Into the Heart of Darkness

On the men’s retreat that year, as Dan had his quite time, he heard clearly “I want you to go to Yakima to start a Calvary Chapel.”
This was not good news for us. In fact, Yakima was known as the arm pit of Washington and the drug capital of the state then. It was sort of “Can anything good come from Yakima?” This seemed a lot harder than coming from California. Maybe it was knowing we were in for a real fight.
We got to hear about a disastrous church plant some years before. It was complete with infidelity and the disappearance of funds. As we talked to the ex-pastors' wife, she told us of the heartache she and their children went though.
Dan got a word that things would happen that would be hard to bear. We were well warned though. And how could we not go?
I always comforted myself that our daughter would be safely in California, going to school at the Calvary Chapel College and maybe even meeting her Christian husband but she kept dragging her feet. So I finally asked what was up. Thinking that maybe she didn’t want to leave Mommy and Daddy or something.
She asked if I thought it was possible that God wanted her to go Yakima with us. I said absolutely no. But it turned out that God wanted her with us. And that was a huge blessing.
We started a Bible study in Yakima with a couple who had been involved with Calvary Chapel in another town. We met for 6 months at their home. It was a weekly round trip of 160 miles and as we became more and more familure with it we began to have a love and vision for the place.
We set things in motion. Dan went about ending his law enforcement career as he couldn’t pastor a church and do shift work. I sold my business and we listed the house. Even though it was sort of scary, everything came together at the last minute. Even to the buying of our new house with help from our realtors.
We were only 80 miles away from our son and family, our home church and pastor. And it was not as tramatic as our move from California but we committed to Yakima 100%. There was no going back.
Dan got a job at the RV company at minimum wage. It was amazing as word got around that he was a pastor, people started to ask questions. Then one day a man just came up to him and asked to accept Jesus. What a mission field.
So we opened our home for Sunday Church and Thursday Bible study. Our new believer brought other people and the news there was a Calvary Chapel starting got out.
We made a good beginning, I always thought.

Streams in the Desert

When Calvary Chapel came to the Tri-cities, our family was struggling with very serious problems. Bobi and Steve and everyone that came up from California made all the difference in our family. I could never begin to adequately thank God for them.

I got to thinking, what if they hadn't come? What if they were unwilling to leave everything? Where would my daughter in law or son in law be now? They were both saved there. Our kids are faithful and fervent because of the sound teaching and love that is taught there. And for us? At best we would still be looking for somewhere to belong and grow.

Dan found out that Calvary Chapel had a Bible study. He asked our daughter in law if she was doing anything Tuesday night. Son Dan was off at the Army National Guard boot camp and she was having a really hard time.
Thinking Dan would take her to a movie or something she said she was free, only to find out that she would be going to a Bible study. It even had childcare. She had not one excuse.
I had a meeting that night and when I got home, I found her so excited. She started telling me about the Bible study almost word for word. She got gloriously saved.
Son Dan came back from boot camp to a whole new wife, new church and friends. He was busted. He gave up and gave his life to the Lord. Our daughter stayed strong through her teen and college years. And later her future husband was saved from alcohol and depression.
We were the oldest ones for most of our first year. We even crashed the collage and career study on Sunday nights. As the fellowship grew so did we. What a relief to get back into the word and excellent teaching.
It was a wonderful time in our lives. There were all sorts of activities...which built the fellowship and lifelong friendships. Steve’s teaching brought answers to the many people seeking the truth. As the church grew and out grew 3 places, more and more people got saved, a firm foundation was laid.
Eventually Dan became an elder and would take the pulpit when Steve was gone. I started and ran the bookstore.
The Tri-Cities truly became home and better yet, we felt we had fulfilled what God wanted us to do: helping to start a much better church than we ever could have.

So knowing what it has all meant to us, how then can we not accept the call? God has tasks to do and lives to change. We know and have experienced how God will strategically place those who are obedient.