June Bean is with the Lord

[Last updated 9:45 am, Thursday, December 13]

It is Wednesday morning, 12 December.  I am adding this update to the report below. Sister Bean’s daughter sent me this email this morning:

Bro Dave, Mom passed peacefully this morning.  We thought it was going to be last night,  and all her kids and grandkids that live in the area were here last night.  We cried and laughed as everybody had a story to tell about her.  She is at peace now.  Thanks for all your prayers and support. 

In Christ, Mary Ellen

Their other daughter, Cathy Pereira, sent us the following note of appreciation:

I just want to thank you for your faithfulness to my mother and father especially after dad went to be with The Lord. I am Cathy Pereira, George and June Bean’s other daughter. They taught us the love of Jesus and that is something that no one can take from us. They were loved everywhere they went and are remembered with very fond memories from friends in Brasil–believers and non-believers as well. They impacted many lives. Thanks for giving them the opportunity to serve their Savior as missionaries in Brasil and for us kids, the opportunity to be a part of that. For us it was home and having married Mauricio we go back as often as we can. And going we always visit the church and visit with our brothers and sisters there. We will miss mom but would not bring her back if we could and I’m positive she would say, “No thank you, I’m staying right where I’m at!” 🙂
Thanks again.

In Christ,
Cathy Pereira

We have posted the arrangements for Sister Bean’s memorial service here.

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Many of you will remember two of our faithful missionaries, George and June Bean. They went to serve the Lord in Brazil in 1964 and labored there for 31 years until their retirement in 1995 from active missionary service. For all of that time, they labored in Sao Luis in the northeastern state of Maranhao with the exception of a couple years when they went to relieve other furloughing missionaries.

Brother George Bean went Home to be with the Lord in May of 2000.  Sister Bean has been in declining health for the past several years and is now in the last days of her earthly life here. Their daughter, Mary Ellen [Bean] Jerden is caring for her now in her home. Mary Ellen sent us this note:

Date: December 9, 2012, 6:27:47 PM EST

Please pray for the Bean family. June Bean who was a missionary along with George Bean for many years in Brasil is not doing well. She has had dementia for several years, but has been declining in last six months. She has been receiving hospice care for about a month and has really been declining. This last week she must have had a stroke, and is just hanging on. Please pray that the Lord will be merciful and take her in a peaceful way. It is hard to watch her struggle to breath, and she looks so tired. I know it is not in our hands, so must wait on the Lord’s timing. One of her wishes was not to go to Nursing Home, and I’m thankful that we have been able to keep her at home. Will let you know when she does pass away.

Thank you, Mary Ellen (Bean) Jerden
maryjerden29 at gmail.com

Her mailing address is:
JUNE BEAN
401 County Road 213
Hollywood, AL 35752

Ada Mayfield Hunter

Also – Ada Mayfield Hunter is the widow of Del Mayfield. They served the Lord as missionaries in Peru for 18 years [1960-1978]. She, too, is in weak health and is currently residing in a skilled nursing facility in Litchfield. IL. She suffers from congestive heart failure with the accompanying shortness of breath and swelling from fluid retention. Their daughter, Loretta Hokenson, lives nearby and cares for her mother daily.

Please offer prayers to God also for her and her family.

You may correspond with Sister Mayfield-Hunter at Loretta’s address:
ADA MAYFIELD HUNTER
c/o LORETTA HOKENSON
305 South Street
Coffeen IL 62017

Harold Draper

Missionary-Pastor Harold Draper is still rehabilitating from his double-knee-replacement surgery on November 29. He has been receiving his rehab therapies in the Lourdes Hospital in Paducah KY – but as of today, Tuesday [December 11], he is being discharged home. He will continue his rehab exercises nearby where he lives. They request and appreciate our continuing prayers for him and Ursula.

Their home phone #: 270.628.9517
Their cell #: 270.562.0828

Their mailing address is:
HAROLD AND URSULA DRAPER
P.O. Box 395
Bardwell, KY 42023

All three of these dear servants of the Lord are faithful missionaries who have served in support partnership through BFM, and are currently receiving service pensions from BFM.


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Missionary Update: The Radfords in Kenya [September 2012]

Nathan and Carrie Radford serve the Lord in Kitale, Kenya. Their main ministries include indigenous church planting, a prison ministry, and a hospital ministry for mothers with premature babies.

September 4, 2012

Dear praying friends,

Another month has come and gone, and we only have a few months left in the year 2012. As I reflect on this past year, I ask myself, “Where has the time gone?” I am sure that many of you can identify with this. Our lives are so brief, and we need to be serving the Lord while there is still opportunity. May we be thankful for the opportunities He gives us to serve Him, and make the most of them. This update will share current ministry progress as well as prayer requests.

The church in the village of Shangalamwe is continuing along well. Shangalamwe is quite a drive out of Kitale town and is bordered with another large village called Coast. We have had some visitors from there, for which we thank the Lord. There are many in Shangalamwe to be reached with the Gospel message. We thank the Lord that the members are continuing to go and share the “Good News” with others.

Nathan Radford & Roger Tate with some of the people in the village of Shangalamwe.

We are progressing well through the teachings from God’s Word, and my prayer for them is that they would desire to study the Word more and grow stronger in their relationship with the Lord. Please continue to pray for my friend Roger and I, as we work with these dear people. Please pray that we would be steadfast, not grow weary, and be faithful to the call here. One of my favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 15:58, which says “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” This is a verse we can claim wherever we serve the Lord, and our labour is not in vain. Praise the Lord!

The Annex prison is continuing well. The head office and chaplains are supportive, for which I thank the Lord. This past week was a blessing, as many new visitors came after being transferred from another prison. This happens quite regularly. We are now in the New Testament, studying the life of Christ and His ministry while on earth. We have many lessons ahead, and we ask you to please pray for these men, that they would stay encouraged and continue to grow spiritually. Please also pray that these believers would share their faith with the other prisoners. Matthew 4:19 says “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” We will keep you updated of this ministry.

We have big news in the family as our daughter Camille is now walking. She is not steady on her feet yet, but making good progress. It won’t be long until we have to chase her all over. I am sure other parents can identify with this. She is doing very well. McKenna will be five years old next year and starting school soon, which does not seem possible. We love our daughters dearly and they are a great blessing. Please pray that we would be the example that we need to be before them, and raise them in the ways of the Lord.

The elections here in Kenya are supposed to be around March of next year, as far as I have heard. Please pray that the election would be done in a good manner and that there would be no unrest. We can trust the Lord even during this time, and what a privilege it is to pray. I read a quote recently that challenged me. It said, “If we only pray when we are in trouble, then we are in trouble.” How true, and how we need to pray often throughout the day, even when things are going well. Prayer is truly a privilege.

God bless each of you so much and we will keep you updated. Thanks for your prayers, encouragement, and sacrificial giving. It means so much to us.

Serving in Kenya,
Nathan and Carrie Radford
P.O. Box 4150
Kitale, Kenya
East Africa 30200

Click here to donate to BFM.

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