Woman with a Plan Plus.: Life and Experiences of Phyllis Martin-Griffin and Other Missionaries

By Leonard A. Grant Sr.

People have always been the life of Phyllis V. Martin-Griffin. On her right is her husband Eugene (now decease.) Her story continues. Her burden for the needy, will continue as long as God gives her breath. On her 90th Birthday she was given a party in Zephyrhills, Florida, thereafter, flew to Niles, Michigan for a second party with families and friends.

Being fully persuaded at an early age she went by faith to join with E. Faith Stewart, Grace G. Henry, Anthony J. Martin (her father), and many other dedicated workers across the USA to help the needy. There were also workers in East Africa, Caribbean, Hawaii, Canada and other parts of the world having the same mind to build and spread the Good News of Peace in the heart and soul.

Care for the total man empowered her to educating the destitute, supporting missionaries in foreign lands while training others to pursue their God-given gifts. While her body cannot keep up with the task, her mind is fresh with thoughts to help others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 16, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499047776

Leonard A. Grant Sr.

Leonard A. Grant, Sr. takes you into the experience and imaginations of real people. As the son of a hard working Cleveland (Yank) Grant, and the grandson of Daniel from Chambers Pen, Hanover, Jamaica, the pace was mentally set early in life. I raised the bars of my ancestors. My aim would be as high as the stars above. My books and pen shall be the route to travel for success. My children will embrace the highest and most modern technologies. Education! Education! Education! In Primary school we learned: “While you are growing learn all that you can or you will be sorry when you are a man.” So strong was this belief that my hope for my children was that they should achieve college level education, a goal unreached by three previous generations. My Supreme Motivator always shields me from the death blow of discouragement. We have fought many battles but I reached and set new goals. I never compete with anyone but me. So, I am always a winner. Writing, “Woman With A Plan Plus,” is meant to show the challenges and victories in real lives. You will see happy classroom environments from the secular to the Biblical. One must be persuaded, a reason to push forward. One should always embrace that persuasion and confessed it to give it power. The pictures are of great value in this book. They show where we have been in time and places.

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Copyright © 2014 by Leonard Grant, Sr.

ISBN:      Softcover   978-1-4990-4778-3

               eBook        978-1-4990-4777-6

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Rev. date: 03/03/2015

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Contents

The Early Vision

Letter from Cuba

February-March 1954

A Land Of Spiritual Night

News Notes from Cuba

A Faith Mission Training School

Rescue Mind, Body and Soul

Cuba News Letter

Kanoehe, Oahu

January 1, 1955

Brother Ralph Farmer

October, November. 1955

Hurricane Hilda Hits Cuba

Church Of God

June, 1957

Nairobi, Kenya Colony

Farm Fund• Financial Report

Encouragement to the Co-helpers

Danger - Beware

November, 1957

Bible School Students and Teachers

Farm Project Report

Letter from Sister Stewart

Our Second Trip to the Republic Of Haiti

Reports From Haiti

"In The Road of Faith

We Sow His Footprints"

Behind The Great Commission

Beyond Kedron

November, December. 1958

Lord Give Me A Vision

Pray For Us in Haiti

A Message from the Island Of Cuba

Tractor for the Farm

Retirement Home Project

Mt. Guong Mission

The Hormins

Home Mission Work in Tampa, Florida

With The Baums

Good News From Mbulu

April, May 1961

Report From Phyllis Martin

Report From The Hoffmans

Dedication Of Church Building At Mbulu

Arusha, Tanganyika

Report From Phyllis Martin

Your Plan

Dedication of this book

This book is dedicated to the children of the world: First and foremost are my Sons, Vinton M., Leonard A., Jr., daughters: Ingrid J., Georgia N., Marie J. A., and Vonette L. Adopted son Howard. My step sons and daughters. Grand children and great grandchildren from all the above.

The children in Paraguay, Brazil and Jamaica with their teachers and principals who opened their class rooms and their hearts. Especially the children in Sweeney Top, Clarendon.

I do honor Miss Linda Dinham my first school teacher. You taught us of the sacred year.

In my life of ministry, no one has taken time to teach the subject of so great importance.

My church family goes far beyond my local congregation, your love and your prayers have supported to me.

The Early Vision

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They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. Luke 5:31

She claimed that as with many Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matt. 9: 12, 13; matt. 19: 14.

These texts of our Lord have made great impressions in the lives of untold millions throughout the ages. Often, these lives are obscure for one reason or another. Lack of education, food, clothing or, an opportunity to reach the next level of a simple life, frames the calling of workers in the vast expanse of missionary workers.

When is it right to go? Many have asked this question. The answer lies in the sacred communication of the one with the burden to go, and the one sending. While it is possible to support some one’s burden with prayers, encouragement, and other material aids, there is no one capable of feeling that deep connection in the experience similar to what is felt by the one that is called.

In these pages, we will share with you the heartwarming life and ministries of some great missionaries whose lives have impacted many men and women of the United States of America and other countries. Children have grown and parented their own children. Others are grandparents and great grandparents. Two of these humble leaders have lead many to the Lord. They are truly parents, grandparents, great grandparents of thousands, even though they have never given birth to a child of their own.

Of these two humble missionaries one is yet with us. The others are gone on to their rewards. But their work and experiences will be with us for yet a long time to come, if the Lord tarries. With many original letters, pamphlets, articles, and pictures you will be given an opportunity to share these blessings of Phyllis V. (Martin) Griffin and E. Faith Stewart the missionaries who inspired my own missionary efforts from September of 1995 to May of 2005.

During this period, I have seen the good and the dark sides of many thousands. They were to me an extended family. Their tears caused my heart to ache. Their hunger was my hunger. Their pains became a part of me. Many nights I walk the floor praying and searching for answers for these dear ones. The main source of supplies that went to help many families came through the inspiration of Sister Phyllis and a small congregation she introduced to me, in Tampa, Florida. The congregation was pastored by a former minister in the Tampa Church of God congregation where Sister Phyllis ministered from 1960 to 1990, a period of about thirty years. The previous seven years were spent in Cuba as the replacement for Sister E. Faith Stewart. The state of Cuba during that period was in an economic decline. Many of the people of Cuba were seeking a way out to a better life in the United States of America. Some did come by way of the Church of God or other methods.

As a young lady under her father’s ministry, she felt her calling to the ministry where she spent some time learning from her dad the leadership qualities in the church. From there she stepped out to her first missionary journey and spent the next two years in AltaPass, North Carolina.

Training for God’s Work - She explained, The summer of her graduation from high school, her father, Pastor A. J. Martin was asked to go to Niles Michigan. There was an old Methodist church building where some six women and children gathered for Sunday school. Yes, it was out in the boonies, she declared. The population at the time was some 16,000. The property was in disrepair and fell into the hand of the township. As dad labored and built up a congregation, she said, the township deeded the property to the Church of God.

As a young person, she too had her ups and downs before she finally settled down. Her consecration settles it with the Lord. She got a good solid experience helping her dad. She drove the church bus (a beat up old van) with the seats removed and replaced with benches. She led the singing, even starting a choir. She taught Sunday school and help with visitation on Saturdays. She cautioned young people to be helpful in your home congregation if you ever desire to be useful in mission work.

Improvements have been made to that building and other buildings have been erected, but none holds the sentiment of that little white church building. The cemetery behind the church building became the burial ground for her mom and dad.

Another segment of her preparation was noted as, God working behind the scenes. I began to feel Him nudging me to prepare for the future, she said. She then applied to a Christian Bible School. At the time she was working as a bookkeeper and accountant for about four years. This job was started the summer after graduation from high school. So, approaching her employer with her plan only gained her his sneer. He responded with, You will never make it in religious work. Sister Phyllis still feels the remark was made only because other girls were quitting the office as she herself was doing.

However, there was a feeling of discomfort in that school, so I spent only a term to two terms there. As the Lord would have it, a letter showed up in the mail box of a Church of God school about forty miles away. I started there the following semester and graduated four years later. Here she cautioned, I do not say that everyone has to go to a Bible school to prepare, but it was what God had for me." And I cherished those years spent at the feet of Godly teachers, she concluded.

The Graduation - Her graduation was a very special one. There were seven graduates. It was the first class of ministers and missionaries to be graduated. The local paper carried a picture captioned: Ministers and Missionaries to Be Graduated Wednesday Night. There were seven young persons pictured above with the Rev. S. W. Joiner, of the Church of God on Pearl Street, that constituted the first class to be graduated from the Ministers and Missionaries training school north of Plymouth on Road 31.

Seated was the Rev. Mr. Joiner, class sponsor; standing were Mrs. Joseph Barlow, Plymouth, Joseph Barlow, Plymouth. Also are: Mrs. Walter Becknell, Plymouth; Miss Phyllis Martin, Niles Michigan; Walter Becknell, Plymouth; Roy Hoops, Lyons, OH; Ralph Pletcher of Plymouth.

To Receive Degrees

All seven will receive Bachelor of Theology degrees at commencement exercises to be held at 8 p.m. Wednesday, May 31, in the Plymouth Presbyterian church.

The commencement program, which is open to the public, is as follows:

Prelude processional, ‘Pomp and Circumstance by Mrs. Lyla Casterline; Vocal solo, I Know a Name, by Clifford Summerfield; invocation, The Rev. A. J. Martin; vocal solo, Today Is Mine, Mrs. Grace Fleek.

Program

Scripture reading, The Rev. E. R. Armstrong; song I Want My Life to Tell, by male quartet composed of Ralph Fletcher, Raymond Podd, Paul Pyle, and Roy Hoops; address, Youth Seeks a Master, the Rev. L. Earl Slacum, editor of the Church of God Watchman; song My Lord and I by John Hoth; presentation of Diplomas, the Rev. S. W. Joiner; benediction, the Rev. L. A. Hoops, and postlude, Triumphal, by Mrs. Casterline.

On Sunday night, May 28, at 8 o’clock, the class will have a baccalaureate program at the Church of God on Pearl Street.

During that last year of Bible School, Sister E. Faith Stewart attended the camp meeting which was to be held on the premises at Plymouth, Indiana. As it happened, she had to stay in my room with me, she exclaimed. She went on to say, What a frightening experience! Missionary! The word frightened me, she remembered. But Sister E. Faith Stewart was always remembered by her godly life. Not only by Sis. Phyllis but by a host of others who knew her personally for years. This encounter brought them together for what would be a life of history. They shared the same room on that occasion.

During this last year Sister Phyllis was singing with a quartet from the school. Duty called her group to sing in a revival that was 70 miles from her home. So, willingly each night they would travel in snowy, icy conditions. There were hardly any visitors. But this was part of God’s plan. A student brought the message one night on Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. Emphatically, she expressed that conviction struck like a ton of bricks, and I, one of the singers could do nothing but seek the altar, after a sleepless night. It was the time of full surrender, she continued. My plans and ambitions were now on the altar which included going back to the school to teach that fall. No! No! Surrender is not always easy. Yet, it is sweet when it is done. Indeed sanctification is a great work as it is required by God himself.

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Sister Phyllis Martin with a sister at Altapass standing beside jeep.

As Sister Phyllis reflects on her night of Knowing God’s chapter one plan, she reveres into the joy shared with her peers. There were music and singing and praises lifted up to Heaven, she said.

Her work in Altapass, North Carolina followed soon after. She spent two years there. This first missionary work consisted of children’s meetings and prayer services. The pastor visited the congregation only once per month, but she never assumed the pastor’s job. During this period Sister E. Faith Stewart visited the camp-meeting held in Alta Pass from her work in Cuba. The admiration of this woman’s godly life was making an impression on her. It was no surprise then that at the end of the year when the book ‘Living Faith’ was published she obtained a copy. After reading the contents of the book, she had a strong urge to visit Cuba.

Sister Stewart’s gracious invitation was prayerfully and joyously accepted. There she spent six weeks traveling and visiting congregations through the Island. One of her fun memories was the minister who took a clear stand for the glorious truth accompanied by some members of his congregation.

On April 27th, 1953 Sister Stewart wrote in her report the following:

Dear Brethren in the Home Land:

Again I send you greetings from Cuba with a deep prayer that The Blessed Lord Jesus will be to