Missions Mag 1-4

Missions

October 2019

Vol. 1 No. 4

“Then Jesus came to them and said, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefor

GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and

of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Matthew 28: 18-20

Coming Home Again, Mission INDEX

2 The idea of doing a magazine on missions came to me as I listening to WYMC and Tommy Waldrop was

talking about a mission trip he had just returned from in Jamica. The purpose of this Coming Home

Again magazine is to encourage YOU to GO. I realized one reason I was interested was I too have been

on mission trips so I included my story. Then I contacted the following to tell their story.

3 Jamaica Mission Trip--Esher United Church by Tommy Waldrop

4-7 Mel’s Internation Mission Trips by Mel Doughty

8-9 Trace Creek did a local mission building beds for those who needed by Monica Rogers & Melanie Stinson

10 Freddie Rouse in many states and foreign as well doing Disaster Relief by Denise

11 Arizona Mission to Native American by Paul Wilkerson

12-13 First Baptist Church mission to Arizonia byBailey Cartwright

14-16 Listening to God by Rick Downing

17-19 Athony Steele ministry south of the border by Tony Steele

20-22 Samples family then Coming Home 2002 and now by Debbie Samples

23 Steven Elder shares about his Jamaica mission trip and church ministry goes back to the 1990’s

24-25 Everybody has a Story to Tell by Sarah Preston Martin

26-27 Northside Baptist Church to Poland and Northside Christian Church to Guatemala

28 Ed Johnson A Man of Many Missions by Mel Doughty

29- My First Mission Trip by Dr. Kevin Harris

30 Summit University

31 First Kentucky Bank

32 King’s Publishers, Inc.

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Jamaica Mission Trip--Esher United Church

By Tommy & Laverne Waldrop

When we tell people we are traveling to Jamaica to do

mission work, people immediately picture palm trees,

broad white beaches, crystal clear waters, and drinks

with little umbrellas on top. Yes, we see lots of that,

during the first hour drive from the Montego Bay airport.

We pass some of the most luxurious resorts in the

world. Names we recognize from TV commercials.

We then turn right, into the hills of St. Mary Parish.

The view is dramatically different. In fact, this part of

the journey slows to a crawl because the roads are so

poor.

Just about every-other year, Mayfield’s First United

Methodist Church’s missions team sets its sights on international

needs, and for at least the last 5 trips, dating

back to about 2008 we have joined CSI Missions

International headquartered in Kokomo, IN. Over the

years we have welcomed Christians from many other churches and denominations. In 2019 our team included Trinity UMC,

Antioch Church of Christ and Trace Creek as we set about to raise money, meet to prepare spiritually and physically, and to

pack.Our congregations, friends and families supported us in our fundraisers, prayers and love. Finally, on Saturday, July 6

we left the parking lot at 2 AM. Through the grace of God and Southwest Airlines, 14 Mayfield missionaries with 28 bags

safely arrived at Montego Bay airport before noon.

Our bags contained our clothes, yes, but also our precious bibles (180, all KJV), Bible School play-doh and crayons, Burger

King crowns, tools, paintbrushes, toothbrushes, and school supplies. So many items given out of love and prayed over

by many that we returned to the USA

with lighter suitcases but fuller hearts.

For the next 6 days we joined our old

and new Jamaican friends in fellowship,

worship, house raising, cultural

exchanges, and our special Bible School

at Esher United Church just south of

Highgate. Special because it was our

3rd trip to Esher church in 4 years, and

we were anxious to see how much Brianna,

Jarvis and other children had

grown. Smiles grew larger and hugs

tighter when we embraced the worship leaders and heart of the church, Sister

Lucy and Sister Davis. Even after hard, hot days, split into two teams building 2 houses a few miles apart, our energy and our

spirits soared when those kids started pouring into that tiny church. Imagine our hearts when those kids started teaching

us Bible songs and how they could recite, almost verbatim, yesterday’s lesson. No doubt the hardest part of the journey was

leaving everyone on the afternoon of the last day of our visit.

We are often asked what is the best part of the journey. No doubt, it’s the relationships. The people you work alongside

and mission with, Kentuckians and Jamaicans. The people who will have a home for themselves for the first time. One new

home owner is a single mom of 3 biological children, who is also rearing her 3 nieces/nephews, and her special needs brother.

Tears flowed as she accepted the key to their new 2 room home on Esher Church Road. We swap stories of our children and

churches with the permanent staff at the CSI Mission house including Mike, Todd, Sue, Pinto, Brad, Eli; the construction staff

Harry, Abe, Andy, Arthur, Patrick, and the list goes on. Each time we go we take the love and prayers of our home churches.

Each time we return we bring Jamaican love and experiences from old and new friends.

You will sacrifice your time, talents and money to serve others in Christ's name. However, you will receive a variety of blessings

and lasting relationships through fellowship with other Christians who have vastly different life experiences. We can all

respond to Christ’s call whether we mission in our community or go into all the world.

Where is your Samaria, Judea, or your end of the earth?

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Mel’s International Mission Trips

Looking back at over 50 years of International mission

work, it represents 70 trips and being gone over

200 weeks, which is equivalent to being gone four

years of my life.

In 1968, having the opportunity to take a group

to the BWYC and to travel to four countries I realized

how much is gained through those experiences.

In England seeing Westminister Abby and close by

the tower of Big Ben and parliament, so many sights

to see. Then to have go to Coventry which was the

first town blitzed by the Germans and see how they

had built a fantastic cathedral with help from all over

the world. Next to Amsterdam and Ann Frank’s hiding

place and on to tulip and wood shoe country.

While at the BWYC we heard from Billy Graham,

Paul Tournier and Kenneth Chafer and many others

during the week in Berne. On to Paris to the Eiffel

Tower, Louvre-statue of David and the Mona Lisa.

The last night we were on artist hill overlooking all of

Paris for a fantastic last meal. So during all my trips

I realized my main responsibility was to those going

with me and to make sure of their safety but also to

make it a meaningful experience in addition to the

mission segment of our trip.

In 1988, traveling with a Creative Ministry team to

Brazil, I realized I did not have to speak the language

of the country. I would teach their leaders how to

lead the group and once they knew how to lead we no

longer needed a translator as they had made a huge

step in becoming a leader. So where ever we went we

often taught the local leaders and they have continued

being able to lead the activities.

In 1991, I received a phone call from Ralph Hopkins,

Associate Director of the Kentucky Baptist Collegiate

Department, asking if I would take eight people to

Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan was apart of the USSR and

their camp was lead by communist. My response was

yes, however December 26, 1981 the Soviet Union

was dissolved. So when we arrived at Camp Zhalin,

we asked if we could teach from the Old Testament

thinking they were Muslims and they said yes. They

had no problem with us showing the Jesus film and

teaching from the New Testament. The camp director

even ask if we could teach other religions. During

the eight weeks there, I reflected on the book Halftime,

since I was fifty and wanted to see how to finish

the next half. That is when I realized that taking

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Beginning in 1968

Baptist World Youth Conference, Berne Switzerland,

England, Amsterdam and Paris

1970--Radius School of Drama--

England and Spain

Countries I went to once: Brazil, Greece, Tanzania,

Uganda, Hong Kong, Calgary, Canada,

Kazakhstan, Romania, Austria & Hungary.

Twice to Sweden and Trinidad.

Three times to Czechoslovakia,

Four to Taiwan & England

Five Years to Russia with 13 visits.

Twenty years to Poland with 31 visits.

Total of 70 trips to International Countries

Destiny In Poland--From Top to Bottom

Ustka--Location of 18 annual 10 day camps

Gdansk/Sopot--Old Towne and Airport for Marwica

Elblang-Baptist Church, Pawel Kugler, Pastor

Warsaw--Seminary, Orphanages and Camps

Otwock--Church ministry and Orphanages

Lodz--First Baptist, Leszek Wakula Pastor and

Daniela Hoppe--Human Trafficking

Wroclaw--First Baptist Camps

Krakow--Beautiful City used to go to Auschwitz

Auschwitz Concentration Camp

Wisla-Church with Conference Center in Mountains

Praha--Prague-Group trips there.

students and adults on International mission trips

would be a major part of my life. Working with the

Kentucky Baptist Convention’s Collegiate Department,

I had the opportunity to recruit students from

every Kentucky College and many churches were interested

in having groups go. I worked with Calvin

Wilkins at the KBC Partnership Department, which

also supported my groups going to Russia, Taiwan,

and Poland.

Starting in 1991, I would travel with several Campus

ministers and go to the colleges as students tried

out to make the International team. In 1998, the International

Mission Board allowed me to go to any

country and develop teams that I chose to work with

rather than the IMB assigning us countries. Since my

groups worked with youth and orphans we used many

creative ministries: Puppets, Mime, Drama, Clowning,

Singing, Movement, Sports, Bible Study, Games

and times of fellowship and sharing. We sponsored

Creations in Gatlinburg, TN for forty years, which

was for church youth but also training those going

overseas.

Kentucky Baptist had a partnership with Russian for

five years where I made 13 trips and then the Partnership

went to Poland. My first visits to Poland I said I

am not leaving and many areas of ministry continue

to this day. At Marwica Orphanage there was a nine

year old Angelika

who hit

on my pockets

wanting

money and

we were told

not to give

it to them

because it

would cause

them to become a beggar. Show with her first daughter

seven years ago we continue our friendship as she

is now thirty. We began by working in Poland with

Leszek Wakula the Youth director for the Polish Baptist

Union and now pastor of First Baptist Church,

Lodz. In 1999 Leszek, his wife Anna, Anika Kufeld a

young lady and Peter Arendt, assistant youth leader

came to American and visited churches and attended

Creations in Gatlinburg. From the beginning Leszek

wanted his youth to have Creative ministries and he

began a Camp at Ustka 2000. Baptist in Poland are

.001% of the population and when we first went they

were considered a cult. Most people in Poland are

Catholic by birth and would not have anything to do

with Baptist but with American youth helping with

the camp all Polish youth felt free to attend. This

made for three areas of direct ministry.

1--To non churched Polish Youth

2--To Baptist Youth now able to share

3--To challenge the Americans that came.

During the twenty-one years in Poland, the American

effect allowed us to get into schools, parks,

camps, orphanages and offer many special activities.

The longest ministry would be in Marwica, outside

of Elblang. In 1999 we had a student spend the summer

at the orphanage and have had camps there most

every year including last as mentioned on page xx.

Sometimes two or three camps there during the year.

Also we were involved with Elblang Baptist Church

from the beginning but much more so since Pawel

Kugler became Pastor.

Keep in mind, Poland is smaller than New Mexico

and has excellent roadways thanks to the European

Union plus travel by train is very efficient and we used

it often. Some groups come and go to one mission

point and head back home. Others spend three or

more weeks and have several places they can minister.

For several years the Kentucky Baptist Collegiate

Department had a sports team, Son Bound. And

they would spend the summer at camps, churches,

and orphanages. From the first time they came, they

would go to Pawel Kugler who was the associate pastor

at Sopot, and work with him in Poland’s tourist

area on the Baltic Sea.

Many from First Baptist have traveled to Poland.

Kenny Samples went with the first Partnership group

and built cabinets for the Warsaw Seminary. The Samples

family ministry is found on pages xx to xxx Later

we not only stayed at the Seminary but offered camps

there for area children and orphans. Henryk, who

had been a seminary official, began Chrzescijanska

Fundacja Radosc, which is a ministry that feeds the

poor and offers ten camps a year for poor youth and

orphans. Dr. Jeff Newswanger from Manchester, KY,

decided on his exploratory trip 16 years ago to help

sponsor a camp or two each year with Henryk. They

cost $10,000.00 with over a hundred attending each

camp because the leaders and the participants have

no way to contribute to the cost. They have special

activities like swimming or skiing for each camp.

Often I would take leaders of youth to Poland and

they would return with their youth group. Rick

Downing began taking groups from First Baptist,

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Mayfield and later when Pastor Wes Fowler came he

was shown all the dots on the map. Both Rick and

Wes will agree that my taking most groups to Auschwitz

Concentration Camp was a meaningful experience.

Rick, when he went into the room filled with

suitcases behind the glass, saw his mother’s maiden

name on a suitcase. On more that one occasion Wes

has shown the train tracks on the screen that go into

Birkenstock during a sermon and has had to pause

due to emotion.

The first five years of going to Poland we would

stop over in Paris going or returning. Paula Howard

a IMB journeyman, would show us Paris and share

how she was trying to reach the Muslims in Paris. I

decided that Poland was enough experience in itself

and would go to the following places instead. Krakow

in the south or Sopot in the North. Ustka camp

was also on the Baltic Sea and camps at Wroclaw a

beautiful city that was in Germany during the war

and thus received no damage.

Wisla, the southern most town, is in the mountains

and we had several new year’s eve celebrations

there as well as sponsored summer camps there. The

church had space for over 100 to sleep.

The cover of the 2005 brochure

shows a depiction of Weronika

Koniczuk. The brochure

also describes how Marta and I

shared our faith and she became

a believer. She was 13 and three

years behind in school because

of all the problems she had experienced

at home. I have kept

up with her through the years

and on my birthday she wished me happy birthday

and sent me an invitation to her wedding August 14,

2020 which I plan to attend. Once again I feel that returning

and encouraging people in the same country

has huge benefits. Fifteen years after sharing Christ

with her she invited me to her wedding. The brochure

also included information on the Warsaw Orphanage

and Older youth trip that Weronika was on.

[Pictured includes Weronika (center), Ed Johnson

(right of Weronika then me and one over is Henryk

Podsiadly], This was Ed’s first trip and his complete

6

story is on page xx. Barycz Camp which was our second

year there. The year before at Barycz, Ken and

Mike Parker attended along with Son Bound Sports

team and they met, Pawel Kugler and both started a

relationship with him. Ken and Mike have continued

their work with Pawel and in 2019 as reported on

page xx shares how Northside joined them this year.)

Wisla Camp, was led by Bill Houpt, youth minister

at Hillcrest Baptist Church, Hopkinsville, KY was

shocked at the hunger of the Polish youth and their

desire to learn and share. Wisla, being a tourist town

,allowed for the clowns, puppets, balloon ministry

and mimes to really share. Over 150 at the church for

a week. Ustka fifth year and Bill Houpt also led that

camp of more than 150 on the Baltic Sea, Marwica,

was lead by Ken & Mike Parker and the Son Bound

sports team was everywhere.. Groups came and left

during the middle of June to the middle of August.

This is a pattern that was repeated for the next then

years.

In 2008 I first met Monica Mrozko whose parents

had been killed in a car accident three years before.

She like so many

have been involved

each time

we go to Poland.

What a wonderful

surprise it was

that three years

ago when we

went to the river

she was baptized.

SUPPORT Let me tell

about a few that have supported

Destiny. The number

one person is Sarge,

David Mike Broadus. Beginning

with the first trip

Sarge had the support of

Upton Baptist Church and

he put a lot of his money

into the ministry. More importantly

he touched peoples lives and used the Internet

to communicate with his “children.” Supporting

Destiny and helping Henryk and so many others

that he knew needed help.

Trace Creek Baptist Church has helped for ten years

and is the backbone to our Over 18 ministry. Wally

and Judy Higdon not only financial support but are

super encourages.

The reason we have stayed in Poland 21 years and

will for several more is the support of Polish Baptist

youth and adults. From the first visit, Henryk Podsiadly

drove me from Warsaw to Lodz to meet the Polish

Baptist Youth Leader, Leszek Wakula. Henryk

has always enable us to do any ministry we want and

we have also sponsored camps with his organization,

Chzecijanska Fundacja Radosc. They sponsor camps

for underprivileged youth at a cost of $10,000.00 per

camp. The reason for the cost is that the campground

must be rented, all the children’s way paid, plus cover

the cost of the Polish leaders at camp since they receive

no honorarium. Cost of bus and special activities

like skiing or swimming.

Leszek Wakula and his

wife Anna, came to America

and saw creative ministries

at Creations and returned

to Poland and began a camp

at the Baltic Sea for 150 participants

and the camp has

continued for 18 years.

At the second camp

Aleksandra (Ola) Schmidt

Werner became a believer

and not only was leader

at Leszek’s cams but joined

our group at every venue

through the years. On July

24, 2016 she married Dawid

Werner (Sarge and I was

there). Now they minister

with Josiah Venture doing

English Camps all over Poland.

Pawel Kugler has been the

most supportive of so many

activities that Destiny has

provided. He not only picks

us up at the airport, house

us in his apartment in the

church but provides a great

breakfast. You can see how

having free housing with

Pawel or at Marwica helps

with the cost since airfare to

Poland is pricey.

Pawel first got involved with Destiny in 2004 at

Barycz, a camp for orphans sponsored by Henryk.

Ken and Mike Parker where also at the camp with

an upward basketball team and began a relationship

with Pawel. Ken and Mike have continued their wok

with Pawel sponsoring a camp every year and the

2019 as reported on page xx shares how Northside

joined the Parker’s this year.

Eight years ago Wes Fowler, First Baptist Church

pastor went to Poland and there he met Pawel Kugler.

Wes saw many ministries and sights which are circled

on the map. Let the church to support Ola for several

years as she ministered to the orphans at Marwica.

Let the church to purchase not one van but two for

Pawel Kugler to use transporting youth and orphans.

And made a commitment to have church groups go

to Poland which they did.

Leszek Czyzewki, Director

of the Northern Poland Children’s

Administration, has

been involved with Destiny

for 18 years. Provides housing

and food at Marwica for

our groups. Also he is the person responsible for

the Valley of Healing ministry for those over 18. In

2017 a group from Murray State BCM worked there

and the last two years Ed Johnson has taken a group

as reported on pages sxxx. For more information on

future trips call Mel Doughty at 270-705-2743.

King’s Promotions

Church Ministries

Mel Doughty

200 West Farthing Street

Mayfield, KY 42066

270-705-2743

Kingsplayers@aol.com

Church Bulletins

Brochures

Church Pictorial

Stationary--Letterheads and Envelopes

Correspondence Assistance

Notepads

Sign-age

Pew cards

Mission Trips

PROMOTIONAL ITEMS

All Work done through King’s Publishers, Inc.,

King’s Graphics, King’s Promotions

or King’s Players Youth Activities, Inc.

7

Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP)

Trace Creek Baptist Church

Builds 200 Beds

Trace Creek Missionary Baptist Church was founded in 1824 and for almost

200 years, we have been a mission-minded congregation. Our mission philosophy

is based on Acts 1:8, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost

is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and

in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Our

mission endeavors operate on a four-year rotation: locally (Jerusalem), statewide

(Judea), nationally (Samaria), and internationally (the uttermost parts of

the earth).

This year, our focus was local ministry. After much prayer and seeking the

Lord’s will for what would be accomplished, we discovered a very worthwhile

ministry that seemed to fit our congregation perfectly and Sleep in Heavenly

Peace (SHP) was chosen to be our week-long mission work. Ken Lake Region

Coordinators Julie Morris and Kevin Krause were contacted and plans were set

in motion for Mission Week 2019.

During the week of July 15-19, approximately 175 daily volunteers, ranging

in age from 12-85 years old, gave their time in two three-hour shifts to build

200 beds. The first shift was 9:00 a.m.-noon and the second shift worked from

6:00-9:00 p.m.

8

On Saturday, July 20, four teams disbursed and delivered seventeen beds

to families in Mayfield/Graves County. To date, the total number of beds delivered

is 72. Along with the bed, each recipient receives a set of sheets and

pillow provided by SHP, as well as a handmade quilt from Trace Creek’s sewing

ministry, H.I.M. (Hearts in Mind). It has been truly amazing how each quilt seems to fit each child perfectly. God has shown

Himself in the very details of each delivery!

SHP is an organization that was founded by Luke Michelson, in Kimberly, Idaho, in 2012. Their mission statement is: “NO

KID SLEEPS ON THE FLOOR IN OUR TOWN.” It is a volunteer-driven organization with 100% of donations going toward

serving children, because every child deserves a safe place to sleep. Proceeds go towards building, furnishing and delivering

the beds. To learn more about SHP, visit www.shpbeds.org You can also go to this website to request a bed. Simply fill out

the requested information on the online application.

Additionally, another team worked with children to allow them to participate in mission activities such as preparing meals

for shut-ins, delivering treats to local fire and police stations, and creating cards for nursing home residents.

9

Nebraska

Illinois,

Texas

Massachusetts

Louisiana

Colorado

Georgia

Florida

West Virginia

St. Thomas

Saipan

In Saipan (shown above) they spent three weeks putting

metal roofs on many homes after a devastating typhoon.

Freddie Rouse

Into Missions

Denise Rouse

Freddie Rouse never thought about being active

in mission until one Sunday night at FBC, Mayfield a trip

was announced going to Grand Isle, La after Hurricane

Katrina. He felt a tug on his heart, and in 2006 he went

on his first of many mission trips. Then in 2007 he went

to Honduras with his daughter’s church from Tupelo, Ms.

He had a heart for missions but didn’t know how to put

it into action. In 2013 FBC Mayfield sent out a group

to train for Kentucky Disaster Relief. In 2015 he began

working in many areas for this organization. Some of the

areas of service are:

Cooking units

Shower trailers

Laundry trailers

Child care

Water purification

Chainsaw trailers

Mud-out trailers

Roof tarping

Chaplaincy

Many others

The organization works in conjunction with the Kentucky

Baptist Convention and the Cooperative Program. They

are often aided by American Red Cross and FEMA. Some

places Fred has traveled are:

The above picture is St. Thomas Group

Anyone with a servant’s heart looking for somewhere

to use their energy, check out Disaster Relief of

Kentucky! You will stay busy, meet new people, and share

the Gospel all at once. The blessings go both ways.

DISASTER RELIEF TRAINING

New Volunteers will attend training from

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration fee: $40 includes

lunch, manual, background check and photo ID

September 14, 2019--Franklin--Lifepoint Church

January 11, 2020--Barbourville--FBC

February 8, 2020-- Nicholasville--Edgewater

March 7, 2020--Paducah--FBC

April 4, 2020--Hawesville--Hawesville Baptist

September 12, 2020--Glasgow--Calvary Baptist

502-489-3527 dr@kybaptist.org

www.kybaptist.org/dr

Odom’s Lifestock Supply, Inc. 270-247-2704

3349 St. Rt. 45, Mayfield, KY 42066 Since 1992

10

Arizona Mission to

Native Americans

By Paul Wilkerson

The question has been asked, How did FBC Mayfield find themselves in the

middle of the desert, hours away from KY, ministering to Native Americans? The

answer to that question involves Dr. James Cecil, Eric Gibbs, and a restaurant in

Benton, KY. For years Dr. Cecil, a professor of Christian Studies at Mid-Continent

University, traveled to the Pima Indian Reservation in Sacaton, Arizona to evangelize

and disciple the Native Americans. As his time on earth was coming to an end, he

needed someone to take up the reigns and continue his work in the desert. He began

to organize vision trips in hopes that the Lord would call someone for this task. It

wasn’t long until God answered the prayer of Dr. Cecil. On one of these short-term

trips, the Lord spoke to a Mid-Continent student named Eric Gibbs. Shortly after

the trip, Eric expressed a call to pack his belongings and move his family to live

among the Natives of Arizona. At this, time Eric served as the youth pastor of Zion’s

Cause Baptist Church in Benton, KY. Eric began the process of moving to Arizona by

reaching out to churches in Benton requesting support. Serving at First Missionary

Baptist in Benton, KY I was a recipient of one of these letters. Graduating from Mid-Continent, I was very familiar with the

ministry of Dr. Cecil. Naturally, I was very intrigued and wanted to learn more about Eric and his plans for Arizona. Therefore,

we set up a meeting at Los Portales in Benton, KY to meet and talk about the mission. Little did I know what this simple

lunch meeting would entail for the Kingdom of God. As I listened intently to Eric’s heart, I knew we had to partner with him

in this endeavor. A few months later, Eric and his family moved to Arizona. Shortly after Eric settled, we sent a team from

First Missionary to assist him with his vision. The first few trips we hosted Vacation Bible School events and sports camps

in surrounding villages. Those first few years presented many challenges, but the seeds planted began to sprout and grow. In

the meantime, I received a call to become the Associate Pastor of Youth at FBC

Mayfield, KY. Coming to the church in Mayfield was an exciting time, but in the

back of my mind, I was nervous that my ministry in AZ may be ending. However,

FBC Mayfield was thrilled to hear of the work in AZ and soon began to express

an interest to partner with Eric and his ministry.

As my relationship with Eric grew, we both began to express a vision to provide

a way for Native American youth to attend a summer church camp. However,

we knew this was no easy feat. The logistical, cultural, and financial concerns

were extremely evident. However, we launched out in faith and went for it. The

first year we provided a way for six Native American students to travel from Arizona to Kentucky for Crossings Youth camp

(shown on the left). It may have only been six students, but that first year brought a dream to reality and laid the foundation

for the future. The next year the interest among Native American students grew substantially along with the concerns of how

to sustain the ministry. Wes Fowler, the senior pastor of FBC Mayfield, rallied the troops and asked the congregation for the

financial assistance to conquer the challenge. They met the call with a generous spirit and completely funded the entire cost

of camp. Every year the number of Natives attending camp grows as does the financial needs. Likewise, every year the people

of FBC Mayfield donate an offering that covers the growing cost of camp. To date, FBC Mayfield has given over $150,000 to

ensure that students from various villages in Arizona have the opportunity to attend camp and learn about Jesus Christ. The

number of Native students attending camp has grown so much that we can no longer provide travel across the US to Kentucky.

Now the ministry consists of renting a facility in Prescott, AZ and sending a team from FBC Mayfield to host a church

camp. This camp ministry would not be possible without the willingness of FBC members to donate and go as leaders!

It is difficult to formulate the words needed to adequately describe the spiritual impact this week has on the students

of Arizona. However, we want to try and give you a description of what this ministry looks like on the ground. We have asked

Murray State Student and FBC attender Bailey Cartwright to provide a report of what it looks like from her perspective. Bailey

has made multiple trips to Arizona as a mission team member, Bible teacher, and camp facilitator.

11

First Baptist Church

Led Youth Camp

Prescott, AZ (Summer 2019)

by Bailey Cartwright

Okay so I’m going to give a brief run down of our small group time and

share some ways we saw God work throughout our week in Prescott, Arizona.

I personally believe these small groups are the most significant times during

the whole camp. They give the students a better opportunity to discuss, ask

questions, and open up when in a smaller more personal setting. Y’all may or

may not be familiar with what this time is. So, after our large group morning

celebration, we divide up into smaller groups based on age and gender

and disperse throughout the campground.

Alongside Katie Jones, I

had the opportunity to teach the

freshman girls. We were studying

the book of Philippians. On the first

day we were in chapter one with the

focus on gaining through suffering. We applied the context of the book and

Paul’s life to our own and how no matter what we have done in our past, God

forgives and His grace is enough. Then on the second day we discussed chapter

2 and how even though it goes against today’s culture, gains are actually

made through humility. Looking at Jesus as the ultimate example of humility,

He left His highest place of honor, took the place as a servant to meet us where

we are and died the death we deserve. On the final day we studied chapter 3

and switched our perspective to view everything else we could gain in life as

garbage compared to knowing Christ.

I’m going to be honest, leading a small group like this is very stressful

because you feel a great deal of pressure to present the gospel and the Word of God in a way that clicks with the Natives

without holding back from teaching it in its entirety. One thing I have to remind myself of when leading a group like

this, that come with no background knowledge, is that its not me who does the work … it is God. I often go back to

Moses in Exodus 4:10-12. It states this, “But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past

or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Who has

12

made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and

I will be with your mouth and teach what you shall speak.” So I find myself resting in the truth that He is the great I

AM- in sovereign control- and it was not in what we would do or not do or say but the power of the Holy Spirit that

would work in the girls’ lives. And we witnessed Him do just that. Me and Katie were very blessed with the group of

girls we had. They were very responsive and were able to connect Paul and the book of Philippians to their own lives.

Not just during small group, but throughout the whole week of camp it was evident that God was working in the lives

of individual students.

I asked around from some of our mission team to give me some examples of how they witnessed this.

First of all, a couple of girls that stand out to me came with no desire but left with a burning desire to know

Him more. One of them being Aricelli, who actually made a profession of faith on the last night of camp. The other was

a sweet girl named Lilia. I had her in my group at kids camp last year and was as shy and reserved as ever. This year, as

one of the youngest students there, was raising her hands in worship and said “I can just feel God changing me.” She

followed up by making a profession of faith the week after also! Then we had four students-

Castor, Javi, Sonya, and Wrethy prayed in front of the whole group who had never prayed like that before. On

my team, aka Gold team, aka the winning team, we had two girls memorize whole chapters of Philippians, one of which

comes from a family that is Mormon, so that makes it that much more exciting.

And then we had Fonzy, who has been coming to camp for as long as I can remember, very closed off until the

last day when he began memorizing blocks of scripture on his own and if he messed up one word he’d want to go back

and memorize it until he got it perfect.

A kid named Tyler, came to camp as crazy as ever and left as crazy as ever but he was memorizing scripture

with a want to and asking deep questions during small group and commenting about large group. And these are just

a few examples!! Yet, when most people think of missions, the first thing they think of is not usually North America.

But guys, the need for the gospel is everywhere. Not just on that reservation but here in the community surrounding

us, it is urgent. Some things the students brought up at camp that they are faced with daily are broken families, alcohol,

drugs, gangs, all forms of child abuse, teens raising and providing for their younger siblings, self harm, and suicide. To

the students we were working with, these things were normal.

Not just them but the ones right here in Mayfield. Right now, Satan is trying his very best to destroy the souls

of those 6th -12th graders for eternity. But they desire something more! They long for that not to be the norm! As we

witnessed from our week in AZ, they have a desire to dig into God’s Word. They have a desire to memorize scripture.

They have a desire to praise Him openly. They long for a spark of hope in the darkness they live in daily. That is why

most of them claim that this youth camp was the best week of their lives. These students actually hurt thinking about

having to leave camp and go back to their everyday culture. From what I have seen over the past three years, I believe

it is one of the biggest hurdles the students face when deciding to follow Jesus with their lives. Romans 12:2 says, “ Do

not be conformed to this world…” but these students see that as almost impossible sometimes. They fear what they

have to go home to… they don’t see how they can follow Jesus when they are constantly surrounded with evil in their

homes and feel like they have no way to escape it. So I just urge you to be in constant prayer for these students and their

families as well, because there are multiple that are weighing the cost. The truth is starting to speak louder than the lies

in their life, and they are open to hearing the gospel. This showed by the dozen of students who followed up our week

of youth camp by attending VBS the next week. Overall, I learned, my eyes were opened to, and I was convicted of a lot

from this week in AZ.

Majority of us in this church don’t have to deal with what these students do. I don’t hold back in saying that we

all extremely blessed with the circumstances, community, family, church, and people God allows us to be surrounded

by. Yet we sometimes lack the desire to dig into God’s word, have a hard time giving up our comforts to share the gospel,

and look past the urgent need for the gospel to be shared among our country and our nation. There are souls out there

in desperate need of the truth of the Gospel & as Christians that’s our job. So I urge you to step out of your comforts and

love, share, and maybe even go. I’ve been able to witness the way God works and the fruit that came as a result of God’s

work through us in AZ & guys it’s so worth it.

The world needs the gospel and we have it.

Share it.

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13

Listening to God

It really doesn’t seem like twenty years ago that I actually started listening to God

concerning my life. I remember the morning I woke up and told Chrissy to help

me get the girls ready, we were going to go to church. All of my co-workers at the

plant in Paducah kept telling me I needed to go, and they even had a suggestion

of where to go. I guess they saw something that I wasn’t ready to admit, a lack of

following God. I finally relented and we attended First Baptist in Mayfield. We

walked in the door and were greeted with smiling and friendly faces. People acted

like they were glad we had come to church. I found out it wasn’t so bad after all.

A few Sundays later we decided we would try out Sunday School. We ended up

in a classroom in the basement sitting in a circle of folding chairs. Now I got real

nervous. The teacher was asking people to take turns reading and I was scared to

death. I had no idea how to pronounce those names and didn’t want to show my

ignorance in public. But to my surprise everyone was still nice and polite about

the whole thing and no one made it awkward if I messed up. I even began reading

my lesson early so I knew what was being taught and what I might have to read.

As time ticked on I realized I never really had made a total decision to follow

God. I had gone to church off and on, but never really was committed. Jesus was never the one I looked to for any decision

on how I should live my life, he was just there on the holidays or if we went to church. I was making all of my own decisions

and trying to be a husband and raise my kids the best I knew how. One afternoon at home I was reading my bible and it just

became so obvious, I wasn’t really a follower of Jesus. I remember talking with God, and just saying “God, if I really believe

what your bible says, why am I not living like it?” It was that day that I finally surrendered my life to Jesus of Nazareth and

became one of his followers.

I would love to say my life became perfect after that, but it would be far from the truth. One thing that happened

within a few months though, was a better understanding of what it meant to be sober-minded. I didn’t want anything influencing

my thoughts that would impair me from following Jesus, so I stopped one thing from my past cold turkey.

If you are going to follow somebody, you really have to know what they say, so I started reading and studying as much as I

could. I joined every group study that was available and helped every chance I got. One morning at the men’s praying meeting

a friend mentioned they really could use some prayer for the boys Royal Ambassadors on Wednesday nights. A few of the

boys were taking a bunch of extra attention. I decided I would not just pray for them, but I would show up and help them. I

had never taught anything to do with the bible, but I could keep some kids occupied, and so I showed up.

That first night really changed my life. These kids seemed wild. I have two daughters and they were mild compared to 5th

grade boys. I looked at a couple of those kids and thought, “your dad is a deacon, I wonder if he knows you act like this?” I

learned a lesson that not everybody has their whole life together, even the leaders of the church. What they really needed at

the church was someone that would show up and try to learn and try to help wherever they could, so I kept coming back.

At this point you may be wondering what in the world this has to do with missions. Well let me tell you, this was my first

mission of doing something for someone else on a regular basis, and not for myself. My mission strategy had changed. It

wasn’t what was Rick going to do on Wednesday night that I found most pleasurable, it was what was Rick going to do on

Wednesday night that God wanted him to do.

It wasn’t too long after that someone asked me to work with the youth department. I don’t really remember all of the

specifics, but Chrissy and I were on the Youth leadership team. I think it was because my daughter was in the youth. And

the next thing you know I somehow started working with the puppets and the youth. I’m not going to lie, that was pretty

stressful. I felt as though I had bitten off more than I could chew. I am not an artistic person by any means and didn’t see how

I was going to be used in a puppet ministry. I had been working with the Christmas tree since I had been at the church, and

I knew the expectation for puppets in the tree. I knew what it was like the year there were no puppets in the tree. So now I

was just scared when tree time came around.

The funny thing is, I was really put out of my comfort zone, but now I don’t really remember any specifics. It is all

kind of a blurr. I just remember the idea of doing things I had never done before at church, kind of scared me. Looking back

it seems kind of silly, but in the moment, it was life changing. We kept working with kids and youth over the years and at

some point I was asked to serve as a deacon. I do remember when I got that phone call. I wanted to think about whether I

was willing to take that step in my life. Did I really want to commit myself to that level of service? When you just show up on

14

Sunday and slip out the back door, there is little expectation. If someone asks you to do something they may not even expect

you to say yes. But when you join a team, or become part of a ministry, or publicly profess you are going to serve in a certain

way, people will start asking you how it is going. There is a level of accountability there.

My decision came down to one thing, what did God really want me to do? I didn’t decide to serve just because I was

asked. I decided to serve because I felt like God wanted me to serve in a way I hadn’t done before. That is the way things work

with following God. We start off on this journey not knowing what lies ahead in our lives, and as we continue on, God may

give us another assignment.

Life kept continuing to change for me as my level of commitment continued to increase. I found myself on youth

trips and helping at various events. I took my first mission trip away from Mayfield after Hurricane Katrina. We went with

our youth to help with the relief effort and hold a kids camp. I started to see their were other areas in the country that could

use help sharing the good news of Jesus. A few years later I was attending a youth summer camp and felt an overwhelming

sense that God was calling me to leave my secular career and pursue being in full-time ministry. Later that year Chrissy and I

surrendered our lives to following what God desired for us to do. We didn’t fully realize what that would entail, but we wanted

to keep trusting God more in our decision making.

It was about a year later when I got the opportunity to go to Poland over

New Years with our youth Pastor Jeff Keith and his seminary friend Phil Rice. We

traveled with Mel to a few of the different ministry spots and met Pawel Kugler.

It was on that trip that I realized God might be asking us to rethink how comfortable

we were in our current location and doing what we thought everyone

expected of us. It was a few years later that my new friend Phil, moved his entire

family to Romania (on Right) to be on the international mission field full-time.

At this point I didn’t really know what was next, but I was being prepared to not

try to define my future for myself anymore, and let God lead me.

I ended up being on staff at First Mayfield in a couple of different positions, starting as part-time interim youth pastor,

and then a position as the missions pastor. During those times we took multiple mission trips. We returned to Poland several

times and kept working with our friend

Pawel. My desire would be to continue

working in Poland for as long as I can.

It has always been a special place to me.

But God was moving me to something different during this time.

One place in particular stood out in the United states. When I arrived in Arizona to work with Eric and Brittany Gibbs in

the summer of 2014, I started to sense something was coming in our lives. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, or should

I say I didn’t want to admit it, but God was showing me how much need there was in Arizona. It really wasn’t a question of

there not being a need in Mayfield, that was obvious. And I am well aware that I can find people that are not following Jesus

as Lord and Savior everywhere I go. We need to share the gospel everywhere, and we need to start where we live. But there

was something different about Arizona. People were not lining up to leave the comfort of their current ministry positions, or

even the comfort of having family close by, to relocate and share Jesus. So in 2016 we decided to move to Arizona and help

15

on the native American reservations.

When Mel asked me to share

a little about missions and what it has

meant to me, and some of the connections I have had over these last years, I really didn’t want to say anything. I am nothing

special. I am just a husband, and a dad that was influenced by my co-workers to get to church and listen to people who would

teach me the bible. The more I listened and the more I read, I realized I needed to live under the forgiveness of Jesus. I saw

God had a different plan for my life than I did. It is a better plan. A plan that relies on keeping in touch with my heavenly

Father all of the time. I can’t just talk to him once and think I have it all figured out. I have to talk to him every day and check

in on my progress. I don’t think me or Chrissy would say the transition to Arizona has been easy, but the reality of it is, I

would go again. Sometimes we look back at where God has taken us and say something to the effect,” if I had known what I

was going to go through, I might not have done it.” I would like to challenge all of us to have such faith in our heavenly father

that no matter what he calls us to do, we don’t shrink back into our own comfort zone, or our own desires for our life, but

charge into the future with the same faith we have in Christ for our salvation. If I trust in Jesus for my eternal salvation, why

can’t I trust him on this Earth for where I live and what I do? I have been trying to measure my ministry effectiveness in how

much I rest in my salvation, and how obedient am I being to the call on my life. If I can wake up and remember what Jesus

has done for me every day, I am more likely to live my life for Him and be more obedient.

My prayer is that you will trust in Jesus for your salvation, and for your life on this Earth.

VOL. 1 NO. 1

April 2019

Celebrating Joe Morris

20 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE

AS HEAD COACH

239-49

COMING HOME

PETRA PRAG CRUTHFIELD

Assistant to Mayfield

City Mayor

KATHY O'NAN

Mayfield City Mayor

KIM DUBLIN

First Woman Superintendent

at Graves County

DEANNA TAYLOR

Owner of Dinner Bell

Restaurant

CYNTHIA ELDER

Executive Director

Tourism Board

DENISE THOMPSON

Chamber of Commerce

President

Next Edition of Coming Home Again

Homeless & Foster Homes

Next Edition

First Responders &

Drug Problems/Solutions

16

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This is what it is like.

Anthony Steele, D.Miss.

Training Facilitator for Latin America

Reaching & Teaching International Ministries

Email: anthony.steele@reachingandteaching.org

Cell phone: 270-970-8436

I greatly appreciate this opportunity to share something about my missions calling and

work. Before He ascended to the Father, Jesus gave his disciples the commandment to go

to all the world to make other disciples, teaching them to obey all things He had

commanded them. We call this mandate the Great Commission. Some have wondered if it

was just a commission for Jesus’ original disciples, but, since they did not get to all the

world in their lifetimes, it is clear that it is a mandate for the church in any age. That is

what God has been using the church to do since the Great Commission was given.

Glendon and Marjorie Grober

The Lord began to speak to me early on about a calling

to missions as a career. I gave my life to Christ at the

age of eight. Shortly after that, I met my uncle and

aunt, Glendon and Marjorie Grober, who were

missionaries to Brazil. I remember reading an article

about my uncle traveling the Amazon River to establish

preaching points and to plant new churches. I

remember wondering, “What must it be like to do

that?”

The Lord called me into the ministry when I was

sixteen and, shortly after that, I saw my uncle and

aunt again at a family reunion. My aunt began to

talk to me about my surrendering to God’s call

and she said “Tony, I believe the Lord will be

calling you to the mission field someday.”

Indeed, when I was in seminary in the 1980s, the Uncle Glen baptizing in the Amazon River

Lord called my wife, Beverly, and I to surrender to

his call to career missions. We wholeheartedly surrendered our lives to this calling. For

reasons of health at the time, the Lord closed the door as soon as we surrendered. That

was a difficult piece of news for us. For twenty-five years, I continued in ministry positions

serving as pastor and as a chaplain for a period of time. The whole time, I was wondering

and praying, “Why did you call us so strongly and then not let us go?” I had a fulfilling life

in ministry, but always thought our lives would not be what God intended if we did not

get to the mission field.

In 2007, I was asked to be a part of some mission work being done in Mexico by the

Caldwell/Lyon Baptist Association in Princeton, Kentucky. They were saturating a portion

17

of the state of Zacatecas with the Gospel. I went on thirteen short-term mission trips with

them to help accomplish this task. I worked closely with the Director of Missions, Rick

Reeder, in this work and even received some specialized missions training through the

International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Beverly also went with

me on a couple of trips and, in 2009-10, it was clear that the Lord was calling us to move

to Mexico to do follow-up work and church planting in the areas where we had been

working to spread the Gospel.

On Easter Sunday 2010, we made public to our

home church, Trace Creek Baptist Church in

Mayfield, Kentucky, our plans to move to Mexico to

serve as missionaries. We then proceeded to make

our plans and to raise the support required to

accomplish this calling for living and ministry

needs. The Lord led us to connect with the missions

agency, Global Outreach International in Tupelo,

Mississippi, as the means for receiving support from

our donors and for orientation to our new missions

calling. It was clear that God had called us to Global

Outreach for this purpose. They provided great help to

us in teaching us how to raise support and in caring for us while we were on the field.

In 2014, it became clear to us that, due to some of Beverly’s health issues, it was going to

be necessary for us to return to the United States. We began to pray about what the next

step in the Lord’s plan for us would be. Through Reaching & Teaching International

Ministries, I found an opportunity to continue to train pastors on the field while living in

the United States. Since then, I have had the opportunity to train pastors in many countries

of the world including Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico,

Panama, and Peru. What appeared to be a setback for us, God has actually used to

increase the impact of our missions calling. Although Beverly usually doesn’t travel with

me (due to her health and the remoteness of

the areas where I train pastors), she is faithful

to pray for me and to maintain our home while

I am away. Please pray for her health and

safety at all times, but especially when I have

to be away from her on a trip.

I travel to remote locations to train pastors

where they gather and to bring the theological

training to them that they could not get

otherwise. There are no Bible schools or

seminaries available to these pastors in their

Alianza Cristiana, Peru from the floatplane

countries and, if there are, they could not

afford to leave their work and move their families to the big cities where these schools

18

Beverly and I doing gospel saturation

in Mexico

might exist. There is one location in the

might

Amazon

exist.

rainforest

There is one

of Peru

location

where

in

I

the

have been

Amazon

several

rainforest

times that

of

is

Peru

indicative

where

of

I have

this need.

been

several

Alianza

times

Cristiana,

that is indicative

Peru is so

of

remote

this need.

that the

Alianza

pastors

Cristiana,

often have

Peru

to

is

travel

so remote

as much

that

as

the

five

pastors

days

often

by foot

have

and

to

by

travel

boat

as

to

much

get to

as

the

five

days

training

by foot

site.

and

It

by

takes

boat

us

to

about

get to

3

the

days of travel

training

by commercial

site. It takes

airlines

us about

and

3

by

days

a charter

of travel

by

floatplane

commercial

to

airlines

get to them,

and by

but

a

our

charter

sacrifice is

floatplane

minimal

to

to

get

theirs.

to them,

It is truly

but our

an honor

sacrifice

to teach

A Peruvian pastor and I on the floatplane

is

minimal

these brothers.

to theirs.

Alianza

It is truly

Cristiana

an honor

is

to

only

teach

one of many A Peruvian sites where pastor I and have I on the floatplane opportunity to

these

train

brothers.

pastors

Alianza

and leaders

Cristiana

in order

is only

to equip

one of

them

many

to lead

sites

their

where

churches

I have the

well

opportunity

and to preach

to

train

and

pastors

teach

and

sound

leaders

biblical

in order

doctrine

to equip

to their

them

church

to lead

and

their

community

churches

members.

well and to preach

and teach sound biblical doctrine to their church and community members.

On one visit to Peru, I was traveling down a tributary of the Amazon River by “peque

On

peque”

one visit

(a

to

type

Peru,

of river

I was

johnboat

traveling

that

down

has

a

been

tributary

called

of

that

the Amazon

by locals

River

to mimic

by “peque

the sound of

peque”

the single

(a type

stroke

of river

motor

johnboat

that propels

that has

them

been

down

called

the

that

river).

by

We

locals

were

to mimic

traveling

the

to

sound

preach

of

at

the

a

single

village

stroke

along

motor

the river.

that

I

propels

was reflecting

them down

on the

the

ministry

river). We

of my

were

uncle

traveling

Glen who

to preach

would

at

a village

travel these

along

same

the river.

waters

I was

in Brazil.

reflecting

As a

on

boy,

the

I

ministry

wondered,

of my

“What

uncle

must

Glen

it

who

be like

would

to do that?”

travel

I thought

these same

to myself

waters

as I

in

sat

Brazil.

in that

As

boat

a boy,

in Peru,

I wondered,

“This is

“What

what it

must

is like.”

it be like to do that?”

I thought to myself as I sat in that boat in Peru, “This is what it is like.”

I do what I do because of the support of many individuals and churches that have seen the

I do

value

what

in

I

this

do because

mission

of

work.

the support

As you can

of many

imagine,

individuals

it is costly

and

to

churches

travel 6-8

that

times

have

per

seen

year.

the

If,

value

after

in

reading

this mission

my testimony,

work. As you

you

can

feel

imagine,

inclined to

it is

support

costly

this

to travel

missions

6-8 times

ministry,

per

I

year.

would

If,

be

after

very

reading

grateful.

my

I

testimony,

am also certain

you feel

that

inclined

the Lord

to

will

support

honor

this

your

missions

gift and

ministry,

it will be

I would

investment

be

very

in

grateful.

the spread

I am

of

also

the Gospel

certain

and

that

in

the

strengthening

Lord will honor

churches

your gift

that

and

only

it will

eternity

be investment

will reveal.

in the

You

spread

may support

of the Gospel

my ministry

and in

using

strengthening

the information

churches

below.

that

I

only

am also

eternity

available

will reveal.

to come

You

and

may

speak

support

at your

my

church.

ministry

My

using

contact

the information

info is at the

below.

beginning

I am also

of this

available

article. Thank

to come

you!

and speak at your church. My contact info is at the beginning of this article. Thank you!

Please make out your check to “Reaching & Teaching” and send your tax-deductible

gift to the address below:

Please make out your check to “Reaching & Teaching” and send your tax-deductible

gift to the address below:


P.O. Box 122


Wheaton IL 60187

P.O. Box 122

Wheaton IL 60187

Include a note with your check as follows: “For Steele support account 4122170”

Include a note with your check as follows: “For Steele support account 4122170”

19

20

21

This Story Doesn’t End!

by Debbie Samples

Yearly mission trips were a normal occurrence in the Samples family as you see in the 2002 Coming Home article.

Kenny had make nine foreign mission trips by 2003. Debbie had made three foreign mission trips and numerous mission

trips within the United States at that time. In December 2003, Kenny was making plans for two foreign trips in 2004. According

to Debbie, “Our world stopped on January 2, 2004.” Kenny suffered a brain aneurysm that resulted in 2 major brain

surgeries, numerous other brain procedures, infections, meningitis, and partial paralysis. He spent 29 days in ICU in Paducah

and 2 ½ months in rehabilitation in Lexington, KY. Debbie states that “We were given no hope for any recovery. But

in God’s divine providence, Kenny walked out of the rehabilitation center 3 ½ months after the aneurysm. We were sure at

that time that our mission trips were over.”

Kenny & Debbie both agree “We should never count out our ability to serve God.” In 2005, shortly after Hurricane

Katrina, Debbie accompanied a group from First Baptist Mayfield to Woolmarket, MS to assist with Disaster Relief. In 2006,

Debbie & Ken (oldest son) served with the youth from FBC Mayfield in

Grand Isle, LA (picture on right) with clean up and construction due to the

devastation of Katrina. Debbie & Grant (son) served in Grand Isle the following

year completing additional construction projects along with youth

from FBC Mayfield. In 2008, Grant at the age of 16 traveled to Poland on

his first foreign mission endeavor. He had an opportunity

to work with an orphanage. According

to Grant, “I had heard mom and dad talk about

foreign missions my whole life, but didn’t truly

understand until I saw for myself. I was humbled

and grateful at the same time.” While in Poland,

a lady asked Grant why he had come to

her country. His response was “My dad can’t

come any more but I can!” Grant returned to Poland in 2009 & 2010.

The story doesn’t end, Kenny & Debbie’s youngest child Anna

continues the tradition. She made two trips to Poland to work at orphanages.

She had an opportunity to visit a school and share the gospel with

students. Anna has also traveled to Arizona several times and Debbie

once with groups from FBC Mayfield to share the love of Christ on Indian

Reservations (pictures on right).

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Anna’s most recent

mission trip was to

Blanquette, Haiti to

work with a church

and the local children

(four pictures on left).

In 1994 Kenny &

Debbie took their first

mission trip together.

In 2004 they thought that another trip together would never be a reality. In 2014, 20 years

after their first mission trip, they traveled to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to work with a church

planter. Kenny & Debbie worked together to prepare meals for the mission team, distribute

flyers door-to-door, and assist with block parties to share God’s love.

Kenny, Debbie and their family (which now includes 2 daughters in law, one son in law, and

two grandsons) continues to support and participate in local mission endeavors. Kenny says

“God continues to bless us! Never underestimate what God can do. He can use the broken if

we are willing.”

Jamaica Mission Trip

by Steven Elder

At 7:05 AM on Tuesday, September 20th, 2016 the wheels of our plane lifted

from the ground in Nashville, with the final destination of Mandeville Jamaica.

Now the first thing that comes to your mind might be coconuts, palm trees

and the beach. But what you might not know is we were on a mission. We were

eight ordinary parishioners with average skills trying to do something extraordinary

in Jamaica. The members of our mission team, Sister Martha, Stephanie

Dodson, Ben Elder, Ruthie Wood, Kay Waid, Rebecca Thomason, Anna Rose

Buckman and myself all gave up something to go. Time with our family, our own

financial commitment, time away from work, etc. But what we received in return

was far greater in my mind than what we took with us. I’ve heard once stated that

giving is the most selfish thing you can do. Because giving, allows you to receive

so much more in return. This is so true with the people of Jamaica.

Our trip took us all over the Diocese of Mandeville. The whole country

of Jamaica is a little over 4,000 square miles. The State of Kentucky by comparison

is over 40,000 square miles. We call the Diocese of Mandeville, our sister

diocese. St. Jerome Church in Fancy Farm, KY is in the Diocese of Owensboro.

Our relationship with Mandeville started back in the 1990s when our Bishop

John McRaith asked Bishop Paul Michael Boyle from Jamaica, how we might

help them? Bishop Boyle asked for pencils. Now the Ash Wednesday collection is

dedicated for the Diocese of Mandeville. This past year we collected $64,000 for the Mandeville.

For the mission I went on, a

lot of focus is put on building a house,

but that’s just a small part of our emersion

process. In the 7 days that we were

there, we visited the Gift of Hope Mustard

Seed where children with severe

disabilities stay and are cared for. The

difficulties and problems those children

face on a day to day basis, did not deter Kay or Anna Rose from loving and supporting them. The hot Jamaican sun

did not deter the rest of the team as we cleaned, sweated and painted a visitor’s cottage at St. Vincent School so that visiting

teachers and other volunteers can be recruited to come to Jamaica. The winding roads around Mandeville did not keep

up from touring the St. John Bosco Home for Boys where apprentice programs are provided for the youth. The lack of

medical supplies and help did not keep our team members

from working at a clinic and providing medicine and help

to those in need. Time stood still for us as we listened to the

voice of children singing “This Little Light of Mine” at the

St. Joseph School in Cross Keys. Our hearts poured out for

those at the nursing home watching nuns and sisters care

for those who can no longer care for themselves. The small

crowded church in the hills provided the perfect location as

we taught 17 women how to use their new water filter and

bucket. This water filter program will provide clean drinking

water to at least 68 people.

Back to the house we built. It was a home no bigger than

a small garage. No electricity. No running water. No bathroom. Just three rooms and small front porch. Built off a dirt road

in the corner of a field. The Powell family worked side by side with us building and painting the house. Angela Powell the

mother of the family held our hands on the front porch thanking and praising God. She sang, Alleluia Praise the Lord, God

23

Everybody Has A Story to tell...( Part One of Three)

Sarah Preston Martin

My name is Sarah and as I look back over my life I see God’s hand leading me. I don’t think I could ever

have planned what he had planned for me.

I came not only from a broken home but a broken family. I spent most of my childhood feeling broken.

When I accepted Jesus in 1996 my life changed forever. It was my freshman year of college that God introduced me

to Mel Doughty, President of DESTINY. It was through his organization that I began to partake in international

mission trips. While in College I worked as an EMT and spent the next 13 years working as I put myself through

a masters and then a Doctorate program. I thought for sure that my life was going to be working in the church in

full-time ministry. I spent a few years as the campus ministry at Mid Continent College and then as a youth leader

at Cornerstone Church.

However, God’s plans are always different than our own.

I spent almost ten years traveling the world doing different types of ministry through DESTINY. I lead over

22 international trips to different countries helping orphans. My very first trip was to Taipei, Taiwan in 1999. We

were originally going to China

but their embassy in Belgrade

wasbombed. God took us to

the streets of Taipei. We went

into schools and performed

skits that spoke about Jesus.

On my first trip I met Cindy;

(picture on left) when we met.

However, over the course of

the years that I kept returning

we kept in touch. We went from Snail mail to now the wonderful technology of Facebook.

Cindy and all the other Cindy’s out there is one of the many reason I was called to do International

Missions. There is a big world that has never heard the name of Jesus. It is difficult to fathom in the era

of Technology that we live in. However, we are all called to be the light of Christ. Not everyone is called to Taiwan

or Poland but we are all called to those we cross paths with on a daily basis.

I am not sure if I can pick a favorite place. There was something special about each place I went. Of course,

all the people I encountered were amazing and I have created lifelong friends and memories. God’s beauty was not

just in the mountains or the beautiful sunsets but in the faces of all the little children we served.

It was in serving others that I really felt like I was making a difference. However, it was during this time

that I really found myself and knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to help people. I wanted to go into dark places

as bring the Light of Christ to the lost and hurting.

I joined Trigg County Sheriff ’s department in 2007. In 2010 I was hired onto the McCracken County Sheriff ’s Department

where am still today. In 2011 I was assigned to general investigations. I slowly began to move into

24

specializing in investigating crimes against women and children. Although most people find this a difficult area to

work in I soon began to excel. I finally found my calling. Most people do not realize what it is like to be a police

officer today. It is very demanding and stressful. Through my job as a detective I am able to reach the lost and

hurting on a daily basis. I have missed family events and many dinners with my children because I was working

late helping others.

I am married to Rick Martin whom is now a retired police officer

from Cadiz, KY. We bought a farm in 2013 where we began to raise Goat’s

and other farm animals. We have 6 children and a full-time farm. All of

our children are adopted or foster

through the state foster care system.

(This part of the story in next

magazine) My moto is we always

have room for more. It is through

my desire to help people that I

bought a building in Paducah and

opened the Farmhouse (shown

below.) When we started raising

Goat’s I started making soap. It is

from the soap making adventure that I began to make my own version of Bath and Body products at a natural level.

Often customers will come in with skin issues and I am able to help them with my products. Martin Farm Soap

has provided me another avenue to help others. I never thought when I began to make soap that it would lead to

what it is today. I am beyond blessed.

I am often asked how I manage a fulltime job as a detective, a store, 6 children, and a farm; my only answer is Jesus.

He has programed me to me be able to balance it all and still keep him first. I could not do it all with out HIM!

The Farmhouse Gift and Coffee Shop

1939 Kentucky Avenue, Paducah, KY (270) 415-5075

SHOP HOURS

Tuesday/Friday 7 AM-4 PM

Saturday 8 AM-3 PM

Coffee Shop closes one hour earlier

25

Guatemala Trip

Northside Baptist Church & Christian School

It is a privilege to share just a bit in the work that is

going on in the Malnutrition Center in San Juan, Sacatepequez.

This center was built many years ago for

use as a tuberculosis hospital, then in 1976 it became

a malnutrition center. Eleven years ago it was about

to be closed due to lack of funding. At that time it

was taken over by three entities that continue to run

it today; The Lions Club International, The Guatemala

Association (a well to do Guatemalan family), and

“One More Child”.

We went to help in the Malnutrition Center with

“One More Child”. We were with a group of 22 women

from the Murray State Baptist Campus Ministries.

Danielle Whitaker is a student at Murray State and

a member of Northside Baptist Church in Mayfield.

Emilie Whitaker is a student at Northside Baptist

Christian School (NBCS) and a member of Northside

Baptist Church. Lydia Woods is a student at NBCS

and Jinny Woods is a teacher at NBCS.

Guatemala has a high rate of poverty and consequently

a high rate of malnutrition. Indigenous peoples are

the most greatly affected. Many Guatemalans have a

Mayan ancestry. This culture is very rich and very

evident in the languages, food, and dress of many of

the people that we came in contact with.

The center has many different programs running

concurrently. There is a program for nursing mothers

to come and stay for several weeks, get the proper

nutrition for themselves, get help with breast feeding,

and nutrition and medical care for their other

small children. There is also an onsite program to

care for babies and small children that are malnourished

or are at risk for being malnourished. Sometimes

families bring their children in and sometimes

they are brought in by social services. The goal is for

26

the children to return to their homes and, if they are

a child that is being sponsored, continue to have free

medical care and food baskets biweekly or monthly

to supplement the family’s food supply. There is also

an onsite daycare.

Danielle and Emilie Whitaker

went to work in the public

schools. They had the

privilege of sharing the gospel

with over 600 kids! They

also helped paint some of the school buildings. Some

of our group was also able to go into the community

to work at an elder day care center, a government

run daycare, and a school. It was a great privilege to

be able to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the

public school system.

Lydia and Jinny Woods were able to spend time with

the babies and smaller children that were staying at

the center. They helped the nannies dress, feed, rock,

and entertain the children. They are well fed and

kept very clean.

Mission to Elblang Baptist Church, Poland

June 28, 2019, 5 people from Western KY traveled across the world to a city called Elblang Poland where

we met the additional 9 members of our team from Louisville, KY. We were to spend an entire week working with

the Kościół Chrześcijan Baptystów w Elblągu (Elbag Baptist Church) to host a vacation bible school styled camp

for children from the city along with several kids from a local orphanage. The camp would include a morning

worship service with worship music sung in Polish and English then on to various classes that included; Bible,

English, Crafts, Music and Drama, and Recreation. The camp would also include a daily small group time where

the American and Polish leaders could interact one-on-one with the students and talk about the lessons from the

Bible that were learned that day and how those principles could be applied to our daily lives. The theme for the

week was G.O.A.T (greatest of all time) and covered the Greatest Story of all time (Gospel), the Greatest Man of

all time (Jesus), the Greatest Book of all time (Bible), and the Greatest Decision of all time (Salvation). The week

ended with taking all the kids to see a movie one night and then a field day where the highlight of the games was

the group water balloon fight!!

For the week long camp, we were able to interact with over 85 students, some of which were hearing the

name of Jesus for the very first time! This was my third year serving at this camp and I can most definitely say

that it will not be my last! This particular church has had many Kentucky residents serving it over the last decade

and that is just another example of how amazing and big our God truly is. To think that a Church over 5,000

miles away has connections to multiple people serving multiple local Churches in Western Kentucky, leaves me

in absolute awe of our Heavenly Father. One of the most important things of the camp was actually showing the

students how to live like Jesus. His greatest command to us is that we love one another. By showing the love of

Christ to these kids we were able to see some of them grow from very shy and stand-offish to children that would

boisterously yell your name from across the room and run and jump into your arms for a hug! To see that growth,

to know that we were able to share the love of Christ in that manner, that’s why our group will continue to go back

year after year.

If you are not able to travel across the world or not even able to travel across the street - that doesn’t mean

that you can’t be on mission for Christ. Just simply showing the Love of Christ to your neighbor is what this life is

all about! Isaiah 6:8 Gary Fraser, Member - Northside Baptist Church

Mike along with his dad, Ken, first went to Barycz Camp in Poland and was on a Upward Basketball team in 2004.

It was at that camp that they met Pawel Kugler and that began a relationship that continues each year with a camp

at Pawel’s church. Mike brought his girlfriend which is now his wife and returns with Jamie and his two children

each year. Mike (son on shoulders) & Jamie Parker (fifth in front row and daughter with doll). As you can see the

camp has a huge impact on Elblang. On back row is Larry Fraser (10 years), son Caide (8), Brother Gary (3). In

front of Caide & Gary is Caide’s wife, Taylor (3) and to her left is Logan Chavis from Murray, KY. Larry, Caide &

Taylor Fraser go to Bethlehem Baptist Church, Cunningham, KY. Everyone else Louisville, KY area.

NEW ADDRESS

1245 Paris Road

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Ed Johnson,

A Man of Many Missions

By Mel Doughty

Ed has made several foreign mission trips beginning in 1994 including trips to

Honduras and two trips to Uganda while on the Board of Directors for Global Outreach.

Please do not mention what he ate on those trips.

In 2005 his first trip with me to Poland and we ministering to the children at

a Warsaw orphanage. The younger children were led by Jessica Ehleben (Shields) and

Ed and I took the older youth on a trip over most of Poland and was joined by Henryk

Podsiadly. Our first stop was McDonald’s and it was a treat then but now McDonald’s

are all over Poland. Visiting many sights which included Auschwitz Consternation

Camp, Wisla in the mountains and Krakow popular tourist town. We are still in contact

with most of the youth on that trip.

It is important to understand that most orphans in Poland as well as America are social orphans. In Orphanages or

foster homes because there are serious problems with their parents. The next three mentioned were true orphans.

In 2007 Ed, Marlane, Hope went to lead a camp at the Warsaw orphanage. There they met Justyna and Ewelyna, two

siblings whose parents were deceased and started a one year adoption process which took several trips. In 2008 the adoption

was finalized.

From 2009 to 2015 Ed was team leader of the work done in the orphanages.

However in 2013 everything changed when Marta (shown on the left with Ed in

background) committed suicide. Ed had already seen that Justyna and Ewelyna’s

sister had been murdered by her boyfriend. So at eighteen orphans have no where

to go and mainly have horrible choices to make. Marta chose death and left a note

saying she was all alone and had no one. This caused Ed and me to realize the

greatest ministry we could develop was to establish a place for over 18 to live and

be able to obtain a job and know how to live in society. On a couple of trips to

Poland we tried in vain to get a ministry started for over 18.

In September 2016 Leszek Czyzewski said I know your dream and I have a

farm that my Aunt left me and I want it be a Valley of Healing for over 18. Leszek

has been involved with Destiny since 2002 as employee at Marwica and then he

headed up the older youth housing in Paswick. Now Leszek is in charge of the

Northern Poland children’s programs.

Work began in 2017 with a drain system put around the building and the

attic had flooring added.

In 2018 Ed made his first

trip to Northern Poland to Elblang which is close to the Gdansk and

the Baltic Sea. Fifteen miles from Elblang is Marwica Orphanage

which is close to where the Valley of Healing ministry

is located. Ed’s team made many repairs to

the building structure and removed the old roof

and replaced it with a metal roof. In 2019 Ed was

joined by contractors Clint Stewart and Danny

Harmon. Installed rough in plumbing and prepaired and poured four inch dry concrete, two inch insulation and six inch

concrete. Ed next trip to Valley of Healing is in the Spring of 2020. If interested call 270-217-6919 or email at rentone@wk.net

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My First Foreign Mission Trip

by Dr. Kevin Harris, Pastor of Poplar Spring Baptist Church, Murray

Foreign missions. For the average American Christian, foreign missions is what

others do. Serving God and serving people in faraway places is something they support

in both prayer and finances without knowing first-hand what it really means to

go on a foreign mission trip.

Until this past June, I was one of those average Americans. I have been

Christian for almost 30 years and have been in ministry for almost as long. I am

currently pastoring my third church in Murray, Kentucky. In all that time, I have

served in local missions to God’s glory. But I had never been overseas to preach

and teach to a people that didn’t understand my language and I didn’t understand

theirs. That changed this year when God led my family and me to serve

in Elblag, Poland. There, located just outside of this small town, is a place called

Marwica. There is a very large mansion that was built in the late 1,700’s and had

been converted into an orphanage, of sorts. Not the kind of orphanage that house

and care for children with no parents, but

rather children who are placed there by authorities

coming from broken and abusive

homes with ages ranging from very young

to older teens. For many of them, they

have never heard the Gospel even though

there is a religion that is prominent and

churches throughout the country (in that

regards, it isn’t much different in America).

Going there taught me much. It taught me

that everyone needs the Gospel. Whether

they are in our own household, next

door, or around the world. It taught me

to teach the Gospel of Christ in its simplest

of form. This may sound simplistic,

but I think that sometimes we tend to

intellectualize the Gospel, even though Jesus

taught us that it is so simple that a child

can understand it.

But I think the greatest lesson I learned

was to love them (and everyone) unconditionally

just as Jesus loves us unconditionally.

For the most part, people do not

care how much you know until they know

how much you care. For children coming

from homes that did not show love or

lacked a genuine love, knowing that they

are loved by our Heavenly Father is vitally

important. But, how were they going to

know unless they saw it in us? John 13:35,

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Please pray for the children at Marwica. Pray for hurt, lonely and abused

children all over the world that they, too, will know the true love of Christ. Pray

for missionaries whether they are local or foreign. Pray about becoming a missionary

to the people around you.

Matthew 28:19-20, “‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing

them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching

them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you

always, even to the end of the age. Amen’.”

a

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Missions Mag 1-4

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