Had a great thing happen on Saturday. I went to the mailbox! Now that is monumental around here! I haven't seen anyone in Jamaica with a mailbox outside their house. Post offices hold everybody's mail. You can rent a little space street side, accessible anytime, day or night, or if you don't rent a box you stand in line. A clerk pulls out your last name initial bundle and you can wait for a looooooong time for her to find your mail. The line will wind out the door most times of the day.
But the reason post office visits are few and far between is that finding a place to park is impossible. If I am alone I have to get at least somewhat close for other potential problems that I won't mention here, so, to say the least, I usually don't worry about the mail too much. Most of the time if we do get mail it is usually for the landlord!
But Saturday...well, the reason I went was to check and see if a Christmas card arrived that a friend sent from the states on December 7. That card wasn't there but something really special was!
We started our ministry in Illinois and that is where Den was licensed with the Assemblies of God, but shortly after that sojourn we found ourselves in a church that was meant for us! We Pennsylvanians, fit into New England and spent most of our ministry there.
Back to the Post Office. We received a letter from a dear friend who was part of the ministry of Christian Life Center. Joyce retired this past fall from her employment and found herself at home full time. Being home more now, she is going through things that have collected and instead of throwing out this treasure, she sent it to us! She wrote this for our farewell many years ago. When I look at even the paper it is copied on, my mind immediately traveled back to the CLC office, the copier room, the pink paper we used for so many things. My memory walked through the offices, the foyer, Den's "Snoopy" office, the sanctuary, the beautifully muraled nurseries. So many things drifted into my mind over a beautiful piece of mail.
For those of you who have heard about our CLC days you will laugh. For those of you who experienced those years with us, you will be brought back to those days when everything seemed so RIGHT. Enjoy and...thanks Joyce, you made our day!
Debby and Denny...
They're from CLC
She plays the piano
Youth Pastor is he.
We love them both so
They've been here five years
But now they must leave
We will shed many tears.
We've all been so blessed
By the things they have done
Their work with the youth
And the souls they have won.
They both went to Zion
A Rhode Island place
And before that, the Air Force
Was Denny's home base.
The state of Pennsylvanis
Was birthplace for the two
In small towns alike
They were raised in a pew.
Six brothers, Two sisters
Was Denny's large clan
With two each for Debby
The Hall household ran.
They came here to Walpole
From a town in Illinois
Their ministry since that time
Has truly been a joy.
They worked so very hard
For Speed the Light's big day
While Denny drove around
Deb walked the whole long way!
The Speed the Light Marathons
Were worth all the tears
Since First Place in District
Was ours for all five years.
The puppet group started
Under their watchful eye
Bringing joy to so many
On the very first try.
Those cute little puppets
So funny and bright
"A little bit of Sonshine"
Was shining His light.
Their first trip was special
To Sunbury, PA
Barbados came next
And led them to pray.
Their hearts were so touched
As their next trip was made
That Mexico sunshine
Seemed almost like shade.
And then came Jamaica
The puppets came too
Which all led to Belgium
And a world-wide review.
And speaking of talent
Which is all heaven-sent
Our Denny revised
The Teen Talent event.
As a pastor of youth
Denny sure made the grade
He counselled and nurtured
And perfected his trade.
He's known in the District
As the Youth Leader rep
With ideas and promotions
And energy and pep.
The Youth Staff will tell you
He trains them just right
He always looks forward
To "Youth Alive" night.
And Debby herself
Is quite special, ya know
Her musical talents
Have blessed our hearts so.
"His Own" is the group
Of singers she started
Made up of young teens
Who were so tender-hearted.
They sang for us here
And they traveled around
To nursing hones, churches
And toured with their "sound".
She once taught piano
But stopped such a pity
She then went to work
For our own Dr. Chitty.
She played for the choir
And accompanied them well
And taught little children
To sing clear as a bell.
Well, so much for that
We've told you enough
Of awards and achievements
And all that good stuff.
The time's finally come
To say "see you later"
We know in our hearts
That your next step is greater.
"We love you-We'll miss you"
We say through our tears
But we're praising the Lord
For the last great five years.
And we know He is wiser
For moving you on
To a far greater calling
Even though you'll be gone.
As missionaries now
To a world far away
Please know that our prayers
Will be with you each day.
And as you depart
To the vastness of Spain
We know that our loss
Is that country's gain.
"Good-by and God bless you"
As you tread foreign sod
We say "Vaya con Dios"
May you "Go thou with God".
Wow. YES that did take me way back. Amy would have been maybe 3 or 4 months old when that was written. And I will always remember that "His Own" sang on the Sunday I was officially welcomed on the pastoral staff in 1981. (They sang Evie's "Step Into the Sunshine".) Has it really been over 25 years since all that? Yes, I agree Debbie, I can see all those sights in my mind and that poem was a blessing!
ReplyDeleteThat was wonderful...it does come back like a flood to the mind. Maybe it's my age and my misguided memories but those were some of the best years. You both will never know what an impact you had on my life! Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteEven I remember parts of CLC, only not from when we were there on staff, since I was only 1 when we left. It's amazing how things come full circle: from Denny preaching for my dad the day I was born, to you and Ry playing at my wedding in Springfield MO! Crazy!
ReplyDelete