So how DID they get there? - Part 1

Because Gary and Diane have been telling the story of how God "maneuvered" them into ministry, we thought it might be a fun to tell you how WE, their daughters saw it all happen.  This first installment is from the youngest sister, Carrie.  Carrie and her husband Dan and their two girls, Emma and Hope, live in the great and flat state of Indiana.  Even though they live the furthest away, their consistent trips home to Ohio have afforded all of them a front row seat to what our parents have been doing.

Part One - Carrie

Imagine a 50 foot RV cruising across the country piloted by two retirees. Familiar maybe. Carving out an adventure side by side as they’d lived the ‘daily grind’. That was Gary and Diane’s five year plan probably about five years before retirement.

When the RV purchase came to fruition the intials “EVG” in the license plate seemed to foretell to them that maybe God would give them a purpose (EVanGelism) in their travels. Chance roadside encounters, maybe? Yet God was beginning to prepare a whole new horizon for them. Their speculation and thereby their openness to a newly prepared dream found their way more and more into Gary and Diane’s own dreams of how retirement might look.

This began in probably the most diametrically opposed place to the “open road”. Prison outreach. Gary began working with Crossroads Ministries which gave Bible lessons to inmates and offered personal written feedback. This limited commitment expanded as Gary came to know one of his customer’s involvement in Kairos Ministries. Kairos offers inmates personal connection to the gospel as well, but it is through special intensive weekend visits centered on speaking the message of Christ’s redemption into inmates’ lives with weekly prayer meeting follow-ups.  Gary soon became involved in the training for such an event. Little did he know that this would also envelope Diane’s involvement in one element--the cookie ministry. Each of Kairos’ outside attendees is expected to bring 120 dozen cookies. “Perhaps, I've misunderstood,” Gary told Diane. But, alas, it was the expectation. What seemed overwhelming and burdensome at first--place mats, cookies with dimensions and rules, posters, prayer partners--became a ministry for Diane. Those, with whom she had usually spoken about her kids, grand kids and her dog, over the 2 years and 4 weekend visitations became familiar with the cookie ministry, which expanded to serving in the kitchen one weekend, and Gary’s Thursday prayer circle.

The truth “To whom much is given, much will be expected,” became more and more evident. Obedience showed more opportunities. A short term mission trip to Mexico revealed to Gary and Diane that they were both useful to God. Diane spent several 10-12 hour days cleaning teeth and showing God’s love through broken Spanish. “Escupo!” One of the settings was high in the mountains, but another was, by God’s providence in a prison. God does have His own bold print and italics, doesn't He?

            By this point, God had spoken into both of their lives. And, miracle of note to any of us who are blessed with marriage, they were on the same page, at the same time. They began searching for a missions organization for their post-retirement years. There weren’t many other possibilities that seemed viable until One Mission Society. It took some time for training and assignment to focus, but when it did, the same bold print and italics was evident. Gospel sharing in the context of Prison Ministry--in South and Central America.