Pastor's Blog

The names, Qin Jia Ye and Hong En He, do not mean anything to the vast majority (maybe all) reading this post.  However, they do to Lisa & me, Soy & Deidra and more so to my brother, Eddie, and his wife, Sue.  This couple, both in their 80’s, were murdered on 8/31.  He served as the pastor of the Penglai Christian Church which is where Lottie Moon served in the early 1900’s.

Lisa & I had the opportunity to visit this church and meet Pastor Qin on our trip to China.  I remember so fondly his standing at the front of that building singing “Jesus Loves Me” to Dana & Gina.  Soy & Deidra visited the church & Pastor Qin on June 26 of this year.  Eddie & Sue have been to the church numerous times.

This is from Baptist Press, “Chinese newspaper accounts state that the suspect entered the church office carrying an ax and struck the pastor and his wife, killing them both.”

Folks, this has bothered me ever since I read the account yesterday morning.  The comfort is knowing that Pastor Qin and his wife and now with the Lord.

Sorry for the one day delay in posting this remembrance.  The eight of us left Guatemala on Saturday morning headed for the airport.  I was booked on Continental to New Orleans and the other seven men were on Delta bound for New Orleans.  However, Stan Strickler had an uncle who was about to pass away and Delta switched them to Mobile from Atlanta. (No small miracle in itself!) Otherwise, it was an uneventful day of traveling back home.  We came home thankful and amazed at all God had done over the past seven days.  We realized afresh and anew that we do serve an awesome God!

Louise Mason can fish!  We put over 100 fish in the boat yesterday and she caught way more than her fair share of them!  I really appreciate Tony taking us out and the Lord gave us a great day weather wise.  It was a vacation day well spent for me!  FYI – Tony only caught like 3 fish but he had a good time!

Spoke to Bro. Johnny Tucker via the phone last night.  He has recently had two surgical procedures.  The first was to his arm as he injured while on the annual canoe trip with Mark Mast in Canada.  The second was related to his heart.  He is doing well now although his arm is in a cast.  Bro. Johnny’s mother, Miss Dot Tucker, remains in ICU in a Meridian, MS hospital.

The funeral service for John Gensler will take place tomorrow at noon from the chapel at Serenity Funeral Home.  The visitation with the family will take place beginning at 10:00AM.

The wedding of Kel Eyler and Morgan Rogers takes place tomorrow at 4:00PM (or whenever halftime of the Bama game begins).  Again, all members of the Friendship family are invited to attend.

Charles has already called to see if we were going fishing today.  When I told him that Louise was leaving around 6:30AM he mentioned that his grass has grown more than he thought it would this week.  Translated – when are you going to cut my grass?

I pray that you will have a great weekend with Jesus!

Wow, what a great Wednesday the Lord blessed us with!  First, we had exactly 50 folks in our morning service which meant we met our attendance goal!  Then, the second “potluck with the pastor” was a great success.  The food was wonderful and the fellowship was sweet!  Again, thank you to Marisa Felps, Caroline Ford, Ann Clark, Louise Mason, Daphne Hutto, & Lisa for a job very well done in cooking the chicken and getting everything else ready.  Thank you to everyone else for the great trimmings and desserts!  It was awesome!

We had good services last night too ending with our young adults continuing to study Radical.  Chapter six was a tough one for me but we had good discussion.

Homer Perkins is scheduled to be moved to a convalescent home facility either today or tomorrow.  Christy Wynn & Polly Kearns are both scheduled for some oral surgery today.  Miss Joyce Bosarge is set to have another MRI today due to her continued pain.  Tom Compagner’s dad will have a MRI on Saturday.  Lewis Jackson was in the service last night.  Carla Kyser will have some scans over the next couple of weeks.

The funeral service for John Gensler will take place this Saturday, 9/18, at noon from Serenity.  The visitation with the family will begin at 10:00AM.

Kel Eyler & Morgan Rogers are getting married this Saturday afternoon at 4:00PM.  It is what I am calling the “halftime wedding” as it occurs during the Bama game.  All members of the Friendship family are invited to attend.

Tony Hacker and I are planning on taking Louise Mason fishing this morning.  Pray that it will not be too “rough” as they calling for 2 – 4′ seas.

It is “possible” that Chris Howell will be able to finish the carpet in the CAB upstairs tonight.  He has done such a good job in installing that carpet with an assist from Sherry Lavelle & Jay Black.  (Actually, Jay hasn’t done much but his wife, Robin, asked me to mention his name!)

I pray that you will have a great Thursday with Jesus.

The visitation with the Gensler family will take place this Saturday, 9/18, from 10:00AM until noon.  The service will begin at noon.  The visitation and service will take place at Serenity Funeral Home in Theodore, AL.

John Gensler, brother of Sharon Jardee & Ruby Gulley, passed away this morning.  He had been battling cancer and lived in Georgia.  We will post the arrangements on this blog once they are completed.  Pray for the Gensler family.

We left the border and decided to drive until we arrived at the mission house in Pastores.  This was before the days of GPS devices in the vehicles and we would struggle some (especially in Guatemala City) before finally arriving around 1:30AM (I think).

As we entered Guatemala, we had not traveled very far before we were stopped by two policemen at a check point.  They told us that we had to pay the tax on the vehicles.  I told them that we had already paid in full.  They had our papers in hand and guns in the holsters while demanding a fairly significant amount of money for a special tax.  Finally, I told the lead guy that we would give him Q100 ($12) total if he would give us the papers.  He agreed and we were on our way – glory to God!  The rest of the trip was uneventful except for a flat tire between Guatemala City and Antigua but it was in a good place and quickly changed out for the spare.

We slept a few hours and then had a morning devotion on the roof top.  We went into Antigua for some food and then everyone except Harold Morris went to visit Paul & Cristy Leytham and to see the farm (which is where the mission house would eventually be located but we did not have a clue at that time).  Harold would later tell me that he regretted not going with us but he stayed back to study his Sunday School lesson.

What we did not know on Thursday at the border was that 9/15 is Independence Day in Guatemala.  Had we waited to pay the taxes, that could not have been done until at least Monday, 9/18, which meant Larry Whitehurst, Gene Davis, and I would have had to stay in Guatemala as our passports were stamped as the owners of the vans.  (At least Gene could have cooked for us!) Don’t they say something about God taking care of old people and ???  At the time, I wasn’t old!  Just another example of God being our source!

I do not have any updates on the folks in the hospital i.e. Homer Perkins as I did not get by there yesterday.  I was in Mobile for a meeting which lasted much longer than anticipated.

Milford Compagner, Tom’s dad, meets with the oncologist today so pray for that time of consultation.

Louise Mason did arrive around 3:30PM yesterday and we took her to The Lighthouse for supper.  I thank God for allowing us to work alongside Louise in Guatemala as she has been a real asset to GRACE Ministries.  Besides that, I like old people!

I remind the members of the Missions Committee and the GRACE Association Board of the meeting tonight at 6:00PM in my office.  Please be punctual.

We still need “ministers” for our Upward basketball league.  Forms are in the foyer of the auditorium or you can call the church office.  Time is of the essence now!

Our second “Potluck with the Pastor” takes place this morning.  We are incorporating a ministry into this fellowship too.  Our goal is to have 50 folks present for the 10:00AM Bible study.  Please bring vegetables and desserts.  Lisa and I are providing the chicken, bread, and drinks.  Marisa Felps, Caroline Ford, Louise Mason, Daphne, and Lisa will cook the chicken so I thank them in advance for their spirit of willingness!

We are on a regular schedule today/tonight.  I hope to see many members of the Friendship family present for the various services and Bible studies.

I pray that you will have a great Wednesday with Jesus!

P.S. – The back parking lot is much, much brighter thanks to Sanna Collier!  (It always helps to know folks in high places!)

Up early and in line at the Guatemala border before they even opened as we would surely be through the process in a couple of hours.  Wrong!  We did not know that we had to go through a “process” in Mexico first so we had to give up our spot in line and drive back into Mexico to take care of business there.  It didn’t take long to do that but it did cost us our spot in line.

Once we got back “in line” we got to the point where we hired a “runner” to do the necessary paper work so we could meet with the customs’ official.  All is well!  The seven guys began what would be a “long” day of waiting in the vehicles while I met with the customs folks.  The customs agent spoke some English which was a huge help.  However, when he told me how much we needed to pay in taxes my heart dropped as we had no where near enough money.  So, we were going to pay a temporary tax and take care of the other taxes the next day in Guatemala City.  So, I get in line in the bank to pay the tax when someone mentions that maybe he was talking quetzales instead of dollars.  I get out of line and go back to see him to learn that he was indeed talking quetzales and we did have enough money to take care of the taxes.  Praise the Lord!

I get back in line at the bank and we are good to go – not so fast my friend!  As I am almost to the front of the line, a guy approaches me and asked what I am doing.  I tell him and he asks how much we are paying in taxes.  I tell him and he tells me that we are getting ripped and I should get out of line.  What?  I don’t know this guy and the other seven guys are sitting in the vans.  No way I am getting out of line!  However, the spirit of the Lord speaks to my heart and tells me that this is of the Lord so I got out of line and “dreaded” going out to tell the guys that I had gotten out of line and was waiting for some guy that I didn’t even know to come back with proof that we had been overcharged.  The guy shows up about thirty minutes later with a copy of the law that proves his point.

So, I get back in line at customs and ask to see the same official.  He agrees with me but there is one problem.  We have to start the whole process over and he says there is no way we have enough time to get it done as it takes a couple of hours to get the paper work done.  I see one of the “runners” who you hire to do the paperwork and tell him that I have to have the paperwork in my hand in one hour and, if he can produce, he gets a Q100 ($12) bonus.  Paperwork in hand in forty-five minutes.  Back in line at the bank and taxes are paid in full in a timely fashion.

It is now late afternoon and they must inspect the three vans.  Remember those altered titles?  As they are inspecting the vans, two ladies notice the white out in the sunlight and begin discussing the situation.  I felt impressed of the Lord to walk over to them and simply tell them it was okay.  I said, “it is not a problem” and they said “okay!”  Praise the Lord!

We left the border about dark thirty after a very long day.  However, all was not in vain as we had seen God get us through customs but He had been doing an even greater work.  The guys in the vans, led by Stan Strickler, had witnessed to a young boy named Jorge and led him to the Lord.  That was made possible simply because they built a relationship with Jorge throughout the day.  Wow, we serve an awesome God!

Homer Perkins’ family was to meet with the social worker yesterday to discuss the plans for Homer from this point forward.  Pray for wisdom for the family as they make decisions in the days ahead.

Diane Bryant’s brother, Wes, is scheduled to be discharged from the hospital today.  He had a stent placed in the one artery that was completely blocked.

Received an e-mail from PC Alexander of the Pocket Testament League updating us on the severe flooding that has greatly impacted India.  Those folks surely need our prayer support and consideration for financial help.

Also received an e-mail from Neal & Jana Seaborn, SBC missionaries in the Philippines, updating us on their ministry.  They send thanks for the gifts given through the Cooperative Program and the Lottie Moon Offering.

A special “thank you” goes to Jay Black, Sammy Bowden, Betty Creech, Warren & Cecil Guidry, Leslie Hacker, Tony Hacker, Chris Howell, Sherry Lavelle, Chris Taylor, Soy Taylor, Ben Vickers, Jerry Whitmore and Keith Young for their help in the CAB renovation yesterday/last night.  We made forward progress and we thank God for that fact!

Steve Morris, the Cards are finished!  I love to watch college football and I even enjoyed some of the first weekend of the NFL games.  I can’t say “How ’bout them” out of respect for Deanna Rhyne but I can say that I did like seeing the very end of the Ravens beating the Jets and then the Chiefs hanging on to beat the Chargers last night.   Of course, seeing four former Bama players with the Chiefs and three with the Ravens was an added bonus.

Louise Mason is scheduled to arrive in Grand Bay this afternoon.  Our Mission Committee and GRACE Association Board members are asked to join us for a meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00PM in the Pastor’s office.

Special thanks to Chris Taylor for the new look on our website design.  We have some blemishes to correct but he has done a nice job of giving us a fresh new look.  Let him know if there is something that needs to be improved or if you have any suggestions.  Or, let him know that you simply appreciate his efforts!  You can contact him at chris@friendshipfamily.net.

I pray that you will have a great Tuesday with Jesus.