On August 30, 2015 we joined Princeton Church of God of Prophecy in Princeton, NC for its morning worship service. We were very excited to bring along three young musicians with us to help with the music service- PJ Dublin, Isaiah Mack, & Taquiceya Johnson. They all volunteered their time and talents in order to help Stephen and I spread the vision of Mission 403 and we are both very appreciative of them and their friendships.
Bishop Eugene Hartley is pastor of Princeton COGOP, and he’s been a part of Mission 403 even before the beginning. He first met Stephen Schaefer while on one of the first mission trips to Paraguay from North Carolina in 2003. On this trip, they both helped to build the Hogar Puerto Seguro (Safe Harbor) Children’s Home that currently houses 18 abandoned children. In 2006, Pastor Hartley met Jessica Schaefer in Peru before she’d even heard of Paraguay! As a part of a mission team, Jessica, Pastor Hartley, and his daughter Lorenda traveled throughout Peru ministering to local people and churches. It was on this fateful trip where Jessica met Dan Miller and was first invited to go to Paraguay where she would meet Stephen. It is strange how sometimes the people you meet by chance can have such a tremendous impact on your life. You never no what road life will take you down when you meet the right people at the right time. God’s timing is perfect and if you allow Him, He will order your steps for your good.
Pastor Hartley, and everyone at his church greeted us with kindness and love. They didn’t just shake our hands, but they met us with kisses on the cheek and genuine affection. I never felt like a stranger at their church. Instead, it felt like visiting old friends. At the end of the service, people pledged their support for Mission 403 and treated us to a fantastic pot-luck lunch. The food was excellent, and the young people who’d traveled with Stephen and I fell in love with this little country church. I believe that Princeton COGOP is a church of substance filled with God’s sweet spirit and love. I look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with this church and the Mission 403 ministry for many years to come.
For the evening church service on August 30th, Mission 403 drove about an hour to visit with Garland Church of God of Prophecy in Garland, NC. This church was different due to the fact that the people there were completely unfamiliar with the work in Paraguay. We were complete strangers to them, but from the moment we walked in the door I never felt like an outsider. As soon as we pulled up into the church parking lot, a little boy about six years old came bounding out of the parsonage to meet us. He told us his name was Cooper and asked if we needed any help. He was so eager and excited to help carry things into the church that we gave him some of our lighter gear to take inside.It was very clear from the start that this little boy has a true servant’s heart. I think that maybe we can expect great things from him in the ministry as he grows older. I’m excited to see where God takes him in his life.
Cooper is Pastor Jimmy Hall’s grandson. Bishop Hall is the current pastor of Garland COGOP and decided to invite Mission 403 to his church after hearing about us at the NC Church of God of Prophecy State Convention held in early August. I admire Pastor Hall for his courage and faith in listening to the Spirit of God. It’s easy to initiate something if you’re already familiar with it, but Pastor Hall took a leap of faith in inviting us to his church and presenting us before his congregation. He knows nothing about us, but He listened to God and extended an invitation despite this. To me this is amazing and I am humbled that someone would take such a chance for me and my husband. Furthermore, Pastor Hall didn’t just allow us to go before his local congregation, but he invited several churches throughout the area to join in the service. There was a great crowd in church that night and God showed up and blessed! I feel that Mission 403 will have a long relationship with Garland Church of God of Prophecy and I am excited to see where God takes this church and Mission 403 in the future. Who knows? Maybe one day Cooper, with his servant’s heart, will go on a mission team to Paraguay to help in the ministry. A seed has been planted….now we just have to water it and watch it grow!