The Journey: From the Mountains to the Mission Field

By Carole Beverly

God did an amazing thing when a young man from the mountains of southwest Virginia met a young woman from metropolitan Washington, D.C. The influence of their early lives, their meeting and the miraculous happenings that followed is the story that is contained within the covers of this book. God took a country boy and made him a missionary. He was a scrapper as a young boy, never backing away from a fight. God led him and his family to the country of the Philippines where he fought for the souls of men. Living in an area of the Philippines that was dangerous and filled with threats from the communist party called the New People's Army, he was consumed with passion to reach the lost with the gospel of Christ. The family was faced with attacks from physical enemies as well as the spiritual enemy, Satan, in an effort to stop the progression of the spread of the gospel. This story is one that is filled with true life experiences which will keep the reader spellbound. It takes twists and turns through valleys and mountains tops to reveal what God can do through two ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. To be a servant of Christ requires a call, a cost and a commitment. These three things are evident in the lives of this missionary couple. The ministry of this courageous missionary family continues on today in the Philippines and throughout the world through individuals who were impacted by their ministry.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781640280366

Book preview

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The

Journey

From the Mountains

to the Mission Field

Carole Beverly

In collaboration with

Bernard T. Beverly

ISBN 978-1-64028-035-9 (Paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64028-036-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2017 by Carole Beverly

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

296 Chestnut Street

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Dedication

This work is lovingly dedicated to my husband, Bernard Beverly. His unconditional love for me has been without fail for all the years since our first meeting so many years ago. He has always encouraged me to be all that I could be for the glory of God. Faithfulness and loyalty are attributes that have been demonstrated through his life. I could not imagine taking this journey with anyone else.

The Introduction

The book to which this introduction is directed is pointedly giving glory to God to which he alone is due. Again and over again, there remains no doubt in the readers mind that the guiding hand of God was very literally at work in the lives of its subjects. For the eyes of those to whom God is Lord, praise will fill your heart! For those others who may be captured by the title or for some other reason find themselves with this personal history in their hands, you may need to remind yourselves that this is not fiction. The documented historical facts form a chronological thread which weaves the message of what God can and wants to do in lives that are surrendered to his will. These testimonies ring out loud and clear the message of God’s realism in the day to day walk of his children.

The Beverly family only desire that the God of heaven be seen for what he truly is in the lives of just plain everyday people like most of us. After all, God doesn’t need our help but it is his Biblical choice to redeem sinful, fallen, down trodden, common men and use them throughout their earthly journey to produce rejoicing where regret would otherwise immerge.

I have been a personal friend for decades of this family and seen some of these things occur. Others I have learned via this biography. From the mountains of far southwestern Virginia to the mission field of the many islands of the Republic of the Philippines and the world, the fact is that this is God’s story. Whether your journey has taken you from the factory, or office, or the farm, or kitchen, or driver’s seat or wherever your journey has taken you today, your life can and will be enriched by the sincerity and genuineness of this book. Looking for a blessing? You have found it, it’s in your hands, read on read on!

Rev. Dale W. Fogg

Retired, ABWE Missionary Pilot

Foreword

Writing this foreword for The Journey – From the Mountains to the Mission Field is a great privilege and honor. I served as a church planting missionary in Bangladesh from 1958 to 1975. Due to a hearing loss,which made it difficult to function in a foreign language, the leadership of ABWE encouraged me to return to the states and to serve as the Southeastern Representative of ABWE. One of my chief responsibilities was to help new missionaries raise their support. The class of 1976 was my first candidate class and in that class, were Bernie and Carole Beverly. My missionary conference ministry always included new missionaries headed for the field. During this time Bernie joined me in dozens of missionary conferences. Bernie and I bonded in a life-long friendship. I followed his ministry through the years and was amazed at how God used him so greatly.

On one occasion, I was in a missionary conference in Alaska with his colleague, De Elda Payton. De related to me how effective Bernie was as a missionary and how he was able to win the hearts of the Filipinos to himself and to his Lord. The Lord used him in a difficult place to not only plant a church but to build a base for planting many more churches. He never could have done what he did without his faithful wife, Carole.

In a very readable style Carole has shared with us the joys and sorrows of missionary life. All who read it will be greatly blessed. Throughout this journey, we are reminded of the faithfulness of God to His faithful servants. The old proverb says Like father like son. Bernie’s three sons, David, Brian and Jeff are a living testimony for their Dad. Each of them is a faithful Christian, husband and father.

The leadership of ABWE and the Philippine missionaries recognized Bernie’s gifts and effectiveness by appointing him as Coordinator of ministry in the Philippines. This was both a great honor and a great responsibility. He did a superb job of furthering the Gospel in the Philippines. Each time my ministry brought me to Winston-Salem I would always make it a point to meet with Bernie. I always left encouraged and grateful for this special friend and servant of Christ. My wife, Nancy and I attended Bernie’s funeral. His pastor, fellow missionaries and sons shared with us Bernie’s life and influence. A high point was Brian singing Finally Home. In closing I want to thank Carole for being such a faithful wife, mother, and missionary and for sharing Bernie’s journey with all of us. Your labors have not been in vain.

Dr. Gene Gurganus, Retired ABWE Missionary

Acknowledgements

No one can write a story of their life without the input, love and kindness of many people. I hardly know where to begin to thank the ones who have encouraged me during this entire process. I absolutely would not have tackled such a project without the leadership and prompting of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has been my constant companion. I am so thankful for the wonderful advice given by Dottie Coffman, my sister-in-law. Her expertise has been invaluable and her encouragement has kept me on track. So many friends and family have kept me focused. Thanks to my dear friends Dale and Beverly Fogg who have contributed a listening ear, a loving heart and much more. I am so thankful for my sons as they have previewed the manuscript and given their thumbs up to making our story available to others. The precious ladies in the Sunday School Class that I have taught for twenty-five years have heard many of the stories contained in these pages. They are excited that others will have the opportunity to see what God has done. To God be the glory!

Preface

This writing has been a long time in coming to reality. Many times throughout our life and ministry, various people have said that we should write a book about our walk with the Lord so that others could be inspired, challenged and enjoy the wild stories that have been a part of that journey. Our reply would often be, Who would want to read about us?

This past summer during a family reunion, we had a wonderful time sharing some of our adventures and stories with family members. They once again challenged us with this task. I tried to dismiss this thought as was my usual response. This time the idea stuck in my mind and I just couldn’t get rid of it. Occasionally snippets of ideas would cross through my mind. I began to think that perhaps God was nudging me to get started and put our journey down on paper. I have come to the understanding that if God wants something accomplished, he will not allow the idea to rest until it is completed. So even though I feel very inept and still wonder who would want to read about us, I know that God is bigger than all my weaknesses.

God has a purpose for all the things that enter our lives whether they are bad or good. He knows the beginning from the end. I have always been amazed with the idea that he knows us so intimately that he is aware of how many hairs are on our head at any given time. He collects our tears in a bottle because they are so precious to him. He is always aware of every need we have and is ready to help us in our times of need.

The writing of this book would not be possible without God working in my life and the life of my precious husband as we have walked this journey hand in hand. Our three sons are a special gift to us. They have walked a major part of the journey with us. The experience has developed them into the godly men they are today. We are so thankful for family, friends and co-workers who have played such an important part in our journey. You will meet many of them along the path.

Now let’s begin the journey…

Chapter 1

The Beginning

The Early Life of Bernard Beverly

Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; that it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:1­4).

The majestic Cumberland Mountains in southwest Virginia is where our story begins. During the years of the deep economic depression in the 1920’s until the early 1940’s during WWII, this region suffered from great hardships. Times were tough but the people were tougher. They rose above the circumstances that surrounded them. That strength helped them survive. Many went on to make great accomplishments in life. One such family is the object of our story.

In those early years, there was a school teacher from these mountains named Ferdie Stratton Beverly. He taught in a small one room school house. He was a fine looking young man who was well-educated having received his certification to teach from Radford College in Radford, Virginia. Having been born and raised in this area, he was familiar with the need of education. The hearts and minds of the mountain children held so much promise for the future. Even though times were difficult, parents wanted their children to get a good education.

During his tenure as teacher, he noticed a beautiful young student with jet black hair and sparkling eyes. On occasion the school held a Pie Supper or a Pretty Girl Cake Walk to raise money for the school. Ferdie purchased a pie made by this beautiful girl and that was the beginning of their friendship. They became very fond of one another and soon Alma Lillian Davis became the wife of this handsome young school teacher.

As the years passed, Ferdie and Alma welcomed new additions to their growing family. Ila was the first. She was a ray of sunshine with bouncing, curly chestnut hair. She brought joy into the life of her family. She continues to do so today. In her own words, she shares the story of her birth, I was less than 3 lbs at birth. My bed was a shoe box put in a bigger box lined with heated rocks. That was the way I stayed warm and stayed healthy.

Next was Maxine who inherited her mother’s jet black hair. Maxine was slender and very athletic. She was a star basketball player in high school. Even as I write this story, Maxine, now in her 80s, is still an athlete. She won a gold medal at the World Senior Olympics for free throws in basketball one year after winning her battle with breast cancer.

Maxine, a great story teller, shares, One of my favorite memories was that I had a pet chicken that was handicapped from birth. My chicken didn’t talk like other chickens. I named it a very odd name, Me-yerk. That was the sound he called each morning and night. I had to help it get in the tree to roost at night. One evening as family and friends were outside talking, I decided to play some more with my pet chicken. Daddy told me, ‘Do not to take that chicken off its roost!’ I waited until he turned his back and I went and got the chicken. After I got him from the tree, my dad turned around and saw what I had done. By the time dad got through with me, I wished I had left Me-yerk in that tree! We quickly learned to obey our parents without question.

Maxine goes on to share, At the time I was a young girl, the political climate of the area where we lived was very heated. It was election season. One day at the age of five or six, I was playing with a big stick stirring a fresh steaming pile of cow manure. A politician came by campaigning and asked me, ‘Little girl, what are you making?’ I told him that I was making republicans. He asked me, ‘Why don’t you make some democrats?’ I quickly replied, ‘I don’t have enough cow manure!’

Two years later, the first son was born. He was a beautiful child that favored his father. He grew into a wonderful man who loved his family, friends and country. He worked hard throughout his life as a truck driver. He hauled ore from the coal mines for many years. Later he drove across country behind the wheel of a tractor trailer truck.

Soon another son was born. He had the black hair and sparkling blue eyes of his mother. Bernard Talmadge Beverly later became my husband. Bernie was a fighter. He was slight of stature but he was the family protector. If any of the children in the area tried to pick on his siblings they had to face the fighter.

Mountain Preaching

It was the fall of the year and the air was crisp. The family went to a molasses stir off. A molasses stir off was when the sugar cane was cut in the fields and carried to the grist mill to be ground. A big stone rolled around and crushed the juice out of the stalks of cane. The juice then flowed into a trough. It was boiled and as it thickened, the top was skimmed off and thrown away. The pure molasses which was produced was thick and sweet. The molasses was a delicious addition to baked goods during the winter. Nothing tasted as good as a hot biscuit from the oven split open smeared with molasses and fresh butter.

The next evening after the stir off, Bernie and Estle decided that they would have a church service. While standing on an orange crate, Estle took the first part of the service and preached. Bernie sat in the amen corner. When Estle got tired, they changed places and Bernie preached while Estle listened to the stirring message. The next morning Estle woke up with mumps in both of his jaws and Bernie had mumps on one side. That ended their preaching for that time in their lives. Before we went to the mission field, Bernie had the joy of leading Estle to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as they knelt together by the running board of a coal truck on a muddy road on a mountain in Kentucky.

Cabin on Fire

Bernie, his brother Estle and some cousins built a log cabin up on the side of the mountain over a stream. The cabin had running water flowing under the floor boards. They enjoyed so much playing and pretending they were mighty men of valor in that fancy cabin. One day they saw smoke coming from the area of the cabin. Some of their cousins had set the cabin on fire! They ran up to the cabin to try to put out the fire but the renegade cousins starting fighting with homemade bows and arrows. Bernie got a bow and arrow and shot back pinning a cousin to a tree by his pant leg. Bernie was aiming for his chest but hit the pant leg. Whew!

I guess this was not unusual as Bernie is related to the Hatfield side of the Hatfield and McCoy fame. As an adult, he said many times, If it weren’t for the grace of God who saved me, I could have been another Al Capone.

Another brother was added to the family twenty one months after Bernie. Teddy was a beautiful child with the curly chestnut hair. He has such a generous and loving heart. Many times Teddy has reached out to help his siblings and others in times of need. Maxine shares a story about Teddy. Our family had a very loving laying hen that would come to the door and sing when she wanted to come in. ‘Bea’ was her name and she loved Teddy. When we let Bea in, she would go directly to the bed where baby Teddy was sleeping and lay her daily egg. She then hopped off the bed, cackled and went right out the door.

Goat’s Milk

Bernie was not very happy about the arrival of this new baby in the home. The one thing he did like was the baby bottle full of delicious goat’s milk that his mom would bring for Teddy to have while he lay in the crib. When no one was looking, Bernie would climb into the crib with Teddy and drink the bottle dry. Their mother just could not figure out why Teddy was so fussy and not gaining weight. There was another time when Bernie climbed in the baby bed with a stick of stove wood in his hand. He was fixing to use it on Teddy. His mother saw what he was about to do and she put a stop to that. Oh my, what a rascal!

Two years later, another brother was born. Kyle favored his mother with the dark black hair. Kyle worked in the coal mines for all of his working life. Bernie was always standing by to defend him when needed.

The Defender

One day, an older renegade cousin pulled Teddy and Kyle off their bike and started hitting them. Bernie heard the noise and he went running down to get the renegade off his baby brothers. While fighting, Bernie hit him and the renegade fell against the coalbin knocking him out. He proceeded to pull him over to a muddy water hole in the road. While sitting on his chest, Bernie pushed the renegade’s head under the water. The renegade’s mother came out of her house with a pistol in her hand. She said, Bernard Beverly, you let Tommy go! ZING! Bernie heard the bullet pass right over his head. He let Tommy go and Tommy never bothered the Beverly boys again.

The Outhouse

One fall day, the leaves were changing and the air was brisk and cool. The family had moved to a house next door to a church with a cemetery. That evening after dark, Maxine asked her mother to accompany her to the outhouse. Maxine was afraid of the darkness and the critters that could be roaming about. The two of them made their way to the outhouse. Bernie heard their conversation so he decided he would play a little trick on them. He gathered up a white sheet and took off for the cemetery. While standing on top of a tombstone with the white sheet spread over him and a large harvest moon shining brightly behind him, he prepared for the big moment. When he heard the latch release on the outhouse door, he stretched out his arms above his head and loudly shouted in a spooky voice BOOOO! His mother and sister took off running for the house as fast as their legs would take them. His mother won the race! She counted the noses of her children and found Bernie’s missing. Needless to say, it was not a laughing matter when she got finished with him.

The Big Yellow Eyes

Monday was designated as wash day in the