Happy Homecoming
Haysel got to go home today. The last year or so has been pretty tough for her. Well over 102, her body really began to wear out this last year. I’m happy for her and relieved for her precious family — especially her daughter, Danelle, who made sure Haysel was loved and care for with grace.
Haysel is precious. With beautiful white hair and always conscious of how she presents herself, Haysel is very much a lady. Even more, Haysel is a person of deep faith. One of the favorite and most cherished parts of my visits with her came during the prayer time. Nearly everyone I visit in the hospital wants me to pray FOR them. When I visited Haysel, she wanted me to pray WITH her. Her prayers, even on days when she was a bit confused and her voice was weak, were rich with faith and clothed in a reverential familiarity with the Father. Several months ago when we visited and it came time for prayer, I had to pray alone. She was comfortable when I prayed, but was uneasy and confused when it was her time to pray. It was then that I knew it was time for her to go home.
Every spring, our church has what we call WATS Day — “We Are The Sermon.” We have a communion service and then go out and serve our community all Sunday afternoon doing things for folks who can’t help themselves or are in special need of work done around their house but can’t do it themselves. Before our little work team went to our work site, we went by Haysel’s place to have church with her and the family. For a family service, we went a good bit of time doing church — somewhere north of 40 minutes. This included singing, praying, preaching, and the Lord’s Supper. But for an ol’ preacher, Haysel’s words at the end of our service were precious: “I appreciate it, but you know, you could have preached longer.”
We will miss Haysel deeply, but are really happy for her to start her new journey to a more glorious existence. Living well over 102 years on this earth is quite an accomplishment, but to wake from the hard realities of a failing body and find yourself in the presence of the Lord is greater by far!
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands (2 Corinthians 5:1).
Howdy,
Where are you folks located and operating from. If it’s on here, I missed it.
I was turned on to you this morning with the “Is it in you?” video. Well done.
In reading through the postings, I see that you folks went over to the “Pearl of Africa”. Pretty amazing place, huh.
I was there in ‘86 on a business trip six months after Museveni and his rebels overthrew Obote and Okello. There were still crucified skeletal masses in the trees, I helped gather skulls of stakes for families to gather and bury (they didn’t want the mojo but I’m covered in the Blood). Rocket blasts, bullet holes and blood stains still covered almost all of the buildings in Kampala. Had machine guns stuck in my face at roadblocks by children guerillas with machine guns bigger than they were and average of 12 times a day as they demanded my passport and visa. I was the only white guy in the country at that time and dang sure the only white guy wearing a cowboy hat.
I’m glad they’ve progressed to the point where Compassion can operate there now. I knew they would succeed because of the heart of most of the people.
The Lord always works it out for me to be able to minister and preach when I’m business trips to Africa, etc. Walking with the Lord should be living on the edge, whether we’re in the heart of Africa or in our hometowns. Wherever we find ourselves, we’re His ambassadors for the Kingdom.
This is the first Christmas and birthday (the 23rd) without my Mom who went Home in March at the age of 92. Her nickname was “Granny Babe”, being the youngest of five daughters of my Pioneer Grandparents.
She too was full of life and Jesus until it was time for her to step through into the fulness of the presence of Jesus. Her Celebration service was held instead of her church’s normal Wednesday night service. Her Pastor read a letter from one of my Nigerian friends starting “The Babe has blazed into Glory!” Fitting. I hope it’s fitting for all of us.
One of my friend’s wife told me a couple of weeks later that “Your Mom’s funeral was the best and most fun funeral I’ve ever been to!” Mom would have liked that, although neither she nor I considered it to be a funeral. It was a Celebration she and I had put together years before as she wanted her passing through to be an opportunity to minister to folks one last time and to share her love for them and for the Lord with all who chose to share their time with her.
Everybody Mom met instantly became a friend, which often made for long waits for my Dad at the grocery store. (And more than one desperate search for the Men’s Room for him after twenty minutes of Mom’s visiting and sharing the love of Jesus.)
I imagine she’s had the opportunity to meet Haysel now as time as we know it really isn’t a reality or concern in Heaven. I look forward to meeting her too, along with you guys, whether in the Heavens or here on the Rebel Planet prior to our Great Getting Up.
I would like to know where you guys are based out of as it looks like I’m going to be doing quite a bit more traveling this year.
Lord bless Y’all, Maranatha and Vaya con Dios!
Wm. A. "Bill" Fisher
29 Dec 08 at 9:46 am
Please parden the typos. I flew through the note and didn’t realize it would be posted it or I would have proofed it. WHOOPS!
I would like to see your contact info posted on the site though. If it’s there, maybe it could be pointed out a little more boldly?
Adios.
Wm. A. "Bill" Fisher
29 Dec 08 at 9:51 am