"PAPA LARRY Y MAMA NIKKI" — October 2005

Carmen, 38 years old, using our computer in 2004 to send an email to our daughter, Heather Carmen ran along side of our car holding onto the door handle for about half a block as we were leaving the church to catch our plane out of Chile. She was crying and shouting out: "Mama Nikki and Papa Larry, I will be waiting for you - I will be waiting for you!" She waited 10 years before we came back to include her once again in our lives.

We arrived in Chile for the first time in 1985 and worked in the ministry until 1988. During these three years, Carmen lived with us; we paid her to help Nikki with the housework and watch the house while we were gone on ministry trips. We helped her take classes to obtain her high school diploma and helped her with health and dental problems. As time continued she became like a sister to our kids and as a daughter to us. She demonstrated a deep love for Christ and served in the church as a Sunday School teacher. We continued to correspond during the ten years absence from Chile, and she never made any critical decisions without consulting us; as if we were her parents.

When we returned to Chile after ten years absence, we lived in Viña del Mar and she lived in Santiago. She worked as a secretary for a company. She always carried a set of keys to our home and frequently came to visit us.

She lived in our home and took care of it and our dog while we were gone on our last furlough in the States. When we returned from our furlough, we spent a lot of time with her and counseled her concerning her frustration of living alone and without ever having the prospect of having children. Christ was her husband, but she, never the less, struggled with not having an earthly husband. She was waiting for a responsible man.

  A few months ago, Nikki received a phone call and a strange voice asked her if she was "Mama Nikki." No one would ever use that to address Nikki other than Carmen. Instantly Nikki experienced a huge shock and knew we lost Carmen. Someone from Carmen's church was going through Carmen's directory of addresses and was phoning her friends to let them know that Carmen was found dead on her bed having suffered an aneurism. She died young, without children and a virgin. A tremendous vacancy opened in our lives down here. It is still something hard to accept and hard to write about; we lost a daughter in Chile!

 
 

We're staying busy down here. We have recently extended the ministry to several more towns in centeral Chile, as well as continuing to minister and rotate our video teaching materials in about 140 towns.

It sure would be nice to have another couple join us in the work. The need here is more than what I can meet by myself. Many more pastors want our ministery, but I am already stretched a little too much.

For those who faithfully help us financially each month, we send our deepest appreciation. You are true partners in the faith.

Blessings in Christ, Larry and Nikki

Video Instruction Ministries
% Harland Beery
P.O. Box 1332
Silverdale, WA 98383, USA
www.gault4him.org