TRIBUTE TO BESSIE LEE MILLICAN
BY MIKE STARLING

I count it a privilege and quite frankly humbling to be standing here in front of you this afternoon. When Pastor Pritchard called me the middle of August and informed me that Bessie Lee had gone to be with the Lord, my heart sank and was saddened because immediately I knew that I would not be able to go to the funeral seeing I was in Alaska would not be able to get there in time. I thought about the great loss that the missionary world had suffered. I also thought about the great example that had been taken from this life and had been awarded a precious mansion in heaven.

I started scrolling back in my memory banks at all the times I had talked to Bessie Lee and how she had encouraged me and Christie in our missions endeavor. To see this upright and courageous woman, a pioneer in missions giving me, Mike Starling, advice and direction was truly humbling. Her firmness and resolve was evident in her words and tone of voice, as if she was convinced in what she was saying. Her belief in Jesus Christ was so powerful and driving it made up the essence of who she was. The phrase that came to mind was "Speak softly and carry a big stick" as she spoke and reminded me who I was working for. "You just follow the Lord and he will take care of the rest" she said.

A word that has described few missionaries of our time and times past has been the word "PASSIONATE". This pioneer, as she arrived on the field in 1948 as a single young adult, had a passion for the Mexican people. She had a desire to see Mexico turn to Christ. Her passion caused her pain while at other times caused her rejoicing. This passion she had was not taught by a teacher in Bible Baptist Seminary, nor given by her SS teacher. This passion was given by God almighty who had a specific plan for Bessie's life; and that was to be a God follower and to make others God followers as well.  Her passion drove her to give herself to a people, a culture, and a country.  So much so, that, she started out sleeping on park benches and ended up living in Mexico for more than 58 years. She also spoke Spanish so much that, whenever she did speak English, which was seldom, it was with a Spanish accent. Her passion was to see little boys and girls get saved.  Her passion was to see Moms and dads come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Her passion for an all providing God kept her there in spite of the locals trying to slip poison in her coffee to do away with her. If there ever was one person who had a sincere desire to reach the world for Christ, it was Bessie Lee.

Who would have thought that Bessie Lee, to get to the field, would have to go through the office of none other than J Frank Norris. She told me that she went in there to tell J Frank that she had been called to Mexico as a missionary. He said her place was in the home. She finally told him that she was going anyway and walk out. That takes courage!!! Its no wonder, to our dismay, men, that women outnumber the men on the foreign mission field 7 to 1. It takes courage to make it to the mission field and Resolve to stay there. Some see Passion as temporary. I see Passion as faithfulness in Bessie's case. Mt 25 :21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Bessie Lee had a job to do. She did not waver nor falter. Her faith in the risen Savior was enough to carry her from the greatness of America to a land far behind. It wasn't some great paying job that got her to Mexico nor was is it some opportunity to make millions. The calling she had on her life and the faith to carry it through was all she had to go on.

As those first days turned to weeks and the those first weeks turned into months, the Lord established a ministry through Bessie Lee. This ministry consisted in helping a national pastor rebuild a work which had been abandoned. She had the privilege of teaching generations of people. She saw kids saved, which grew up and had kids that got saved and those kids had kids. Her influence in the community earned her respect amongst the town leaders.

Her humble yet firm stand on the Bible made an impact among her peers. Bessie Lee became loved and respected even with the doctors and lawyers of her town. I believe the love of God and His Word had something to do with that.

Compassion also comes to mind when I think of Bessie Lee. It means to see a need and then meeting it. Compassion was her every move. The need, whether spiritual, physical, or emotional, she was always moving about with a sense of direction knowing these needs needed to be met and that she would be the one to meet them.

Bessie Lee Millican is a hero in my book. I don't want to elevate her to some superstar status, because I know that she would probably whoop me for that, and two, she would not want me to. All that honor and all the glory goes only to one person ... the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. She would never puff herself up or give credit to herself, because she knew that she was nothing save the blood of the Jesus Christ and His amazing grace. And it was for that blood and grace that she was fighting for! !

Bessie Lee Millican-one of Gods choicest servants-gone to reap the rewards in her eternal home. I know she is sitting up there close to Jesus and talking to Him. I wonder what they are talking about? I can almost hear her telling Him "we need more missionaries". Of the thousands she was able to reach, along with Gayle, there are still billions more that need the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that if miss Bessie Lee had to do it all over again, she would not hesitate to once again share the message that changed her life. I just hope and pray that we would be strong, compassionate, and courageous enough to heed the call in our life to reach the lost like Miss Bessie Lee Millican did.

Miss Bessie ... we're gonna miss you. Cant wait to see ya in glory.