By: Gen. Jim — Written In Prison — 12/21/18
When God spoke to us (Deborah and me) in the early 1980’s, He challenged us to go outside the church box, i.e. “Churchianity,” and build an Army of God. We both had gone through a 4 year (local church denomination) training. At the end of our 4th year we were sent to Mexico as missionaries (at the church’s orphanage outside Mexico City) where we helped supply the orphanage with goods needed. We basically were smugglers! Most of the items were not allowed unless large sums of money was spent. We did this 2 times before we left our local Kentucky church and moved up to our church H.Q. in Indiana. There we spent a bit more training before we were sent to the orphanage to become directors. Our mission: to move the orphanage from one location to another location several hundred miles away.
In executing our duties we went through a lot of physical/mental sufferings which later on (1977) we left the organization. God had us strike out on our own. Our next big move was, at God’s command, to go to Venezuela, South America – by truck, we left Montana and drove all the way thru Central America until we reached Panama. We had to pass thru Nicaragua, where a revolution had been going on for several years, we encountered much trouble on both sides of their border – searches, killings etc. My wife spoke good Spanish so she bore the brunt of much communications.
Reaching Panama we were told we could not drive all the way to Columbia because the road was incomplete. We ended up putting several hundred US dollars towards a ship that would take us to Columbia where we could then proceed to Venezuela. We had no idea that that ship was a transport carrying illegal alcohol/drugs. We were told – thru the cook – that we were going to be killed and thrown overboard. We spend 5 days/nights sea-sick (myself, Deborah and our two children).
After all this we ended up in Miami, Florida becoming counselors in a large rehab center where we learned a lot about the lives of William and Catherine Booth, founders and Generals of the Salvation Army. In 1980 we went to Sacramento, California and in 1981 we started the “Army of God.” This adventure took us all around the world many times – facing hardships, mainly from communists and militant Muslims.
To be clear, Deborah worked her way up in rank, from colonel to major General (2 stars). Her stars won came by blood-in-the-mud warfare. She was in all respects the “Point Woman” in Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps’s International work/war. She went with “If I die on this mission I’ve pleased Jesus” stance. I’ve seen her suffer things that would have and have had killed others. She was not one to complain no matter the hardships… and hardships were plenty!!
Her prayer life is like no other I have heard of or seen, past or present. She prayed so hard at times that purple spots appeared on her neck and face. She never shunned praying for those who hated her and those who betrayed her.
Gen. Deborah loves people. Period. Yet she was/is stern when the issue of sin has/had to be dealt with. This of course earned her many enemies, especially in the liberal church and media.
We were giving an international lecture to a group of soldiers in the Philippines (in a remote jungle location were the New People’s Army (communists) hid out.). It had rained and she slid down a slope in the mud. Her whole clothing was covered, yet she continued to teach.
Many arm chair authors love to romanticize mission work. True mission work is literally HELL-on-EARTH at times. One sees the worse of humankind – blood, guts, and gore. Death! Death at times is so near one can smell it.
Cross-cultural friendship/comradeship is not easy most of the time. Going to different cultures, landscapes and customs takes adjustments. People and politics of nations can be vexing. Strange, often satanic traditions have to be dealt with. Crucial issues which require sensitivity has to be dealt with. World’s faiths will clash with Biblical Christianity. But Gen. Deborah knew how to deal with all this. The Spirit of God was at work BIG TIME in her life. She was ever willing to go down low so as to let the Holy Spirit work.
Gen. Deborah was never one to waste money or time, 4 or 5 star accommodation and world-class cuisines were out of the question. She never exalted her “Americanism” over the poor. She ate their food and walked their paths. She has always lived parsimoniously, i.e. frugal. Many here in the US hate her for this, making up lies that she hoarded money and took people’s possessions. The truth is, she gave and rarely took, I know. I’ve lived with her for 48 years now. I guess I’m just plain ole prejudice, but I think I’m married to the most wonderful Christian woman in the world. No apology.
Always remember her in your prayers. She is in prison for her faith. But she never complains. She won her stars in blood and mud.