Missionaries
present who served in Southern Africa:
Phil and Carmena Capp,
Zimbabwe 1958-76, South Africa 1981-94
Clarke and Ellen DeMille, Zimbabwe 1958-77,
South Africa 1977-90
Paul and Esther Embree, Zimbabwe 1954-67,
South Africa 1968-72
Laverna Grandfield, South Africa 1955-62,
Zimbabwe 1963-77
Tillman and Gwen Houser, Zimbabwe 1948-61
and 1965-82, South Africa 1963-64
Warren and Jean Johnson, South Africa
1951-71 and 1975-80, Malawi 1980-83
Gayle (Hersheberger) Lake, Zimbabwe 1963-76
Bob and Kitty Magee, Rhodesia 1963-73
Ken and LeOra Mudge, Zimbabwe 1963-70,
South Africa 1972-77
Lillian (Harrif) Oliveira, Mozambique
1963-75, Democratic Republic of Congo 1977-81, Rwanda 1981-85, Brazil
1990-92
Dean and Faith Smidderks, South Africa
1965-68, South Africa Mines 1969-1999
Myrna Bedell Weichner, Zimbabwe, 1968-74
Beth (Beckelhymer) Stewart, Zimbabwe
1972-81, South Africa 1981-91
Others
present:
Dr. Art and Sylvia Brown, General Director
of FMWM
Carol Capp, MK
Margi DeMille, MK
Beth DeMille Griesel, MK (and son Martin)
Sheri Magee, MK
Rob Magee, MK (and friend, Wendy Kellogg)
Tony Oliveira, Lillian's husband
Martha (Embree)
Rohrabaugh, MK, and her husband, Mike
Phyllis (Macy) Sortor, MK, and her
husband, Jim
Gene Stewart, Beth's husband
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Missionary
Reunion in Seattle
| Click
here to read more personal reflections
on this event. |
They came from five states and two provinces to experience
the gracious hospitality of Tony and Lillian Oliveira and the Burien (WA)
FMC: 21 missionaries, 6 MKs and a "grand" MK representing decades
of ministry in the Free Methodist Church in southern Africa.
From Beth Beckelhymer Stewart:
Paul
Embree came bearing homegrown grapes to share. |
October 11 and 12, 2003 were happy days for me. My "favorite
indoor sport" is reunions with my fellow missionaries. Over 30 of
us met at the home of Tony and Lillian Oliveira in Burien, WA, near Seattle,
and at the Burien Free Methodist Church. We feasted on fellowship with
each other.
Saturday morning we just enjoyed watching who showed up. I had assumed
that just northwestern or west coast friends would be there. I turned
around to someone's voice and here was a former housemate from Lundi Mission
in the 1970s, Gayle Hershberger Lake, all the way from Louisville, KY.
It brought tears to my eyes. Then shortly I spied Laverna Grandfield who
had come from the Edmonton, Alberta, area. Myrna Bedell Weichner from
Michigan and Dean and Faith Smidderks from Omaha had come a long way,
too. The Mudges and Embrees arrived from California, and the DeMilles
from British Colombia. And, of course many from Washington and Oregon.
Tillman
Houser and Lillian Oliveira |
Dr. Art Brown and Sylvia were in the Seattle area so came
to spend some time with us and share news and greetings from the Department
of World Missions. We appreciate that.
After many greetings and slides of "the good old days" in Africa,
we enjoyed a lunch served by the church. Then we went back to the Oliveira's
lovely home overlooking Puget Sound and Vashon Island. Talking time evolved
into a singing time. Grown-up missionary kids sat in a circle with their
guitars and sang the songs they loved, we all loved, from back in the
'60s and '70s. Adding to the happy moments was two-year-old Martin Griesel,
son of Beth DeMille Griesel, who charmed us all. It felt like those cherished
annual retreats we had each year in South Africa for FM missionaries from
South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) and Malawi.
 Sunday
we all participated in Sunday school classes and the morning service for
Burien FMC's missions emphasis. Clarke DeMille, with Ellen at the piano,
led us in a choir number sung in English and two African languages. Kitty
Magee and Gayle Lake sang a duet. Warren and Jean Johnson, Laverna Grandfield,
Phil Capp and Dean Smidderks shared about the impact missions has made.
The meeting began with a parade of foreign flags carried by church youth
and closed with a response to the invitation to give your life to Christian
service. Two young people responded.
We had a chance to fellowship with the congregation at a good dinner.
The missionaries remained afterward for a final sharing time and more
singing. As one MK shared her sometimes-painful life journey, we ended
up in a prayer time that included tears and praises — a very meaningful
conclusion to a wonderful two days. We were all very grateful to Lillian
Oliveira who had planned and prepared this precious reunion.
 From
Philip Capp:
What a wonderful heritage to be able to get together with people with
whom you have lived and worked for many years — often in difficult
times — and laugh, sing, remember, re-live, and know that we had
no false fronts. We loved each other when we worked together, and we still
love each other. Such different people, from such different places and
circumstances, but God let us be a special family that still endures.
And out of the joint efforts, something flowed into the lives of the people
amongst whom God placed us that also endures. We not only share good memories,
but we share a legacy that God enabled through us in spite of our human
frailty. Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
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