Earth Angel

by John C Westervelt

Once ever ten days, two hundred Acts 29 Prayer Partners pray, "God, please station your Holy angels in our church buildings ..." I think God has granted this request and even included the Asbury Mingo property. The angel for the new land has no soft, white wings, but lots of muscle.

It all began in 1934 in the middle of the great depression on a farm near Fairview when a healthy boy was born and named Mel. Mel Pearson would grow up on the land of western Oklahoma, enroll at Oklahoma A&M College, and graduate in veterinary medicine. Mel and Mary were married when Mel was a first year veterinary student.

The hard work of the farm carried over into Mel’s veterinary practice. After Mel retired, Mary told me how nice it was to have Mel home all of Christmas morning, for you see, he wouldn’t ask his employees to check the animals on Christmas day, so he did.

I share Mel’s work habits to help you better understand why God planned for him to be the Earth Angel. Soon after Asbury purchased the land, Mel asked Mary what she thought about buying a tractor to keep the Asbury land mowed for a couple of years before construction would begin. Mary said, "That sounds like good stewardship."

In the spring of 2000, Mel was ready to mow. First, there were heavy rocks to move before the tractor could safely mow the thirty-five acres. Later, Mel found other strong men to help him remove posts left from an abandoned fence.

When Steve Area needed five telephone poles erected to provide light for "Camping out on Sacred Ground," he called Mel. Even with a front loader on the tractor, muscle alone was not enough to raise very heavy 25-foot poles. The Earth Angel was also gifted with brains.

Some day we will proudly gather in our glistening new church building. Most will not have known or will have forgotten that the Earth Angel rode his dusty tractor for two years caring for the land during its dormant time. God never forgets an angel.

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