February, 2017
Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15
Dear Praying Friends,
Many years ago when we were in Illinois,
we saw the Graham family pass through many difficult moments with the loss of
family members and yet they joyfully sang “Heaven’s Sounding Sweeter All the
Time.” What a tremendous testimony through great times of loss.
When we received word that our dear friend
had passed on, our thoughts immediately went to that song. Susie “Sue” Curtis
Henson passed on to Gloria on January 27, 2017at age of 93. When both of us
attended Tennessee Temple University, both learned the sign language from Sue.
Her husband, Ronald, was the pastor to the deaf at Highland Park and the church
offered classes every Sunday evening. If you were to meet Sue for the first
time, you would be impressed with her sweet spirit and depth of character. She
was the very significance of “a teacher.” As we progressed in the ministry,
both she and her husband nurtured us as mentors both in ability and in
complexity of ministry.
After two years, they felt the call of God
to reach out across America starting new deaf ministries. During that time they
asked us to maintain the ministry in Chattanooga. While they were ministering
that summer, God called them to cross the border into Mexico and start new
ministries there. While we were visiting churches during that time to see where
God might call us, Susie commented one Sunday that we HAD to visit the church
in Andalusia. We listened since Sue never told anyone they HAD to do anything.
God moved us on to Andalusia, Illinois where we started a new ministry there.
They moved to Monterrey, Mexico where they were led to believe all sign
language was the same. Upon arrival, they realized there was no communication
because the languages are totally different. At nearly retirement age, they
learned Spanish and then began learning the Mexican sign language.
They started the Independent Baptist
Church for the deaf in Monterrey. While they were there, Susie taught many deaf
the signs to be able to understand the ministry, including a couple of boys
from an Indian area many miles from there. While they ministered, we visited to
see their work. A long story short, God called us to minister in Mexico as
well.
Later, Brother Henson met with us to tell
us that God was moving them on to Guadalajara. Immediately we had peace to go
with them to start a new ministry. Sue was always happy to be wherever God
called her husband. In the years in Guadalajara, we often decided to take her
some form of a gift for various reasons, but she always had something to give
us before we could share with her our gift.
Sue was a perfect example of the Proverbs
31 lady. She was always prepared, ready to serve, happy to be anywhere she
could be used in any area. She had many talents she used for her Lord in her
own quiet way. She never looked for recognition or fame. One thing you would
never see from her was that she would be sitting watching someone else work. She
was always the first to line up to complete the job.
Today she spends her day with the Savior
she loved so much.
Heaven’s
sounding sweeter all the time!
For DEAF souls in Mexico,
Gary
& Ann Layne
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