Pastor's Blog

It was 10 years ago this afternoon at 3:00PM that eight guys (Sonny Bates, Gene Davis, Mac McGriff, Harold Morris, Stan Strickler, Larry Whitehurst, Larry Wilson and I) left the church parking lot in three vans headed to Guatemala.  Harold, Stan & Larry Whitehurst in the dark blue van; Sonny, Larry Wilson & me in the red van; Gene & Mac in the light blue van (Mac drew the short straw.  LOL!)  What a trip!  Our first pit stop was around the Stennis Space Center in MS as we appeared to be guzzling fuel.  Thank God for Mac as he figured out the problem which was not an excessive use of fuel.  Next we stopped in Hammond, LA for fuel and supper (I fondly remember Stan telling me that we did not need to eat supper i.e. too much money & time!)  We finally arrived on the other side of Houston, TX around midnight and got a hotel and slept for a few hours.  I hope to give a brief recap of each day over the next six days.  Perhaps some of the guys can add some comments to help remember some things.

A lot has taken place in the past ten years including the passing of Harold Morris & Stan Strickler.  I have lost touch with Larry Wilson and Gene Davis has moved to Texas.  Sonny, Mac, & Larry are still actively involved in our church.

My main memory of the first day is that Frances did not show up.  He was our “ace in the hole” as he was from Guatemala, was bilingual and took vehicles through Mexico regularly.  Stan had met him on a previous flight from Guatemala.  God told me that morning while I was preaching that Frances was not coming and that He (God) would be our source.  So, eight “bubbas” with basically no Spanish speaking skills (Larry Wilson knew some) headed out simply trusting God.  Wow, what a ride!