In honor of my dad’s 70th year of ministry, my always on-the-go mom sat down just long enough to jot down a few memoirs of her missionary life called, …And I Sat There.
Mom and Dad raised us on the mission field. And as you can see from this picture of our time in Beirut, no matter what chaos was swirling around us, there was always time for good grooming!
In all seriousness, after nearly a half-century of missions work and probably millions of miles to her credit, mom has accrued a lot of stories. I’m so glad she took the time to share some of them.
She has a gift for being as lyrical with words as she is musical at the piano. Her inspirational book is at the same time entertaining and insightful; I know you will love reading it! Here are a few excerpts:
~ Africa ~
“I wonder how many newlywed brides would envy me my first home? Who wouldn’t dream of living in a mud house with a thatched roof? Or envision being carried across a threshold that was washed with cow dung every morning? What about cooking on a wood stove by the light of a kerosene lamp every single night?”
~ Beijing ~
“It was a thrill to arrive at our hotel in Beijing and find the leather Chinese Leader’s Edition of the Book of Hope awaiting us! The best part? On the back cover was the ISBN number, which gave us permission from the government to publish and distribute!”
~ Beirut ~
” Suddenly, I heard rockets shrieking though the air. The whistling sound signified that the battle was intensifying, which meant we were in serious danger and needed to get to the sanctuary of the basement quickly.”
~ Seversk ~
“… we did a simple Gospel presentation, then asked, “Would anyone like to accept Christ as Savior?” Teenagers with tears streaming down their faces and children clutching the Book of Hope flocked to the altar.”
You cannot read mom’s dynamic renditions of the mighty hand of God on her and dad’s life and ministry without having your faith bolstered. I am thankful for their legacy and pray to be as obedient and faithful as they have been spreading the Gospel.
For details on how to read mom’s book online or order a hard copy, click here.
Your mother is a cousin of mine. I am Aunt Edie Eddy Codner’s youngest daughter. Would love to order your mother’s book. “And I Sat There”