Fifty years and counting

August 27, 2008

Tomorrow it will be 50 years. I still remember that night we spent 50 years ago sitting in a car in Wasco, CA waiting and watching for Buddy Baker to arrive. He was my best man and he was coming from LA or Burney. I forget which. I think he arrived around 1 a.m. I had resigned from my job as a garbage truck driver at the Wawona Hotel in Yosemite earlier in the week. By the way, because I quit early they won’t hire me back. That makes me sad -- I can never drive garbage truck in Yosemite again, sob, sob. The crew was Lavon Johnson, Millie Sarasen and Marlon Villegas on Janiece’s side and Buddy Baker, Stuart Cunningham and Gary Strauss on my side of the aisle. The minister was Ed Steele. We were married in the First Baptist Church in Wasco and that evening we stayed in the Bakersfield Inn. That nest night after we got married in Wasco, the Buchanans, (Bucky was my best friend) got married in Stanton, CA. The next week school started at Biola and I had another year before graduation. We moved into an apartment on Dillon St. in the Silverlake district of Los Angeles.

Janiece continued to work at Biola full time and I started my final year and worked part time. Biola moved to the new campus after I graduated and we moved to Buena Park until I finished Talbot Seminary. Janiece worked until Lori was born and then I had to pick up the slack and work full time and carry my seminary load. Tough times but bearable. Brian was born a year and a half later.

Then it came time to move to Dallas Seminary for a Masters degree. We packed up a 14 ft. Uhaul trailer and lit out for big D. Lee and Lavon Sterling came along to keep us company. Picture this Lori was not yet three, Brian was 15 months, and Janiece was 8 months pregnant with Jon. It was the longest four days of my life. We arrived in Dallas where it was in the high 90’s and the tough times really began. Jon was born at the Baylor hospital and we moved into a home in Casa View. We came within 10 days of washing out because of no job and no income. Then my friend, Dennis Guernsey, got me a job in juvenile probation. Then another job to make enough to live on. So, Janiece had to take care of three kids under three years old while I worked two jobs and went to seminary. Dallas was a miserable experience!

From Dallas we went to Oklahoma where things didn’t get any better. But that is for another post.

In December ’65 we came to California for Christmas. We were driving a Corvair and on highway 99 somewhere around Merced we blew a tire and flipped over and crossed the median into oncoming traffic upside down. Brian and I got out before an eighteen wheeler swept it all away. I was sure the rest of my family was gone. I remember saying, “OK God I guess it is Brian and me.” Then I found Lori who was thrown out of the car. I said, “Thank you,” and headed for the car. Janiece and Jon were still in the car and pretty banged up but OK. That Christmas we had no money, no job, no home, and no car. Janiece was pretty banged up and it was a pretty down Christmas.

From here God led us to Calvary Church (another story for another time) and the beginning of ministry. Now here we are 50 years later in San Diego awaiting the arrival of our three kids, their spouses, and our fourteen grandkids.

Well, she has finished another one!

Janiece is never without a quilt project and sometimes there are several in various stages of completion. Recently she wrapped up a project she had been working on for some time.


It is pretty clear that this is a quilt for a young man. He will snuggle up nice and warm and nevr know who made his quilt or why. That doesn't matter, Janiece had the joy of making the quilt and giving it away.


Sleep well little man!

Ministry in Pasadena

Out of a Perspectives Class I taught last year came an opportunity to speak in the Missions Month of the Community Church on Holliston in Pasadena, CA. This church is a combination of three churches led by Pastor Sam Park. There is a Korean speaking congregation, an English speaking Korean congregation and a traditional congregation. The traditional congregation and the Korean congregations merged a while back to form this mosaic congregation. Obviously, I spoke only to the English speaking congregation. I was totally impressed with their approach to ministry and to missions. They have a solid approach to world outreach and an eagerness to reach into and beyond their own community.

This is the kind of church that would benefit greatly from the ministry of E3 Partners.

There was one frustration of the weekend. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and stayed in the Pasadena Hilton Hotel. This is a first class hotel and the room was very good. However, when I logged onto the internet there was a charge. When I called the desk they told me it would be $9.00 per day for internet access. When I asked why, I was told it was because Hilton is a “full service” hotel. This puzzles me. I thought “full service” meant every service would be provided by the hotel. Evidently it means every service provided by the hotel will have a fee charged to it. I think this sucks.

I am currently sitting in the waiting lounge of Toyota of El Cajon and using their free Wi-Fi. I can go to any Panera Restaurant and use their free Wi-Fi. I have not done much research but I bet I could go to 100 places and find the same thing. I guess they are not “full service.”

Memories in Los Angeles

Yesterday we went into Los Angeles where Janiece and I met when Biola was in downtown. We visited some of the places that are still there and some that have changed radically. We ate breakfast at the Pantry which is still there and still open. They have never closed since sometime in the 20’s.

6th and Hope has changed a lot. The Bank of California occupies the spot where Biola used to be, so I could not find the fire escape where I gave her an engagement ring.

We took in Olvera St. where Los Angeles started and where Janiece and I first met back in September of 1956. The plaza is a little different now but it still brought back memories.

Home From Africa part 2

Now that I have been home a while it is time to reflect on some of the changes since Awassa. First, let me comment on the health issues. Usually, illness accompanies the return trip home. Not so much this time. I have read that some of the team did experience some intestinal difficulties but not so for me. I did pick up a cold somewhere between DC and home but I can’t blame Ethiopia for that.

A tip from Al Wilson may have helped. He suggested peptobismol before each meal. I think that helped because I took some chances that could have caused problems, but nothing happened.

Here is a look at a typical Ethiopian dinner, eaten communally with your right hand only.

You use the rolled up bread to scoop up the meat/sauses etc.

It has been a trip getting back into the ‘american way’ of eating and getting my glucose back into its boundaries.

Coffee has been another adventure. I have not had the opportunity to try out my Ethiopian Coffee Grinder that Janiece is demonstrating below, but the coffee we bought in Addis has turned out to be the best I have tasted in a long time. Look out Starbucks!


I have had some contact with friends in Awassa since I returned. I received a couple of e-mails from Asmenaw. He is the interpreter that looks like Arsenio Hall. I teased him about becoming president of Ethiopia (he is in law school). I really think he might just do something in politics.

I am looking forward to getting back to my church (Bonita Valley Baptist Church). I have been speaking at other churches (see my speaking schedule), and I won’t get home until the 27th. That will be the first time I can report on my trip.

I also have volunteered to take on the missions chair at Bonita. This will be a challenge to work on developing a missions focus for the church that will grab the younger generation and still keep the older saints active. I look forward to the challenge.

Another change since returning is the opportunity to drive my Bugeye more often. I had to miss the Conclave that was held in San Diego while I was in Ethiopia. So, I decided to break it out and drive it whenever I could justify it. It has been fun.


I have been working on an idea for ministry among bivocational pastors of new churches on the mission field. I will wait until the next post to tell you about it.

Until then, let the word of Christ richly dwell in you. . . .

Sam

Home from Africa

Greetings,

I’m home and just about caught up with my sleep. It was a great trip and amazing in every way.

First, the logistics of the trip were interesting. I was the only staff member as we left San Diego and flew into Washington DC to meet the rest of our team. Nadine, the Church Planting Coordinator, was to meet us there. Her plane was delayed and it looked like she would miss the connection, meaning I would be the leader all the way to Addis Ababa. Fortunately, she showed up just as our plane was boarding. So started a loooooong flight to Addis. We met our leader, Al Wilson, there; spent the night and were treated to a typical Ethiopian dinner. Strange food and strange eating style (no utensils and eat with only right hands). Saturday we drove 6 hours south to Hawassa where our work would take place.

On Sunday I preached in a Guannet church. This was the denomination we were working with. On Monday we went out to four different areas and shared the gospel from house to house. It was a Muslim area and some interesting conversations ensued. One of our team was even invited into a Mosque. On Tuesday I moved to another area of ministry. Joseph Menna, our contact in Ethiopia, invited me to go with him to another town to teach about 100 leaders from other denominations in preparation for future church planting. For the next three days I taught Walk Thru the Bible, the Great commission and the fundamentals of Church. God prepared a way for me to have an impact in a totally unexpected ministry.

When the week’s work was totaled up we found that we had shared the gospel with over 4000 individuals and seen over 400 positive responses to the gospel. These new babes in Christ were turned over to the leaders of the Guannet churches for follow up. Another factor in all this is that many of these responses are Muslim and many more Muslims heard the gospel and are now considering the claims of Issa. Our prayer is that they will continue to explore the ideas presented by our team members.

At the end of our work we celebrated and went into Kenya for a couple of days of unwinding. For me that was a two fold blessing. First, I got to spend an afternoon and evening with Brian Arensen and his family. It was a great time talking about missions, ministry in Africa and the challenges of missionary life. Second, I was able to photograph some of Africa’s wonderful animals.

Now what? To be honest, I don’t know. Joseph invited me back to Ethiopia and that would be truly enjoyable but that is all up to God. There is a great ministry going on there and I was greatly impressed with Joseph’s ministry plan. He is working to multiply every dollar, every effort, every ministry that comes his way. Ministry in Ethiopia is really exciting. Who knows, I may be back inviting you to go with me to Ethiopia in ’09.

For now it is a Walk Thru in Carlsbad and pulpit supply in Santee. Looking ahead there is a huge celebration on the horizon at the end of August when Janiece and I celebrate our 50th.

Thanks for loving us and for your support. I haven’t sorted all my photos yet, so I’ll put together some that will show the story in the next couple of weeks.

Still serving,

Sam