November 2015 Newsletter

It’s time to launch more seminars all over Luzon Island and we must upgrade to a newer more dependable van. We sold both of our older vans and have found a van that is only 5 years old and in excellent condition. It’s been garaged and well maintained. This van will last us another ten years or more with proper service. But we need a little over $15,000 more to purchase it.

We got to go to our great nephew Colt’s football game in Sinton and they won in the last 15 seconds of the game! It had been decades since either of us had attended a football game, wow! I went fishing at a private bass lake outside Canton, Texas and caught a bunch of bass. Later had a fish fry with My son Cory and his family. My high school friend George Neill owns the lake. Also, got to go visit Larry and Carol Renetzky in Conroe, Texas and went fishing with him on some private ponds there owned by our friend Don Heathcott. Fishing was always my favorite sport before God called us into the ministry. We lived on Lake Tanglewood for years and I fished all the time. I was addicted! Yet when God called us to go to the Philippines the Lord had me lay that down to start our adventure with Him of fishing for men. Just like Peter and the boys did. The Lord said, “Come, I’ll make you fishers of men!” I cannot tell you how much more blessed we are fishing for men’s souls. Yet, it is really a blessing to get to fish for those bass too every once in awhile!

When we were in Lubbock visiting family we also got to spend the night one night with Steve and Pam Louder. They are friends and partners that we knew from Hereford that relocated to Lubbock. They introduced us to new friends, Dr. David and Cita Aguas, Filipino Americans that will be coming to the Philippines on a mission trip this coming April. Looking forward to seeing you two soon!

When we first arrived in Amarillo we went to dinner with Denis and Marsha Smith, then lunch another day with Larry Latham and Mike Isley. Both meetings were a treat with some special friends. One day we were blessed to spend some time with George and Teela Malkuch, they have always been special friends and partners like many of those we’ve mentioned. Of course we saw Ed Schroeter several times. Thanks Ed for doing such a wonderful job taking care of the home office their in Amarillo. God bless you brother!

We spent some time at Lake Tanglewood, our old stomping grounds to visit with Kathy Brittian and got to see her and Scott’s new home. Then went to see Leon and Sherry Miller that we’ve known since we attended San Jacinto Baptist way back there in the 70’s. Same with Paul and Rita Morrow just across the street from them. I tell you, we had a real special time with all of them and it warmed our hearts to see them all again. Seems like we’ve been on the run so much we haven’t got to see a lot of our friends.

In October we went again to Canton for a barbeque at that lake. Several of the Borger High School graduates from ’64 were there, one was Johnny Barrow from Houston. Johnny and I fished together several times when we were in high school. We had a lot of stories to tell that night. I can’t remember when I’ve had more fun than seeing all my old buddies and spending time talking about our years in high school. After spending the night at Danny and Candace Sessums, I went fishing with Mike Wiles and Melvin Bunn and we had a blast out on George’s lake. Caught a lot of fish too!

We spent about 3 weeks with our daughter and son in law, David and Kari Brown in Amarillo, also saw our granddaughter Karisa. (Just not enough, we sure miss you sweetie!) David and Kari had just built a new house and we had a lot of fun with them.

We had a special visit with a lot of my cousins and nieces in Lubbock and of course we went to Shreveport, LA to visit my son Cory and his his wife Jennifer and all the grandkids. They have 9 children, 8 girls and one boy! Had another blast… I took my granddaughter Kerrigan fishing at Canton! It rained all day on us, but we had fun and caught more fish.

Other highlights of the trip was visiting the pastor’s fellowship every Tuesday in Hereford at New Life Restoration Church with Pastor Dorman and Jani Duggan. You pastors in the area have got to make time for that fellowship. You don’t know what you are missing! They also have a early morning coffee shop fellowship and Bible study every day there, which I attended several times. Pastor Dorman and Jani are such very special friends.

We spent the night with Pastor Fred and Irene Hughes in Dumas, Texas and spoke at a life group that night. They have been friends of ours for many years. Both the Hughes and the Duggans have ministered in the Philippines with us in years past.

We had dinner and visited with Dave and Laina Barlow one night and stayed up real late watching football (don’t see much of that in the Philippines!) The next day we met with Summer Lea, their daughter. We’ve known her since she was born and she volunteered to help manage two properties we still own there in Amarillo. What a relief that was! God is so good to us! Amen? Thank you so much Summer!

We got to spend some time with Bob and Bee Dunstan, Bob is a ripe 94, I think! Man, he’s still feisty for his age. Bob and Bee had Teen Challenge and then Life Challenge for many years in Amarillo. What a pair of saints! Thank you Bob and Bee for all those years of labor for the Lord. I say Wow!

We got to play Farkle with Ruth and Joel Davis and spend the night with them. Visited with my special friend Art Hulsey and his wife Gerri, they go back with us to San Jacinto Baptist days. (And were Calli’s youth group leaders years before that!) Also Art came to High Plains Baptist and helped me get through open heart surgery about 20 years ago this last August.

Saw Raul Ramos a real old friend and pal. Went to Breakfast with Max Montano and we led Veronica our waitress to the Lord using the 357 Magnum technique. That was a blessing. She’s gone to Max’s church since then. Yep! Did some of that other kinda fishin while we were there in the states!

Visited with Pastor Tom Lane, and Pastor Larry Titus in Southlake, Texas. Was good to see Devi Titus on the way back through Dallas. Stayed with James and Trina Lozano twice while going through Dallas, (bless his heart, James even got up in the wee hours of the morning to get us on our plane home!) Thank you James! We stayed with Terresia Shaw in Fort Worth our first night in the US. Thank you for picking us up at DFW!

Another very special visit was with Andrew and Laura Stenhouse in Amarillo. We played some Chicken foot with Pastor Tom and Karen Malone. That ain’t all guys, but I’ve got to stop. If you didn’t get mentioned and there are a bunch that didn’t, please know we love you but this is going to turn into a book if I don’t stop. We really needed that time, it had been years since Calli and I just chilled and had our own form of vacation. Praise God for all of you that we got to see while we were there. It meant so much to us!