Life is a funny thing, and
although the present is ever fleeting, the past is forever. The imprint
of events and people remain with us sometimes throughout the
generations. Some of us will simply trickle through time, leaving barely
a mark, yet some will be game-changers, leaving there mark on this
world on their way to eternity. On this last Christmas day, a great
game-changer moved on to his great reward, to finally meet face to face
the One he loved and served for many years. He could be called many
things, Pastor, Inspiration, Missionary, Saint, but to me he was simply
Grandpa. Vernon Neigenfind was born in Virginia, and was quite a bit of a trouble maker, heading down the path of deviousness, until one day in his teens he attended an event in his hometown. This was a revival tent meeting in which a C&MA evangelist was proclaiming the gospel. That day Vernon was formally introduced to Jesus Christ, whom he would go on to serve for the next 70 or so years. He then attended Missionary Training Institute (now Nyack College), where he met his wife Margaret, beginning a marriage that would span over 70 years.
They then pastored various Alliance churches around
the US and eventually went overseas to serve as missionaries. They
served in China for about 3 years, learned Cantonese, were kicked out of
the country and relocated to Indonesia (where they had to start over
and learn Indonesian – one of my last conversations with him was
commenting how if he could learn Chinese and Indonesian in a period of 5
years, then maybe I could learn Thai) where they would serve doing various
ministry, including pioneer church planting, leadership training,
administration, teaching at a bible school and more. |
| Keith's ordination ceremony, November 2011 |
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| Our wedding day, June 2008 |
After they finished their time there, Vernon did not view full retirement as something that was an option for a minister of the gospel. So he then spent his time faithfully serving as a volunteer Chaplain at a local hospital. If there was ever an individual who spent his life in maximizing his kingdom potential it was my grandfather.
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| Our last picture together before leaving for Thailand, July 2013 |
As we start our journey here in Thailand, and try to process what it looks like serving God through our time of language study, it is a good reminder to keep our eyes focused on what a lifetime of service is all about.
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| Four Generations of Neigenfinds, July 2012 |
1 Timothy 4:7 states, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.” My grandfather could certainly say with confidence this verse aligned with his life, will we be able to say the same one day? Will you? Thank God for those who have left an indelible stain upon our lives and pushed us closer to Him.
-Keith
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