Thursday, June 12, 2008

Update on Billie Jean (Atkinson) Baker Family

Sometime after leaving Sun Valley and after all 3 of our children were married and somewhat settled, Winston and I spent 6 years working with small, struggling congregations in the U.S. We lived in AZ and on the East Coast during this 6-year span of time, in a 40-ft. 5th wheel travel trailer.

While living in Salisbury, Maryland, Winston began experiencing some health issues, so we left and returned to Texas. The Garden Oaks church contacted us with the desire to have us work with Garden Oaks, in Houston. Garden Oaks was once a large (1100 member congregation) but had changed its complexion and was mostly made up of Hispanic and African-American descent. We accepted the challenge and found many members not meeting anywhere.

During this time, it was discovered that Winston needed heart by-pass surgery and this was done on March 6, 1989. The surgery was successful but Winston developed ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome) and died 8 months later (October 27, 1989). I had begun working at an engineering firm in Houston, so I continued in this job after Winston’s death.

While at the Garden Oaks congregation, we learned of this congregation’s involvement in the work in Tegucigalpa, Honduras and planned on making a trip there but this never happened, due to Winston death. This fact is significant in my story.

Some 3 years following Winston’s death, I married a childhood sweetheart, Dewitt Baker. We grew up in the same neighborhood, attended grade school through high school together, attending the same congregation in Dallas. Two years after our marriage, Dewitt took early retirement and we moved to Honduras, teaching at Baxter Institute and working with 2 medical clinics. We lived and worked 6 years in Honduras until Dewitt’s health prevented us from continuing.

After moving back to Texas, we settled in Bryan/College Station, where most of our family lived. By now we had a total of 8 children, my 3- (Paul, Cheryl and Ruth) and Dewitt’s 5 children. Now, our family has grown to 17 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

Dewitt is an Aggie through and through. We are active members of the A&M church of Christ, assist in many of their programs and continue to be involved in the work in Honduras. I administer a Nutrition Program for the thousands of malnourished children in that country. If you would like to learn more about this program, go to my website – http://www.nostarvingkids.org/ This is our out of country mission work. We were able to spend some time in Honduras this past summer and hope to do so many more times.

We have 2 rocking chairs in our home but they are only used to rock great-grandchildren. As long as our bodies allow and our Lord permits, we want to be involved in the work of His Kingdom.

The Sun Valley congregation is a vital piece of my life and I have fond memories of so many there. I am looking forward to seeing many of these dear friends. If you are ever close to Bryan/College Station, our home is open.

Dewitt and Billie Baker
2602 Lochinvar
Bryan, TX 77802
(979) 255-8221
bakybillie@yahoo.com

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