ecuador) Anne Frederick Kelley............72

Girl in the Pink Dress (Mexico) Kim Cusimano............................75

The Jungle Path (Kenya) Luann Juengel with Andy Deck.............76

The Lady of Peace (Ecuador) Larry Steele with Deborah Coplin.....79

Jim’s Testimony (Ecuador) Larry Steele........................................82

For Someone Special (India) Kathryn Spurgeon............................83

Boy with the Blind Eye (Nicaragua) Mark Holmes.......................86

Marionettes (Ecuador) Duane Lawrence.......................................89

From Meth to Missions (Nicaragua) Tommy Weathers with Diane Stout..91

A Life Changed (Mexico) Lisa Thomas........................................95

Hooked on Missions (Mexico) Anita Wadley.................................98

Lost (Mexico) David Barnes.......................................................100

Spiritual Warfare (Mexico) Pam Kanaly......................................101

I Couldn’t Stay Away (Mexico) David Barnes.............................103

Nicaraguan Men Don’t Cry (Nicaragua) Tommy Weathers............104

Because of the Cross (Mexico) George Rennix............................105

Working Hard (Nicaragua) Leigh Ann Hudson............................106

A Divine Appointment (Ecuador) Scott Sigler with Kala Sigler...108

Muhammad and I (Southeast Asia) Ryan Golliver........................111

Tsunami Star (Indonesia) Mike Wall................................................114

The Door Opened (Indonesia) David James.................................117

The Road to Recovery (Mississippi) Pam Whitley........................118

To Be Obedient (Afghanistan) Anonymous...................................121

Never Too Late (Ecuador) Mike Wall...........................................123

God in the Burning Bush (Kenya) Nancy Dyer............................125

Year of the Rainstorm (Mexico) David Mathieson......................129

Missions as a Family (Mexico) Willie Smith.............................132

Firsthand (Mexico) Eddie Feng................................................137

A Stark Contrast (Rwanda) John Harrington................................139

For Eternity (Ecuador) Syretha Lair...........................................141

Ramón and the Shoes (Nicaragua) Anita Wadley.................143

The Camino de Santiago (Spain) Josh Wall................................145

The Marble (Ecuador) Duane Lawrence........................................148

A Change of Plans (Taiwan) Shannon Sieg with Alesa Campbell..151

A Journey of Faith (South America) Justin Vorel.........................153

Sister Fatimah (Ecuador) Ryan Northup........................................156

My Name Is . . . (Spain) Mike Wall.............................................158

A Japanese Wedding (Japan) Kathryn Spurgeon.........................161

An Educational Journey (Oklahoma) Anita Wadley.................165

Generation to Generation (Mexico) David Barnes.........................167

The Question (Mexico) Courtney Methvin...................................169

The Pocket Knife (Mexico) George Rennix.................................171

The Classroom (Russia) Dana Hollis..........................................173

Her First Smile (Mexico) Alexis Olson.....................................176

Ecuadorian TV (Ecuador) Kim Swyden.......................................179

No Problema (Nicaragua) Tommy Weathers...........................182

A Passion for Baseball (Nicaragua) Adrian Savedra....................183

Reflections (Ecuador) Kirk Humphreys......................................186

Hot Dogs (Oklahoma) Mike Wall.................................................188

Rita the Evangelist (Mexico) Willie Smith...................................190

Juba (Sudan) Chuck Newkirk...........................................................191

The Church (Cuba) Mike Wall......................................................193

The Nightly News (Mexico) Verla Raines......................................195

Demonstrating Love (Ecuador) Garry Wester.................................198

The Fire, A Vision for the Future (Oklahoma) Mike Wall..............200

Mission Trip Information .............................................203

I’ve been considering how to classify this book. I mightcategorize it under Missions, Autobiographies, the Expansion of theGospel, Personal Spiritual Growth, or Drama. However, my bestdescription of this work is that it is about the power of the Holy Spirit.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you,and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and

Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, ESV)

Read this book with the Holy Spirit in mind and you’ll see whatI mean. These testimonies are about what happens when a Christian iswilling to believe and obey.

Every Christian has a promise and a responsibility. Matthew28:18-20 tells us that Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Thatis His promise to us; He can and will empower us to do whatever Hecalls us to do. Yet, we have more than a promise; we have a mission.God calls you and me to take this story to people everywhere.

You will be fascinated by these true life testimonies; but lookbeyond the charm of the writing. Let them ignite your heart for the nations,the way these hearts have been set aflame.

I know all of the contributors to this work. In fact, we are membersof the same church. These are good, humble, and sincere people. Most ofthem have not attended seminary; few of them have ever workedvocationally for a church. That means that these authors live “normal” lives,support themselves in various careers, and volunteer their time to serveChrist. That makes this book all the more amazing and engaging. Hereyou will see how the Holy Spirit ignites hearts and changes lives.

Perhaps in a subsequent edition, you may have your own storyto tell.

Dr. Dennis NewkirkSenior PastorHenderson Hills Baptist ChurchEdmond, Oklahoma

As the cold damp air blows across the Andes Mountains, an oldQuechua woman walks through her little mud and thatched-roof home,desperate to warm the place while her family is asleep. As she glancestoward her homemade clay oven, she is relieved that some embers stillburn from the night before. She hears her oldest son awake. It is time forhim to go down the mountain and sell part of the family crop to those whomay pass by. She picks up a small stick and moves the embers around andsoon, to her delight, a spark ignites a fire. Now her day has begun.

Embers were stirred in the hearts of our congregation one eveningwhen a church member stood before us and said, “I’m going on a missiontrip. Anyone care to join me?” He walked back to his seat, not knowing ifanyone would respond. But sparks began to fly around the room and landedin the hearts of fifteen people. As the mission trip drew near, their passionand excitement burned stronger and stronger; even through the difficultiesof this first mission, their calling burned brighter and brighter. Suddenly, itignited. A small flame arose and soon engulfed a body of believers so thatGod’s name would be renowned across a nation–across the world.

The stories in this book are not from professional missionaries,but from everyday people: school teachers, businessmen, homemakers,college students and children, just ordinary people with whom God didextraordinary things. People who stepped out of the comfort zones oftheir lives, took a risk, and allowed God to use them in ways they wouldhave never dreamed.

My prayer is that this book will be for you as it has been for us,an act of worship. As you read our stories, I believe you’ll laugh, you’llcry, and your heart will be moved and encouraged. As you travel with usto far-off lands, rejoice with us as we reflect on what God has done.What is most important is that you worship. Worship the Creator, theOne who is worthy, the One in whom all things consist, the One whomade everything possible. I have no doubt that as you worship, a flamewill ignite deep in your heart–for God and for the world.

Mike WallHHBC Missions Pastor

1994 Belize team:Front row: Jerry Childs, Syretha Lair, Ed Rich,

Pamela Summit, Peggy Cassizzi, Jim Stockstill, Vince Parker.Second Row: Ken Surritte, Larry Steele, Ned Kessler,

Kevin Nicolin, Joey Sager, Les Miller, Duane Lawrence,Robyn Harry, Jeff Jester.

As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a physician. I believeGod chose me for that field. I also believe the biblical teaching fromLuke 12:48: “. . . From everyone who has been given much, much willbe required.” In some third world countries, people have absolutely zeroaccess to medical care. My vision was to go into remote villages and,hopefully, with my medical knowledge and supplies, save lives and endsuffering and pain for others.

I thought and prayed about this for quite a while. HendersonHills Baptist Church (HHBC), my home church, was not involved in anadult mission program like this when I began to seek a way for my dreamsto become reality. I found Global Outreach, a nondenominationalorganization, which assisted laymen in taking short-term trips to aidmissionaries in the field. In 1985, I accompanied this group on a missiontrip to the country of Belize in Central America.

Anyone who has been on a mission trip will tell you they receivedmore than they gave. That was the case for me. When I held medicalclinics in remote villages, I soon realized I was not going to make a hugedifference in the day-to-day lives of the people I treated. Giving medicinefor coughs and colds, skin diseases and chronic pain helped them withsimple things. These people worked hard to even survive. There werevery few acute life threatening illnesses to treat because anyone whohad a bad disease or serious injury died. Most important of all, manydied without ever hearing the gospel. The native people were almostalways very gracious and thankful, in spite of the fact I felt I was doinglittle to help them. I found myself more blessed than they were.

After returning from my first trip, I almost cried at the airportwhen I saw a simple drinking fountain. There in front of me, flowed allthe free water I could possibly drink, a luxury which is nonexistent inmany places I served. In much the same way, there is a lack of the “LivingWater” in so many places. People just do not know who Jesus is.

Before going to Belize, I did not know if it would be my firstand last trip. But, as soon as I got home, I knew God was leading me togo back. I could not quench the thirst in my heart. He kept reminding

me, to those who are given much, much is expected. I knew He hadgiven me much.

I went as a team member on several other trips. In time, I traveledto more remote and poorer countries. Sharing the experience with myfamily is something I felt led to do. I took my brother, who is a physician.I took my father and my son on another trip. Finally, my family wentwith me to a remote area of Honduras and later to Haiti. They were ableto see first hand how fortunate we are to live in the United States. Inspite of my fears, my children adapted to the poverty they witnessed,and accepted as an adventure the Spartan conditions in which we lived.

I took some fellow workers from the emergency departmentwhere I worked, as well. They led teams to difficult areas and served inwhatever capacity needed.

In the early 1990s, I began to share my experiences with peopleat HHBC. I shared with our small group or FLOCK. I shared with childrenin Vacation Bible School (VBS). I shared with people I met in church.For one reason or another, no one committed to go with me. For a coupleof years, I hoped and prayed people might volunteer to join me. Nothinghappened.

Finally, I shared my frustrations with my FLOCK leader, ArnoldHamilton. He had seen my passion each time I returned from a trip anddecided to do some investigating. This was to be my last try. If this didnot work I would drop the idea. But, I felt convicted that HHBC had somany talented and wonderful people with so much to offer. The blessingswould be eternal.

Arnold arranged a meeting with Ken Surritte, who, as youthpastor, had led several youth mission trips to Mexico. Anyone who hasmet Ken knows his dynamic personality. He was the spark that couldignite the fire for my vision. He was immediately excited about theprospects and said he would help get the ball rolling. At last I wouldhave a chance to show how people could serve if they just madethemselves available.

One Sunday evening, I was given a few minutes to share mypassion with our church. Overcome by my emotions, I showed slides ofsome of my previous trips and shared my desire to see our church join inspreading the gospel and ministering to those in need.

Fifteen people stepped out in faith and joined me in our firstadult mission trip from October 29 to November 4, 1994, to Belize. Amedical/dental team, a construction team and a VBS team went on thattrip. For me, it was a dream come true.

I have watched as members of that first HHBC team have goneon many other mission trips. Many have led their own teams on trips,become leaders and important servants at HHBC, and even gone on to

help form new mission organizations. The first HHBC adult mission tripwas just planting the seeds for more trips. Now we seem to have teamson the field almost year round.

Sooner or later, God would have used someone to get HHBCinvolved in active missions. I am thankful He allowed me to be a part ofits beginning.

Dr. Jerry Childs, an emergency medical physician, is married to Nancy.

They have four children, Trey, Rachel, Emily and Abbey. In addition to

mission trips to Belize, he has been to Honduras, Nicaragua, Romania,

as well as England, Haiti and Mexico. He encourages everyone to

consider taking their families to a third world country, saying, “They

will be able to see firsthand the opportunity to serve the truly needy.”

Tell of His glory among the nations, His

wonderful deeds among all the peoples.

Psalm 96:3

There are rain drops and sheets of rain, but we had never seenanything like this before. Bottomless buckets of water poured on ourheads. We tried to cross a swinging bridge, which was suspended 100feet or so over the river, in this raging storm, as the bridge was tossed toand fro by a relentless wind. The night was pitch black and we could seenothing. We had to get a generator over the bridge and, man, it washeavy! I am not Indiana Jones. “How did we get here, anyway?”

For me personally, it started in childhood, but for purposes ofthis story, let’s start where Henderson Hills enters in. I think it was in1989 I got a call from Ken Surritte, youth minister at the church at thetime. Ken said we had done youth mission work before, but never out ofthe country. He wanted to take a youth team to Piedra Negras, Mexico,probably the most economically impoverished city in Mexico. Would Ihelp begin this work? I realized instantly that I wanted to go and repliedin the affirmative.

My first youth mission trip, we did mainly orphanage work–painting, building, fixing broken stuff and loving on the kids. There wereseveral kids each of us wanted to adopt. I will never forget giving thechildren the little care boxes we had made. The first little girl openedher box and, upon seeing two crayons, immediately thought there mustbe some mistake. She began trying to find out who got shorted one, soshe could give away her extra!

We took along–best as I can remember–only a few vitamins,and some homemade first-aid kits, but it was a start. Over the next fewyears, we repeated the trip to Piedra Negras, adding some medical anddental work as we grew.

Seventy-plus year-old “Green-Eyes” Gonzales was aninspiration. When a team was not going, I went myself and helped “Green-Eyes” do things like haul gallons of water across the border to the prison,which we delivered to the prisoners who had no one to do so. Mexicodid not reward prisoners with food and water. Someone had to bring it tothem or they had none.

Now let’s move forward to 1994. Jerry Childs stood before the

church announcing that he would like to take a group of adults on amission trip to Belize in Central America. That’s how I came to be onthat bridge. We were taking the “Jesus Film” to a group of indigenousHondurans who had escaped across the border and were seeking sanctuaryin Belize.

That was quite a trip. Most of us had never been out of the countryfarther than Mexico, and we drove on in total darkness. There was noelectricity in much of Belize outside the city. In order to reach the campwhere we stayed for a week, we had to cross the Belize River by bargebecause the only bridge at that time was a long way from us. The bargesat on the other side of the river waiting for someone to come along whoneeded to cross to our side. Only then would the barge operator comeget us. After an hour or so, he finally came, but he asked that we drivethe bus into the water to the barge. The bus stalled. What were we to do?

Well, there was this kinda preacher-looking fellow with us whosomeone said was a stockbroker. I wondered what a stockbroker woulddo on a mission trip and soon found out. Joey Sager climbed out of thebus, waded to the hood, opened it and got that bus going in no time!Now I knew what a stockbroker could do on a mission trip. He was alsothe guy who helped me haul the generator across the swinging bridge!

After the trip to Belize, we followed with one to Ecuador, thenone to Honduras, then back to Ecuador. We formed a mission leadershipteam and looked to the future, hoping to some day take three to four tripsa year. Our goal was way too small.

On our second or third trip to Ecuador, we were joined by MikeWall, a long-haired, hippy-looking guy the staff assigned us. Us, with astaff guy! Well, we were up in the Andes about 13,000 feet at the foot ofMt. Cayambe, the third highest peak in the northern hemisphere of theAmerican continent, just north of the equator. It was cold and Mike isnot a cold weather guy. But we had a church service in which severalbecame believers. The look in Mike’s eyes when a couple–both in theirlate 70s–walked that aisle said it all. He was hooked!

Shortly thereafter, Hurricane Mitch hit Central America. Mikewas there with a team forming one of our most important works, teamingwith pastor Diomedes, a phenomenal Nicaraguan evangelist.

We now send people to almost every continent and have initiateddifferent ministries working together in many countries. Several of ouryoung people have given three months to two years service to the missionboard.

Recently, Garry Wester, International Mission Board (IMB) headof the southern half of South America, visited us and remarked that itwas time for churches to start tithing people as well as money. He saidthat when he was in the field, every time a team came it moved his work

forward six months in that community. We now have the communicationand transportation capabilities to do much more work on our own thanwe did in 1994.

Garry mentioned that Baptists have four missionaries in BuenosAires, a city of twelve million, in which only two million claim to bebelievers. He said that is like having one pastor for the entire state ofOklahoma. With the IMB directive to start new house churches and moveon, who is to disciple? Is it the job of the local churches? Can we tithemembers? Will we ever have ten percent of our people doing missionwork?

What will the next twenty years bring? Let’s pray that Godexceeds our expectations. Again.

Duane is a pharmacist. He and his wife, Glenda have been members of

HHBC since 1971 and they have three grown children and six

grandchildren. The 1994 trip to Belize was his first adult mission trip.

Barge in Belize

When Dr. Jerry Childs planned a mission trip to Belize in 1994,he really wanted HHBC to be involved. Arrangements were made withthe church staff for Jerry to speak at the end of a Sunday evening churchservice about the upcoming trip. For whatever reason, Jerry’s time at theend of the service was forgotten or overlooked for one or two weeks in arow. The next week as we were about to dismiss, our pastor, DennisNewkirk, remembered, jumped up, and apologized to Jerry foroverlooking him in prior weeks. Then Dennis invited Jerry to come tothe pulpit to make his announcement.

Jerry poured his heart out, weeping as he spoke about the needin the tiny country of Belize. Although he seemed embarrassed by hisemotion, God used his words and his delivery to touch many people’shearts. Many volunteered to go on the first HHBC adult mission trip.After hearing him that night and remembering what an impact missiontrips had made in my life when I was in high school, I knew God wascalling me to go as well.

On the trip, we divided into groups: medical, construction, andVBS teams. We were deep in the rain forest where leather shoes and gloveswear out quickly, and used bath towels would remain wet for days. Atnight the jaguars howling in the rain forest sounded like babies crying, andmosquitoes buzzed in the humid air. Huge cockroaches that could fly wereeverywhere, so I slept in my clothes to keep them off me. In the afternoonheat, howler monkeys belched out their calls. At night, we were awakenedsuddenly when large iguanas climbed the trees causing big nuts to fall off,slam onto the tops of our cabins and roll down the tin roofs.

One day at lunch we were having chicken foot soup. I sat acrossfrom Calvin, the headmaster of the boys’ vo-tech school where theconstruction team was working and staying. Besides being the school’sheadmaster, Calvin was the postmaster for Orange Walk District,delivering mail on his bicycle very early each morning before coming toopen the Vo-tech school at daybreak. He told me how blessed he felt tolive in Belize, and how grateful he was that he didn’t live in the UnitedStates.

I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly, so I said, “Tell me a littlemore about that, Calvin.” I couldn’t understand how he could possiblyfeel blessed to live in a place like Belize where there was so much povertyand human need, and where his own daily existence required so mucheffort.

“God has given me three good jobs,” he said, smiling. “My familyand I have plenty to eat, and my wife and I have put all our childrenthrough school from our earnings.We have a garden where we raise freshvegetables and fruit to feed our many children. I’m so blessed to livewhere I live and how I live.”

“I am told,” he continued, “that in America you have signs–bigger than a man–beside your roads telling you about things you don’thave that you should want. And although I’ve never seen Americantelevision, I’m told that your stories and programs are interrupted bypeople who show you pictures of beautiful things and tell you aboutthings you don’t have that you should want.”

The people in this area of Belize had no live television and mosthad never seen a TV commercial. Because of the extremely high humidity,video tapes would mildew after only a couple of months, ruining them.

Calvin continued, “God knew I would have a hard time with somany distractions, so He saw to it that I was born and now live here, notin a place like the United States.”

Then he said the following words, which have always stuck inmy mind. “I am very thankful for all that God has given me, but I’m evenmore thankful for the many things He has not given me. He knew exactlywhat I needed, and where I belong. For that, I am very grateful!”

As a financial advisor for many years, often being called uponto teach other financial advisors and to speak at Christian conferenceson stewardship and on what the Bible says about money and materialpossessions, God had some new lessons for me that day. Calvin taughtme not only to be very faithful with what God has entrusted us as stewards,but also he taught what only a man with Calvin’s life experience andlove for the Lord could teach: When we’re counting our blessings, weshould be careful to include gratitude for even those things which Godin His infinite wisdom has withheld. Those “blessings,” too, enrich ourlives. It’s a lesson I have never forgotten.

Joey is a Financial Advisor in Edmond, OK, for Sager Financial Group

of Wachovia Securities. His team was recently listed as the top financial

advisors for 2008 in Oklahoma by Barrons Magazine and Oklahoma

Magazine.

I joined Henderson Hills in 1994. Without a church FLOCK or smallgroup, it’s hard to get involved in church. Then I heard Jerry Childs talkone Wednesday night about the kids he had seen in Belize. It touched myheart and I thought I wanted to go. A missionary from Belize came andtalked to us but I wasn’t sure about the trip. The trip cost a lot, and Ithought it might make more sense just to send the money. At a workseminar, I heard that where there is no involvement, there is nocommitment. I realized that applies to the church, too. So I went.

In Belize, we went to a vo-tech school for boys. They trainedabout eighty boys in a skill, but the boys had to leave the school whenthey turned fourteen or fifteen years old. We also did some constructionand had a small medical clinic. I still asked myself, “What am I doinghere? Why am I doing this?”

Belize was not set up for people. We stayed in a camp trailerwith a lean-to. The bed was almost rotten and I could feel the barsunderneath, and it was so damp it felt like it had been soaked with awater hose. The water was so cold you could hardly take a spit bath. Buteveryone worked well together. One of our team members misplaced hissuitcase (at the end of the trip it was found intact) and never complained.

If you stay a week with somebody, you grow to like ‘em or hate‘em. Since it was a small group, we had time in the evenings to sit acrossfrom each other and talk. We heard each other’s testimonies. We kind ofbonded. I was going through some hard times myself, and the Lord spoketo me on the trip. I still have the verse He gave me, John 8:32 (NIV).“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” It’s on aplaque with a group picture of everyone who went with us. Toughconditions made everyone stronger and caused us to want to go back.

On the last morning, one of the women in our group gave hertestimony to the group of boys. One young man stepped forward andaccepted Christ. I noticed the local missionary in the back jumping upand down for joy. I thought the boy must be someone special to him, soI asked him about it.

Larry Steele wore wrap-around eyeglasses, and in one hand hecarried a Polaroid camera in a plastic case, in the other hecarried a Bible. On every trip, Larry brought an extra Bible or

a Bible commentary to give away. Sometimes he gave it to the pastor orto a person who had surrendered to the ministry. All the team memberson the mission trip had to sign the book. He pestered everyone until theydid, counting names to make sure they had. Mike Wall even got tired ofsigning. But Larry didn’t give up. He bugged Mike until he signed. Joey

Sager

“No, he’s no more special than the others,” he said. “It’s justthat it’s his last semester. He has only a very short time before he willleave. He might never have another chance to hear the gospel.”

That’s when I understood about missions. I knew if that was myboy, I would want someone to go talk to him about Jesus. I would wantsomeone to take the time to go down there and help him. I never had aproblem going on trips after that, not with time nor money. You see, justsending money wouldn’t have done anything for that boy.

Larry started mission work in October 1995 while working at Tinker Air

Force Base as a logistics manager. For the next three and a half years,

unmarried and with time and money to do so, he spent his vacations

doing missions. He has three children of his own.

And in that day you will say,

“Give thanks to the LORD,

call on His name

Make known His deeds among the peoples;

Make them remember

that His name is exalted.”

Isaiah 12:4