Introduction
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3
Episode 4
Episode 5
Episode 6
Episode 7
Episode 8

Precious Memories

In one of our previous articles, I mentioned an old Ford that we were driving which carried us thousands of miles doing our little bit for Jesus. We were on our way from Canada, down through Maryland, and on south to Del Rio, Texas bordering old Mexico.

As we drove into the little town of Del Rio, our car tore up. We had seventeen dollars left and didn't know anyone, but Jesus was with us, and though we were all tired and weary, we found a furnished apartment that rented for fifteen dollars a week. This was back in 1963 when things weren't quite as high as they are today! We got settled in and George lay down across the bed to rest a little while before he tried to fix the car. All of a sudden, he got up and told me he would be back in a few minutes. The Lord had impressed him to go out and start walking.

He was checking at used car places to see what he could do. The owner of one of the used car lots came out and they began to talk. He was a minister too, so they began to get acquainted. This man finally said, "Brother Pike, I would like to give you a car since you are in the ministry." He wanted George to pick out a car. George looked around and finally found an old white station wagon in the back of the lot. He told the man this was the car he wanted. The man told him this car had to have new rings in it before it could be driven, and insisted that he pick out another car in good condition.

George felt this white station wagon was the one the Lord wanted him to have, so the man gave it to him, even though he was puzzled over why he wanted that particular car that needed to be worked on when he could have chosen one ready to go and much nicer. But when you follow the Lord, He wants obedience because He has a plan for certain things, and we found out later what His plans were for this car.

The Lord began to open doors for George to minister and Satan began to rage. He had a real strong hold on this town and didn't want anyone preaching the truth.

The Lord proved Himself in so many ways that we won a great victory over Satan and his powers, and left a great testimony by the help of Christ.

While we were in Del Rio, we worked over in old Mexico in the little villages where people didn't have very many of this world's goods, but they were hungry for the Word of God. They lived in little huts with dirt floors, and their meals usually consisted of goat meat, beans and tortillas. This is where we started our first missionary work outside of the United States and Canada. We learned to love the people of old Mexico, and continue even until this day, thirty years later, working all over old Mexico, as well as many other countries, sharing clothes, money, food, and the gospel of the Lord Jesus with thousands of people.

At the time of this writing, we will be leaving, if it is the Lord's will, for Israel and Egypt in a few days. We pray for the great God of love to help us to take advantage of every opportunity given us to reach out and give a helping hand to others who are in need, as we give thanksgiving and praise for all the mercy and love He has given to us through our lives.

When we left Texas, we finally ended up in California, where the Lord was leading. We had been in the car for five days and five nights looking for a place to rent. Everywhere we would stop and inquire, the rent was either to high or wouldn't rent because we had children.

Finally, we got down to two dollars and we pulled into a service station to buy gas with this last two dollars. George said, "God will move, because He knows I have done everything I know to do, and I know He sent me to California, so I am trusting Him."

George got out and was waiting for the attendant to put the gas in. I noticed a Spanish man talking on the telephone inside the service station, but he was looking at our car. He kept staring straight at us, so I looked back to see if any of the children were doing anything to draw his attention. They were sitting very quietly, and I glanced back at the man and he was hurrying out the door coming straight toward our car. I saw him talking to George and they walked around to the back of the car, and the man acted real excited. I found out he was telling George that he had bought this white station wagon when it was brand new down in Del Rio, Texas. He went on to explain that he was in the Army at the time and when he was sent overseas, someone stole his wife's allotment check and she couldn't make the payments and they had come out and repossessed it. He said it tore him up, and he begged George to go home with him and let him show him pictures to prove it. He found out George was a minister and he said he had been called to preach, but was so frustrated over so many churches preaching different doctrines, until he had been praying and begging God to show him the truth.

So, to cut this short, we ended up going home with Brother Al Gonzales and stayed in his home for a week or two. George and Brother Al talked night and day, and Brother Al ended up being one of our closest friends and brothers in the Lord. He interpreted for George many, many times in Mexico, and it was so amazing to see them preach and interpret under the same anointing. They wouldn't be looking at each other but their hands and movements were the same. Brother Al has gone on to be with Jesus now, and has already received his reward, and Sister Nabe, who stayed by his side for all those years and was a true and faithful wife, lives here at Little Bethlehem with her children living close by.

The memories of Brother Al and his family on the battlefield for Jesus are treasures in our great storehouse, and it enriched our lives to be acquainted with them. And many times, we think of how God, in His great plan and wisdom, caused George to want that particular car so He could bring us all the way from Texas to California, to one little service station out of the thousands in the world, to one who was managing that station who had bought that car when it was brand new in Del Rio, Texas. How great God is and how much effort He will go to to answer a person's sincere prayers. How could we ever doubt such a wonderful Savior! All things surely work together for good to those that are called of God. Those that love righteousness, and hate iniquity, shall surely be anointed with the oil of gladness.

By Sister Betty Pike

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