Greetings Dear Praying Friends!
Your prayers and fellowship is both appreciated and needed. It has
been a long time since I've sent out a Ministry Update. It really was not
intentional. I had one all done complete with pictures and everything when my
computer "crashed" this summer and I lost everything. So, now as we near the end
of our travels for the year I thought I'd best sit down and send you an update
of our activities.
The middle of October we packed up the Suburban and headed for our first stop in
Duncansville, Pennsylvania. Joel McGarvey, Jr. joined us for
this trip. We arrived in Duncansville safe and sound and ready for ministry. Lee
would be speaking at the Bible Conference at Grace Family Bible
Church where James Zaebst is the pastor. We then found
lodging with Erna McGarvey while in Duncansville. Lee was
scheduled to speak three times on Sunday. It was a wonderful day and we praise
the Lord for the opportunity to fellowship and minister there. He shared from
Acts 27 on the subject of the "Storms of Life." We have many friends in
Duncansville and it was so good to renew fellowship with them as well as make
some new friends.
Joel "The Wrangler" - Lee &
Pastor Zaebst - Erna McGarvey
We left Duncansville after the evening service to Merritt Island, Florida
and to Teen Missions where the Youth Evangelism Association was
holding its Annual Leadership Training Session. We arrived there just in time
for the starting of the Conference, tired after having driven all night. Lee had
been asked to participate in this Leadership Training plus they were having
their Annual Board Meeting of which Lee is a member. It was a wonderful time of
training. Lee conducted 5 Seminars and I had the privilege of speaking at one.
The Conference went through Friday. We had some very good speakers and learned a
lot. It was so good to have some time to fellowship with YEA President
Geo. Dooms and daughter Tami who is vice-president of
YEA, Bob and Bernie Bland, Directors of Teen Missions
and Howard VanderPool. Bob and Howard graduated from Arizona
Bible Institute with Lee and I.
George
Dooms and Dr. Tami Dooms - Bob Bland, Howard Vanderpool and
Lee
On the way to Florida, Lee called his sister and
brother-in-law Ken and Barbara West - they had been in Branson, Missouri and
were traveling on to Tennessee and Maryland to visit friends. He called to see
where they were and after finding out they were traveling south on Interstate 95
as were we. He said we have pulled off on exit 8 to have a cup of coffee and
Barbara said that is where they were getting off to go to their next stop. So,
in about five minutes here they come and we were able to have coffee with them.
They talked of possibly meeting us in Florida but were not certain of their
plans. So, after coffee we went our separate ways. They went to tour Savannah
and we drove on to Merritt Island. Isn't the Lord good? Ken and Barbara did come
on to Florida and parked at the Sonshine Camp Grounds not to far from where we
were at Teen Missions. It was good to have this extended time with
them.
Ken and Barbara West
After the
YEA Conference we went south to Palm Bay and to the
Grace Bible Church where Pastor David Cannon and his
wife Lisa are ministering. Cowboy Lee and Joel did some rope and whip
tricks with Gospel applications for the Sunday School hour and then Lee preached
the message during the Morning Service. It was a good service and there was good
attendance. We felt right at home and praise the Lord for this opportunity to
share in their ministry. After lunch with the Cannon's we drove back to
Teen Missions, tired but praising the Lord for a good service
and time of fellowship.
Grace Bible Church of Palm Bay Florida and Pastor David and Lisa Cannon
Monday was spent studying
and catching up on some office work. Joel was working on his studies; he is
taking distance classes from the Berean Bible Institute in Slinger, Wisconsin.
So, it was a day spent working on computers.
Tuesday we splurged and went to Epcot Center. This was an
enjoyable and relaxing day. Ken and Barbara joined us and we
enjoyed our time together.
Wednesday we met with some of the staff at Teen Missions
and Lee asked lots of questions about their computer programs, web pages, and
making MP3's. Lee intends to work on putting some of our stock of recordings,
which we have saved over the years, into some modern medium. He learned a lot
and is anxious to begin to develop some of it this winter. It was very
informative.
Teen Missions International Headquarters
In the evening we drove to Orlando and the Grace Fellowship
Church with Pastor David Seigman. Lee shared the
Gospel through ropes and whips with Joel's assistance and brought a brief Bible
study. It was good to renew fellowship with these dear folks and we enjoyed our
time of ministry there.
Cowboy Lee and the
Siegmanns
Thursday we packed up and were on our way across the state of Florida to
Venice where we would be staying at the home of a dear friend,
June Menge, while ministering on that side the state. We
arrived in Venice in the afternoon, pulled into a shopping mall to call June and
our car stalled and wouldn't start. Well, we were thankful it stopped there and
not on the Interstate. We called June and she came and picked us up and took us
to her house which was not too far away. Later in the evening we drove back and
it still wouldn't start so we had not choice but to leave it sit there until
morning. Friday morning we called road service and had it towed in to a garage
not sure what was wrong with it. After checking the mechanic said it was a bad
fuel pump. We got the car back on Monday, costing us close to $900.
There are many friends that we have met, had fellowship with and loved over
the years. We made a long list of folks that we wanted to see, especially since
we were in Florida and were in their area. It is a long way to come and not try
to re connect with old friends. Some, regretfully, we could not make a contact.
On the other hand, Mike and Linda, Szafranski set aside some
time for dinner and a walk along the beach of the Florida Gulf. Mike was a
pastor for many years in Clarence, New York and now resides in Venace. Mike and
Linda are valued friends and very good Bible teachers.
The Szafranskis
Sunday Lee preached at the Grace Bible Church in Nokomis
where Elvin "Whitey" Myers is the pastor. They had a good crowd
out and we had a good service. The news that Pastor Myers is engaged and plans
to marry soon, was the big and exciting news of the week. We wish them God's
blessings. Lee always enjoys "Whitey" studies and want to encourage "Whitey" to
put some of his writings in print. Again it is so good to renew fellowship with
folks we have met before.
Pastor Myers
and Lee - Grace Bible Fellowship Church - Church Sign on Hwy
41
On Wednesday night we went to Parrish, Florida and
the First Baptist Church. Pastor Joe
Skidmore greeted us warmly. It was good to be back here. This church is
an agressive evangelistic church and we have partnered with them on several
occasions and God has been blessed with people saved. The church was full with
lots of adults, children and young people for the service. So, again Lee and
Joel gave the Gospel using the ropes and whips followed by a brief Bible
message. It was a good service. Ken and Barbara West surprised us by calling and
saying they would meet us there for the evening. It was good to have them there.
After the service Roger Newell a former Michigander took us out
for a sandwich and time of fellowship. June Mears a friend from
First Baptist joined us. We had a wonderful hour or so of sharing and praising
the Lord. We brought our computers to the restaurant so we could show them
something of our Cowboy Camp Ministries. On the way back to Venice our Suburban
stalled three times - Scary! Yes, especially since we had paid so much to get
it fixed. So, Thursday morning sure enough it wouldn't start and so we had to
have it towed back to the garage. When they took it off the tow truck, it
started and the mechanic could not get it to stall all day. We had to assume it
was okay.
 
1st Baptist Church - Friends Roger Newell and June Mears
On Sunday we drove to Naples to the Avalon
Grace Church where Art Sims is the pastor. We were
pleased to find the church in Naples reviving and attendance increased over the
last time we were there. Praise the Lord! We had a good service and enjoyed the
ministry and fellowship with the folks. After the service they had a complete
Thanksgiving dinner for us. Then, Pastor Sims, Lee and another man from the
church got out their guitars and fiddles and we had a musical (unrehearsed)
concert. Art is a very talented guitarist! His Christmas CD is just wonderful
and one of my favorite Christmas CD's. We drove back to Venice without incident
and praised the Lord the car seemed to running okay.
 
Praising the Lord with String Instruments
Monday morning we packed up and left Venice beginning our way home to Grand
Rapids. We had enjoyed our stay with June. She took good care
of us, driving us around while our car was being worked on and entertaining us.
She certainly has the gift of hospitality.
We stopped in Tampa for
breakfast with Jim and Phyllis Velting and Arnie and
Sally Selfors. Jim is on the Board of BDTLB and he and Phyllis have
been supporters and encouragers of BDTLB for many years. The Selfors have also
been good friends so it was good to spend a brief time with them.
The Veltings, Selfors and Homokis
Our next stop
was in Lakeland, Florida where we renewed fellowship with Lorne and
Jimmy Ruth Matthews. Our friendship goes back nearly fifty years. Jimmy
Ruth was a counselor with Lee at River Valley Youth Ranch. She
was fresh out of Moody Bible Institute and Loren was the pianist for the
Kingsman Quartet, The Cathedrals, and more recently with the McDuff Brothers. It
was a great reunion and brought back many wonderful memories of fellowship past
as they ministered in the churches where we pastored. You should all hear them
minister the Word in music.
Lorne and Jimmy Ruth Matthews
Next we were on our way to Kentucky. We spent the
night in the car in a rest area to help curb expenses a little bit. Since the
seats reclined it wasn't too bad except Joel complained of being cramped in the
back seat but we all got some sleep. Then Tuesday we drove on to
Alpha and to the home of Bobby and Faye
Bertram where we stayed until we left Thursday morning. Wednesday night
Lee preached at the Old Bethel Bible Church where Jeff
Bertram is the pastor. There were a good number of folks out for a
Wednesday night service and we had a good time of ministry and fellowship there.
Both Bob and Jeff spent valuable time with Lee investigating the possibility of
starting another Cowboy Camp and Cowboy Church there on their property. We are
asking friends to pray this dream into reality soon.
Bob and
Faye Bertrum Pastor Jeff and Sandy Bertram
Thursday morning we left Alpha and made our way to Lexington, Kentucky. The
reason for our stop in Lexington was to visit for a little while with our
friend, Finley Hunter. We knew there was the possibility that
when we got to the Veterans Facility where he is he may not know us but we
wanted to see him anyway. Finley was there at the Veterans Hospital because his
wife Marty has fallen and broke her hip and was also in the
hospital. When we finally found him - we had to go to two facilities - we went
to his room and he was not there. As we stepped out into the hall here comes
Finley in his wheel chair with a nurse by his side and a big smile on his face
as he said to the nurse "there's my friend, Lee Homoki." We were so happy he
knew us and then we spent a couple hours visiting with him. His mind was alert
but physically he has to be in a wheelchair. Praise the Lord for the good
visit.
Pastor/Evangelist
Finley Hunter
After leaving the Veterans home and having slept in the car the night
before we decided to find a motel for the night. So, just north of Lexington we
pulled off and spent the night at a Microtel. They had very nice accommodations
for a reasonable price. Since we had unloaded all the computer stuff for the
night we decided it would be a good place to spend the next day and night so we
could get some correspondence by e-mail done and some office works. That is what
we did. But when we came out of the motel on Friday evening to go have some
dinner, the car wouldn't start. Lee had pretty much figured out what was wrong
and so he worked on it awhile and it wasn't the fuel pump but rather an
electrical problem but he got it started and we got something to eat.
Saturday morning found us on our way to Tipp City. Ohio.
We called and got a motel reservation in Troy, Ohio for the night. We arrived
there about four in the afternoon. We had stopped to visit friends, Joe
and Delores Dixon who went to the church when Lee was pastor in Tipp
City. Joe is 87 and still going strong. They have been married 63 years. We
arrived at the motel and took a nap as we were tired but looking forward to
being at the Community Bible Church in Tipp City on Sunday. We
walked to a little restaurant for dinner and then "crashed" for the night.
Sunday morning we got up early and went to Community Bible
Church. Lee had pastored here from 1968 until 1977 so it was kind of
like coming home. How wonderful to see the folks that were still there and to
know the ministry is flourishing under the leadership of Pastor Jeff
Seekins. We enjoyed our time; though short, in Tipp City immensely. Joe
and Delores came to the service and took us out to dinner and then we were back
in the car and on our way home.
Joe and Delores Dixon
We arrived in
Grand Rapids about 9 and took Joel home and then finally back to our house. Here
we will stay until April, trying to get caught up on things around home and on
office work. There is never a lack of things to do.
Nor, is there ever a lack of the Lord's blessings. I am writing and sending
this ministry update to you on Thanksgiving Day, 2009. How we praise him for
His faithfulness and protection as we traveled and for the wonderful times of
ministry this summer and fall.
It was a busy and full summer and fall but praise the Lord He is still in
the soul saving business and it is so good to see lives changed and enriched
through His Word. There are many times of frustration as we travel but it is
always good to see how the Lord protected us throughout our year of travels and
brought us safely back.
"Give thanks unto the LORD, Call upon His name, Make known His deeds among the people." (1 Chronicles 16:8)
May God bless you. You are in our prayers and I trust you will remember us in the Throne Room of Heaven.
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Praying with thanksgiving
By: Noreen (Registered) on 12-21-2009 05:33