In Memory of Shirley Shelley

 

In loving memory of Shirley Shelley

May 31, 1932 - June 6, 2012

 

God blessed Mike and I eight or so years ago when we said yes to our first and only Lay Renewal.  Our brother in Christ, Rex, asked us to do a Lay Renewal.  We prayed about it and decided this is what God wanted us to do.  We did not know at the time of our church location.  As time grew closer to our time to serve we found out it was Mike's home church, First Baptist Church of Hamlet, North Carolina.  As we arrived in Hamlet on Friday afternoon we met at the church to start our week-end of blessings beyond any words can describe.  Rex or maybe even a church member said your host family is Shirley Shelley.  So after the evening activities we headed to Shirley Shelley's home in Hamlet. We were greeted with a good ole fashion southern hello and welcome home.  At that moment we felt like we were right at home.  She definitely had the gift of hospitltialy. She took excellent care of us the entire week-end.  So after the Sunday activities we bid Shirely Shelley good-bye and wished her well.  Maybe we will see you again the next time we come to Hamlet to visit Mike's family.

Five years ago God blessed us once again when we got word First Baptist Hamlet was coming with a mission team to build a home, do VBS and evangelize.  We got the roster and there  was Shirley Shelley's name.  Shirley was 79 years old when she came to Choluteca, Honduras on her first and only mission trip. 

Shirley and two other friends, Clara and Dianna worked hard all week doing the laundry for the teams, washing the dishes and getting up at 5 AM each morning to cook a full course breakfast for the team members.

On the first day the entire team went to the job site to work.  Shirley learned how to lay blocks the first day and she helped keep her fellow team members hydrated.  After the first day Shirley, Dianna and Clara stayed at the house to do the daily chores I mentioned earlier.  Mike would take the ladies to the job site in the afternoon to do VBS with the children.

Shirley enjoyed doing VBS with the children.  She made one little friend which was somewhat of a handful but Shirley had just the right touch to love him unconditionally even when he was night behaving.  Each day this little fellow found his way to the front of the church to sit with Shirley as she gently encouraged him to participate in the singing and crafts.  I left the ladies one day in charge of organizing some clothes items previous teams had left behind.  There was not a task Shirley did not attempt during her 8 days in Honduras. 

One night during devotionals she shared how she accepted Christ at the age of 26 years old and she told God that day she wanted to be a missionary or go somewhere international to serve Him and His kingdom work.  It took her 50 some years but she kept her promise to God and came to Honduras. 

After returning home from her mission trip some time later she found out she had cancer.  Shirley fought and stood strong through her two year battle with cancer.  If you did know she had cancer you would never guess cancer was apart of her life.  She continued serving the Lord through her church family and through other activities in her community. 

Shirley and I became kindred spirits because while in Honduras she grew to love the people hear as Mike and I do. She got it.  Her first and only trip she got it.  How beautiful the lives of the Honduras people are and how much she learned about what is important in life.  After her visit Shirley and I stayed in contact with each other via telephone calls at least twice a month.  She wanted to know what we were up to and how were her newfound friends in Honduras were getting along.  She was genuinely concerned about the welfare of these people.  Shirley shared how she prayed for them on a regular basis and the ministry in Honduras. 

As time passed if we were at Mike's mother's home visiting Shirley came over just so she could catch up on all the activities of Honduras.  We would set for couple of hours over tea or coffee at Mike's mothers discussing and answering all her questions.  It was awesome for Mike and I because we love discussing the ministry the Lord has called us to serve.

Time was passing by for Shirley Shelley and she knew as everyone else her time on this earth was getting shorter.  One time Shirley shared with Mike and I what she had ask her family to do when she had passed.  Shirley requested a home to be built for a family in Honduras.  As tears poured down all our cheeks we were humbled by this act of service.  Shirley truly got it.

The last couple of months Shirley and I talked weekly.  I was more checking on her at this point and she never once complained or acted like any thing was wrong with her. 

Several times she and I would be talking, she shared with me how she wished her two grandsons could experience the joy and beauty of Honduras as she had gotten to five years ago. I said maybe one day Shirley God will honor this request.

Mike and I were due to go home in June of 2012 for our first grandchild's birth.  We were blessed during this time, we did not have a team schedule to come to Honduras.  Mike and I were busy the morning before flying out getting packed, I shared with Mike, "I feel my friend has gone home to be with the Lord."  Mike called his mother to check on Shirley and Nana, Mike's mother, shared she had passed earlier that morning.  We have had several friends go home to be with the Lord since serving here but there has never been one where we were home for the funeral.  God allowed me to say good-bye to my dear friend one more time.  Mike, our daughter Stephanie, Mike's mother and I were able to attend Shirley's funeral.  No one was expecting Mike and I to be there.  Pastor Randy was leading the service and he shared how much Shirley Shelley loved serving her Lord and serving others.  Pastor Randy learned from her  what an impact going to Honduras two years prior had played in Mrs. Shirley's life.  He said how she continuously talked about those beautiful people and how much they did for each other and how loving they were.  He also shared how we are never too old to go on a foreign mission trip if God has called us to go.  Mrs. Shirley was our example of a faithful servant.  As these words were coming out of Pastor Randy's mouth tears flowed continuously down my cheeks.  Pastor Randy shared with the congregation how Mike and I were there for the service.  We did not  know until this day how much Shirley Shelley truly loved Honduras. 

Two years has passed and Reggie, team leader from the first year got a team together to come to Honduras and make Shirley Shelley's wish a reality.  He called our friend Rex, who held the Lay Renewal 8 years ago also came with Mrs. Shirley in 2010 to build a home.  Reggie worked the entire team around two young men who I became to love as much as their grandmother, Shirley.  William and Mack Shelley were able to come to Honduras and complete Shirley's wish of them seeing, feeling and touching the beauty of what God calls Choluteca, Honduras.  As they worked along side of 7 other people who they did not know, William and Mack exemplified true characters I am sure they learned from their parents as well as their grandmother.  Shirley Shelley would have been so proud of each of them.  I jokingly shared with the young men one morning at the job site, "I bet you did not know what your grandmother was getting you two into this week."  The temperature each day ran in the 95's and up.  The young men worked as hard as any of the team members.  William preserved just like his grandmother where there was not a task he would not try.  Mack had a blast with all the children just like his grandmother did while serving here.  We all felt like there was a small piece of Shirley Shelley with us this week.  Rex had a plaque built in memory of Shirley Shelley.  After the home dedication, we gathered inside the home to present the family with the plaque.  William and Mack decided to hang it over the doorway inside the house.  During the entire week of construction our staff did not make the connection of why William and Mack were with us building this home.  William and Pastor G worked together on getting the plaque ready to hang and Pastor G turned the plaque over to read what it said he looked at me and said who was this person.  I shared it was the lady who came five years ago at the age of 79.  I shared William and Mack were her grandsons and they were making a wish come true for their grandmother.  Once he realized the connection he knew exactly who she was.  There is not many79 year old ladies who make their way to Honduras.  This was a God moment for me.  Since Mrs. Shirley God has blessed us with other 79 and up adults who come to serve.

Everyone loved Shirley Shelley when she came to Honduras her one and only time to be a missionary for Jesus.  We shared her story with the family and how every one fell in love with this godly lady.  She would brighten any one's day.  Shirley set the example for us all of being who God has called us to be and to give our all whenever He calls us to do His will.  She was an encourager for me on how to always persevere with life no matter how easy or hard it may seem.  Shirley had Hospice come in the last few weeks of her life.  I remember her sharing they better not be late because I got to be at the hospital to visit people from church.  Pastor Randy said he went by to see her one day and she was not at home. So he went on over to the hospital to visit his folks and who do you think he ran into Shirley Shelley.  This was about two to three weeks before she went home to be with the Lord.  Shirley Shelley I hope I grow up to be just like you and live my life as a godly example as your life reflected.  I learned one phrase during my short journey with Shirley Shelley and that is "Good Land".  So when I hear this phrase today I always reflect back on the beautiful memories of my friend and sister in Christ, Shirley Shelley.  Every time I ride by Fransico's home, the one Shirley help built, I reflect back on that week and how God blessed me with this special lady.  Her grandson, Mack was always the last one to get in line for breakfast or dinner and I shared the first night he was there "Last is first and first is last".  This was Shirley Shelley, she always put others before her self.  She was definitely the hands and feet of Jesus on a daily basis.

 

"So the last shall be first and the first shall be last."

Matthew 20:16

 The Wife of Noble Character

^10 [a]A wife of noble character who can find?
    She is worth
¹¹ Her husband has full confidence in her
    and lacks nothing of value.
¹² She brings him good, not harm,
    all the days of her life.
¹³ She selects wool and flax
    and works with eager hands.
¹⁴ She is like the merchant ships,
    bringing her food from afar.
¹⁵ She gets up while it is still night;
    she provides food for her family
    and portions for her female servants.
¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;
    out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
¹⁷ She sets about her work vigorously;
    her arms are strong for her tasks.
¹⁸ She sees that her trading is profitable,
    and her lamp does not go out at night.
¹⁹ In her hand she holds the distaff
    and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
²⁰ She opens her arms to the poor
    and extends her hands to the needy.
²¹ When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
    for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
²² She makes coverings for her bed;
    she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
²³ Her husband is respected at the city gate,
    where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them,
    and supplies the merchants with sashes.
²⁵ She is clothed with strength and dignity;
    she can laugh at the days to come.
²⁶ She speaks with wisdom,
    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
²⁷ She watches over the affairs of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.
²⁸ Her children arise and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
²⁹ “Many women do noble things,
    but you surpass them all.”
³⁰ Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
³¹ Honor her for all that her hands have done,
    and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.