Thousands of senior adults, mostly from the northern states and Canada, spend the winter months in south Texas as winter Texans.
The Rio Grande Valley of Texas is the south most point of all the U.S. Some say there may be as many as half a million “snow birds” who go south to spend the winter in RV Resorts along the Mexican border from Brownsville to Del Rio. The Rev. Dr. Leroy Baker serves as pastor for the Kenwood RV Resort in LaFeria, Texas. LaFeria is located near Harlingen and about ten miles north of Progresso, Mexico.
Leroy and Evelyn rolled into the Kenwood Resort on Thursday, December 15, 2011, and plan to be there until March of 2012.
At the peak of the season Kenwood Resort has 325 units and approximately 600 residents.
God has provided an almost new Holiday Rambler Imperial forty feet long with three slide-out rooms with a 400 Cummings Diesel engine. They have all the outside equipment for the patio, chairs, table, grill, carpet and awning, and all they need is someone to come by for burgers. When I talked with Leroy on Friday afternoon they were setting up everything and getting ready for their ministry which will include Christmas Caroling, a Christmas Eve Candlelight Service in the immediate near future.
Actually, Leroy will being preaching this Sunday and each Sunday thereafter through March. There will be special ministry for Christmas, New Years and Valentines events. Leroy will offer prayers for each potluck days, plus hospital ministry and visitation times.
Evelyn had set up a small Christmas tree inside the RV, and a lovely Christmas wreath with a red bow on the outside of the RV. Evelyn is a gifted decorated and one of the best cooks in the known world. She plays the piano beautifully and sings harmony with Leroy. The Bakers are all good singers. I think Karlene was born singing. Curtis can play the drums and Chris was the best high tenor I've ever heard when he sang a special arrangement of "Love Lifted Me." What a lovely family. I am a blessed man to call them my friends.
The Sunday morning worship service attendance averages about 150. The service is non-denominational with worshipers from various church faiths and backgrounds. Baker preaches on Sunday morning, visits the local hospitals as needed, provides prayer ministry to those with needs, and is available for whatever other ministry may be needed in the Resort.
Baker says, “It is indeed a joy to serve people from such a wide range of church affiliations. I feel so blessed to have the privilege to pastor these wonderful people who are close to heaven. They love the Word of God and receive it with open hearts and minds. The first Sunday communion service is a very special time of ministry, and although the people are from such varied backgrounds they receive the elements of communion with great joy and worship to God."
The thought that came to me as I reviewed this story about the ministry of the Bakers is this: You and I can be a vital part of their ministry this winter by our prayers. Pray for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, a spirit of revival and evangelism where people come to know Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives. Pray for their safety and good health. You, too, can share in this ministry by your faithful prayers.
Dr. Baker accepted the invitation from the resort to return as pastor for the 2011-2012 winter season and looks forward to ministering there again this winter. They are there now on the grounds.
[Editor's note: It is exciting to listen to Leroy Baker tell about his ministry to these "Winter Texan Snowbirds." What a fitting name to give these "Chronologically-Gifted" people who are able to spend their winters in a warmer climate.
Don't you just love his description of these people: "these wonderful people who are close to heaven."
There may be some of you who are retired ministers who may be interested in such a ministry as God has given to Leroy and Evelyn Baker. To have the opportunity to spend the winter months with your spouse in ministering to people like Leroy Baker describes maybe similar to the ministry our military chaplains have during their careers.
Leroy was able to lead a man to Jesus who had never attended church in his life. Leroy visited him in the hospital, established a trusting relationship with him over a period of several days, and shared the Gospel with him. The Holy Spirit had gone before him, prepared the heart of this dear man, and he received Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and Lord. You can imagine the joy that filled the heart of his wife when she learned of the commitment of her husband. She had prayed earnestly for him for many years to be saved.
There is nothing more fulfilling in all the world than leading another person to the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a spiritual food that comes when we are given the privilege of leading a soul to the Lord like nothing else (Read John 4:32).
I am grateful to Leroy Baker for sharing this story with us. I am sure more news will come in the future to brighten our day, and remind all of us to do the work of an evangelist.
Let us be intentional in our conversations with others to talk about Jesus.
I am wondering as I conclude this article . . . how many of my readers are able to spend the winter months in a warmer climate like Kenwood RV Resort? If you do, please let me know. You can write me at: hugh@hughsnews.com. And if you wish to communicate with Leroy Baker, I can furnish you with information whereby you can connect with him.]
Posted on
Sat, December 17, 2011
by Hugh Morgan