The Story of a Site Considered Small by People but Important to God

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" was the question Nathaniel asked when Philip told him about Jesus. For the uninitiated to God's agenda, the same might be said of those 16 acres, five miles east of Zachary, LA. But the ways of God are not discerned by people, and what might look like nothing more than ground and buildings is recorded in the annals of heaven as an address God has chosen to visit over the years--a "place of meeting" for thousands of hungry, thirsty souls. Read about this site in The Milldale Story--Its People, Its Mission, Its God by Ron Owens and Jodie Scoggins

Ron Owens--born in Canada, son of missionary parents to Europe--has multifaceted ministries. These include teaching, preaching, and music ministry in North America and beyond. He has authored other books and articles and has composed, recorded, and had published many songs in collaboration with his wife, Patricia. The Owens have one son, Jeff, a daughter-in-law, Jessica, and two grandsons, Ethan and Evan.

For One Couple, Retirement Means Short-Term Mission Service

Helen Spaulding's nest was being stirred again. Helen, home from a meaningful potpourri of overseas missions assignments, realized she and her husband, Roger, weren't fully content when sidelined for long from being active workers in God's missionary service.

Though now past retirement age, the Spauldings yearned again to do something of value to God and His needy children and to experience afresh the extravagant joy of being short-term missionaries.

This second book in Helen's three-part Go If You Must series covers the Spauldings' efforts to rebuild a church campground and to work on a church farm in Costa Rica, a stint in the Navajo Nation in the U.S., a return to Costa Rica for an evangelism mission, a work mission in Northern Finland, and a one-year missionary assignment to Khabarovsk, Far East Russia. Language challenges and frequent exhaustion accompany the Spauldings' rewards as they bridge cultural gaps and explain the love of Jesus in a way others can understand. As with her first book, Helen writes in hopes of raising up more workers to labor in Christ's overseas vineyards and to praise God for the wonderful opportunities He gives when people are willing to pack up and follow Him.

Helen Stephenson Spaulding is a writer who believes in sharing the vast experiences God has given her as a nurse, Peace Corps volunteer, church worker, teacher, musician, and missions volunteer. She has served in Liberia, Somalia, Costa Rica, Finland, the Navajo Nation, Peru, Far East Russia, and several Central American countries--most of these assignments alongside her husband, Roger. Her other interests are raising and showing Saddlebred colts, taxidermy, and crafts.

Portales News-Tribune: Couple Recalls Outreach Ministry in Brazil

Alisa Boswell with the Portales News-Tribune wonderfully told the story of Hannibal Book's authors Joe and Leona Tarry, who recently published the book, The Marvel of It All.

Raising three children and going to work every day was part of Joe and Leona Tarry’s everyday life, just like anybody else. But the routine was also adventures and miracles.

Leona, previously known as Leona Isbell, grew up in Portales where she attended Portales High School and met her husband, a Lovington native who studied history and religion at Eastern New Mexico University in Portales. After Joe’s college graduation, the couple spent three years attending seminary school and pastoring a Baptist church in California then left for Brazil in 1965. (read more...)