Popsy's Last Prayer Letter

"Popsy," as he was lovingly called by his family and friends, surrendered his life to the Lord and went to the mission field at the age of 44.  The year was 1960.  He had pastored the Bible Baptist Church in Waxahachie, Texas, for eight years and then surrendered to give his life to missions.  He went to Monterrey, Mexico, with four children.  No mission board would accept him because he was, in their words, "too old."  This determined man, knowing God had called him, went anyway.

Popsy was the first of three generations now serving in missions.  Three of his children followed his leading and returned to Mexico as missionaries with their own families.  (His fourth child has bravely served our country in the Air Force and is one of hubby's heroes.... and he should be since hubby is named after him!)  


Now, twelve of their grandchildren, along with their families, are also serving as missionaries throughout the world.  (My hubby is one of those twelve.)  Makes me wonder if Popsy really was "too old" to become a missionary?!  

{Below} Mt. Hebron Baptist Church (choir pictured), started by Popsy and continued by his son Tommy.

{Below} Mt. Hebron Bible Baptist Institute, which Popsy started in 1963.

A missionary friend recently sent us a copy of Popsy's last prayer letter, which was written just a few months before his death.  I have retyped the letter (below it's picture), and I hope that it blesses you as much at it has blessed us.  What a privilege to be a part of this amazing heritage!

February 19, 1990

Dear Friends,

I feel impressed to dictate this letter to you this morning, to be mailed after the Lord takes me home.  By the time this reaches you I will have seen the Glory of the Lord, walked on streets of gold, with not a tumor in nor on my body, no swollen leg, no hemorrhaging, no pain and no crippled arm!

I want to let you know that only through God and His impressing you (then your submission to Him) to support the work of Mount Hebron, there have been thousands of souls saved and hundreds of preachers sent to all parts of Mexico to fulfill the Great Commission.

I feel the responsibility to let you know how much I appreciate the faith and trust you put in me to so graciously and sacrificially support the work through almost 30 years in Mexico.  All work at Mount Hebron will continue, your work will continue.  God has given me children and a wife who have a heart for the work equally as I.

Through the years, God has blessed the work, I believe, because of the confidence and unity of our friends and Mount Hebron.  I do appreciate everything so much.  Only God knows the true results of your and our labours together.  There have been many valleys but we always seemed to be higher after we came through.  I have no doubt but you who have sacrificed will have a great reward in heaven.

I am asking that you please continue your support to Mount Hebron.  The obligations and responsibilities for my boys and wife will not decrease at my passing.

The support will be handled by my wife with help and counsel of pastor friends and, of course, our sons.

With this request I must say, "I'll meet you in the morning."  Philipians 4:17 and Romans 8:28.  May God richly bless you is my prayer.  Please keep up the good work.  "It has been worth it all."

Your former missionary to Mexico,

Dr. L.H. Ashcraft

Popsy met his Creator, his Saviour, his Father on March 11, 1990.  His beautiful wife, lovingly called "Mimi," joined him March 14, 1996.

Oh, how I pray that the Lord would find us faithful too!  That we could serve Him 30+ years and say, like Popsy said it so well, "It has been worth it all!"

{Below} This video (narrated by Jonathan Ashcraft, Popsy's grandson) gives a much better description of Popsy and the work that has continued years after his Home-going.  I hope it will encourage you as much as it has encouraged me!


(For those reading this post through a reader, click here to see this video on YouTube.)

To Sheila Campbell's prayer team:

Many have asked for an update, and I'm thrilled!  It means you are praying with me for a missionary mom in need!

Here is an update from yesterday from Sheila's sister Angie:

Update on Sheila Campbell:  So far so good, Sheila had the bone marrow transplant today.  The next month or so will be critical to find out if the transplant takes and for Sheila to not get sick!  Her immune system is non existent at this point.  Thank you so much Christina for undergoing the pain to be a donor for our Sister!!!  Please pray for Christina as she recovers from the procedure today!  Sheila will be taking approx. 27 different meds. and going to Johns Hopkins every day for the next month or two for many different procedures including 2 more very strong chemos and hopefully that will be it for the Chemotherapy.  Thanks everyone for your prayers on our families behalf!

27 different medications?!  Going to the hospital every day for up to two months?!  And, wow... makes me wonder if I am the kind of friend that would do something like Christina has done for Sheila.  Like you, I would certainly hope that about myself.


Some have asked how I know Sheila.  We graduated from the same college, Oklahoma Baptist College, though she finished a few years before I did.  When I was still in high school she worked as a secretary in our school office and always had a sweet smile for everyone.  


I'm still praying for Sheila and will pray until I'm told Sheila is fully healthy again.  And even then, we'll keep praying for this missionary family and their work in the Philippines.  Will you do the same, friends?

Uncertain times {update}

I have been humbled by the many of you that have written to ask about our visa situation and what the future holds for us here in Ukraine.  I posted one time about it, and countless of you took me very seriously.  I am just so grateful for that, too!

The short answer is, there is no answer yet.

Hubby left on an overnight train last night to begin the first step of our process, that of renewing my passport.    My passport does not expire until June or July (sorry, I forgot which), but to renew a visa, the passport has to have at least 6 months of "life" on it for the new visa.  After spending the day at the American Embassy, hubby is on the train again tonight, returning home.  In 10 days or so, he will make the 12-hour trip back to the capital city of Kiev to pick up my passport.  [Have I ever confessed on here that I really don't like it when hubby is gone?  I just really love being around that man!]

The next step in this paperwork process is being invited by an established organization (which, for us, will be our church here, Simferopol Baptist Church).  Then, that invitation will have to be approved.  It seems the problem that we might be facing right now is that this region of our country is seemingly not wanting to accept any invitations.  No invitation = No visa.

It is really too early to know our fate yet.  We have until March on our current visas and are redeeming our time here.  We are already gearing up for our annual married couples' Valentine's Day banquet!  I always love celebrating with my Love and the sweet couples in our church.

The positive side to this entire issue is that, after leaving Ukraine in March (we'll just be visiting a neighboring country long enough to officially leave the country.... we're thinking Italy {sounds exotic, doesn't it?!}) we can come back in for three months just as tourists, no matter what the outcome on our visas is.

And, maybe by then, the laws will have changed (in our favor) again.

Please know, that for each pray that is offered on our behalf, I am sincerely grateful.