YOU ARE A HERO TO ONE OR MORE PEOPLE WHETHER YOU KNOW IT OR NOT. WE ARE ALL HEROES IN OUR OWN WAY. I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER SOMEONE TELLING ME ONE DAY "You are an icon." I said , " I am what."
Had I suddenly grown older than dirt? MOST OF US NEVER FEEL THAT IMPORTANT AS WE WALK THRU OUR DAYS. WE just want to be free to live on earth.
MY GRANDMOTHER HAD NINE CHILDREN AND ONE OF THEM WAS ROY JOHNS.
HE MARRIED GAYE NELL AND THEY DEDICATED THEIR LIFE TO MISSIONARY
WORK AND HAVE WORKED ALL OVER THE WORLD ESPECIALLY IN SOUTH,
CENTRAL AND NORTH AMERICA AMONG MANY PEOPLE ESPECIALLY THE
SPANISH. HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE SAW ROY BEING A PROFESSIONAL
BOXER AND DURING THAT TIME HE RECEIVED AN INJURY WHICH PREVENTED
HIM FROM BEING SPONSORED BY HIS CHOSEN RELIGION SO HE AND GAYE NELL
KEPT LISTENING TO GOD AND WENT ON THE MISSION FIELD ON THEIR ON WITH
GOD'S HELP THRU CHURCHES AND CHRISTIANS WHO SUPPORTED THEM
ALONG THE WAY. THEY DID WITHOUT THEMSELVES TO SERVE THOSE IN
NEED WHETHER IT WAS PHYSICAL OR SPIRITUAL. THEY HAVE ALWAYS
WANTED TO HELP GOD SAVE PEOPLE.
NOW, ROY AND GAYE NELL NEED OUR HELP AS ROY'S HEALTH IS DOWN.
MOST MISSIONARIES CAN NOT AFFORD TO BE INSURED AND IT IS NOT
PROVIDED FOR THEM. THEY SERVE THEIR OWN COUNTRY AND HELP
THEIR COUNTRY BY HELPING PEOPLE IN OTHER COUNTRIES LEARN ABOUT
FREEDOM AND HOW TO PRACTICE IT IN THEIR OWN COUNTRIES IN A
PERSONAL WAY. CURRENCY OF COURSE TRAVELS ALL AROUND THE
WORLD AS DOES THE AIR WE BREATHE . AIR IS FREE AND CURRENCY
IS NOT. GOD BREATHES INTO US THE BREATH OF AIR.
THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE PERSON WILL SOMEDAY DIE AND FACE GOD
JUST AS EVERYONE WILL.
MISSIONARIES TEACH US TO BE AS GOOD TO EACH OTHER AS WE CAN BE.
ROY AND GAYE NELL HAVE BEEN IN THE PRESENCE OF THE MOST FAMOUS
AND THE MOST ISOLATED AND THEY HAVE PATIENTLY CARRIED THE
MESSAGE THAT GOD MADE AND LOVES EVERYONE. HE MAY NOT LIKE
EVERYTHING WE DO AND HE IS CONSTANTLY FORGIVING US AND GIVING US
ANOTHER CHANCE TO WORK ON EARTH.
MOST OF US DO NOT HAVE MUCH THESE DAYS AND ROY AND GAYE NELL
KNOW THIS AS THEY HAVE BEEN THERE WITH US.
I REMEMBER WHEN I STARTED SCHOOL AND KEPT RUNNING AWAY FROM
SCHOOL UNCLE ROY DECIDED HE COULD KEEP ME ON THAT SCHOOL BUS
EVERY DAY AND HE DID. HE WAS ALSO A STUDENT AT SCHOOL AND HE
COULD RUN FASTER THAN I COULD . I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS THAT HAD
TO OUTDO THE BOYS AND THAT IS EXACTLY HOW I BROKE MY COLLAR BONE
TURNING A CORNER IN A BICYCLE RACE. I WON THE RACE PAINFULLY.
OF COURSE . WHEN UNCLE ROY WENT TO CLASS I WANTED
TO TOO AND AFTER GETTING MY AA AND BS AND ETC. TRAINING
I BEGAN TEACHING AND GREW
INTO BECOMING THE BEST TEACHER I COULD BE.
UNCLE ROY NEEDS OUR SUPPORT NOW AND WE ALL NEED TO HELP HIM
This page is dedicated to heroes and we like other families have some heroes in our family (The JOHNS FAMILY) Roy Johns and Gaye Nell Johns are sister and brother to our Dad Omer Wayne Johns and Our mother Irena Elizabeth Harvey Johns. We like others are really blessed because they dedicated their life to God many years ago. They are well educated and speak several different languages and chose their life as a missionary. Roy as a young man fought for the title of Golden Glove in boxing in the state of Texas but gave it up to go to Peru when God called.
We need to hear a 'hero' story every day. The more the hero is unknown and unsung, the more his story will bless our lives If he is still living, his story should bless us even more.
The hero I want to tell you about today is not only still living, but he is still doing what makes him a hero.
In 1960, my family and I went to Peru, South America as missionaries. In the Andes mountain town of Huancayo, the Douglas Craig's and Roy Johns families received us and blessed us as only God’s people can.
For the next ten years in Peru I walked mountain trails and preached the Gospel in many Quecha Indian villages with Roy Johns. I always marveled at his gentle, loving spirit and his faithful witness to every person who would listen.
Since returning to serve in Mexico the last thirty-eight years, our ministries have either been in partnership or in support of each other. As a true New Testament missionary, he has founded and edified Churches in Peru, Mexico and the USA. However, it is his personal witnessing which challenges every christian. Many times I have seen him cry over the indifference and hardness of sinners. Nothing turns him aside from asking, “Friend, can you tell me how a sinner can have his sins forgiven before God?” That is Roy’s favorite way of beginning a conversation and finding out the need of a sinner.
Until recently, Roy and his faithful wife Gaye have ministered in jails and prisons of the Houston and Valley areas. They both continue a Bible correspondence ministry, writing personal letters to prisoners every week. Only eternity can tell the innumerable fruit of this hero’s life. Like most real heroes, Roy does not look for recognition. In fact if you ask him about his life, he would say,” I wish I could have told more sinners about Jesus”. Then he would probably ask you “Can you tell me how a sinner can have his sins forgiven before God?” With this writing I recognize this hero of the faith and thank God for his challenge to my life. I believe many of God’s people would like to recognize him too. Roy and Gaye’s missionary service since 1958 has been ‘heroic’ in spite of terrific health problems and limited financial support. Some family members have been faithful to help. A few churches have stood by them through the years. Recently, several churches discontinued their support. Roy continually suffers with neuropathy and blood problems. His eyes are failing fast. Gaye has acute asthma and uses a breathing machine some of the time. (I personally know that Roy has lacked finances to have some medical procedures) Yet, both rejoice in each day’s opportunities to tell others how ‘a sinner can have his sins forgiven before God’.
I believe many who read this will pray for Roy and Gaye. I invite you also to share a one time offering or a monthly gift with these heroes. You will be saluting and sharing in fifty years of ongoing missionary witness for Christ. I know many folk spend money on flowers to ‘remember’ a hero. This is a special opportunity to ‘bless’ some living heroes now:
Roy and Gaye Johns P. O. BOX 2732 EDINBURG, TEXAS 78540
