March & April 2005

Dear Pastors and Friends:

I was up early on Thursday morning and working on my sermon for Sunday. It was about 7 AM when I heard my neighbor calling me from the yard.  I went out and he told me they had found Angella dead and the family wanted me to come. I got in the van and we drove down the hill to Pam and Dave's house just below our house. Dave and a couple of his sons got in the van and we drove to Spring Mount where Angella had just recently built her house.  Angella had lived beside her mother and Dave for about 10 years until a few weeks ago. The family had some problems and she tore down her little one room board house and moved it close to some relatives on Spring Mount.

It took us about ten minutes to drive up the mountain. We parked and walked past the mountain spring where everyone washes clothes and followed the path around the hillside to her house. People were everywhere. About 100 people were outside the little one room board house and the inside was packed full. Dave and I made our way through the mass of people and into the house. Angella was still in the bed with all the people crowded around the bed looking at her. The story was told that her Aunt came early and called for her. The two little girls opened the door and said they couldn't wake their mother. The aunt went in and found that she was dead. Angella was 32 years old and 7 months pregnant.

Six months before this Angella had started attending our church. She was so excited to be coming to church. She said she wanted to change her life and serve God. She was very faithful for several months. At the end of almost every service she would come to the altar for prayer. She said it was the first time in her life that she had ever felt anything from the Lord when she went to church.

Angella was not married. She found out she was expecting another baby. She had a very serious fight with her mother and tried to kill her aunt with Dottie's cake knife. If you will remember we wrote about this last year. She stopped coming to church. She went to bed last Wednesday night and died in her sleep. The reports came back from the doctor and no one knows why she died. There was no medical reason. They buried her and her little son last Sunday.

I sit here at my desk and think about this. Everyone is looking to me for words of comfort. I know that only the Lord knows the heart. If Angella called on the Lord with her whole heart then she is with Him. If she did not, then she is not with the Lord. The Bible says "I stand at the door and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him and he with me." It also says, "Today is the day of salvation."  "We know not what shall be on the morrow."

Please continue to pray for us and thank you for your prayers and support and all the wonderful Christmas gifts.

                                                                                                      In His faithful service,

                                                                                                      David & Dottie McClure

Since April 24, 2005 you are visitor number: