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Hello friends.
I’m interrupting the regularly scheduled post to ask for your prayers today.
My husband’s grandpa has gone missing. He is 88 years old and hasn’t been seen since Monday afternoon. This is really the kind of thing that just doesn’t happen to you. It happens in movies. Or possibly to other people….on Dateline.
Gordon is a charmer. A kind man with a gentle spirit. He has been the pastor of a small, rural church for decades. Originally from Louisiana, he and his wife live in a small community in Illinois where my husband spent many summers in his youth. She has had longtime health issues, and was recently admitted to a local nursing home. Prior to that, Gordon cared for her. Apparently Gordon has been suffering some memory loss episodes recently, getting lost and disoriented.
Monday, he stopped by the nursing home, forgetting that his wife had been transferred to a local hospital for some treatment. Saying that he was heading over there, it was the last time he was seen. That was around 1:20 in the afternoon, and we found out he was missing Monday evening.
Three of his seven children live near by, as well as a number of grandchildren. They mobilized and began a search. Three more of their children flew in Tuesday. Greg and I drove down late Tuesday night. (Thanks for the snow storm, Wisconsin).
Via social media, we’ve seen thousands of people share alerts, offer advice and suggestions, and lift up prayers.
Yes, the police are involved. Yes, they tried On-Star. No, he didn’t have a cell phone. They’ve looked in to cameras at toll booths and contacted the media.
You can read what one local paper wrote here.
Pray with us, would you? I’ll be sure to update via Facebook when we know anything. Connect with me there if you would like to stay in touch.
God is good and he knows where Gordon is. Trusting that we will soon.
The Sparrow’s Home has always been about ‘all things home’. And emergencies are part of that, aren’t they? Life gets interrupted, we support each other, we press on. The post on essential oils that I had scheduled today will hopefully bless you just as much next week.
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*Update*
Gordon was found, deceased, on Wednesday afternoon. His car was found off the road, about an hour and a half from his home. He was inside. It seems that he went off the road, tried to turn around in a field, and got stuck. The field was in a floodplain area of the river and when the car was found it was in several feet of water.
I was blessed and amazed to see the kindness expressed to the family in these few days. Hundreds of folks from the community went out driving, looking for him. Even today, neighbors and friends stopped by to say where they had looked and where they were heading. The police handled the situation amazingly, communicating as much as possible and very clearly. Thousands of people shared posts on Facebook and other places to get the word out for eyes, ears, and prayers. This afternoon, ladies from Gordon’s car insurance company came by the house with piles and piles of food, bottled beverages, and paper products for visiting family.
If you’ve been wondering about the state of humanity lately – – – be encouraged. There are still plenty of good, kind, and thoughtful people out there.
I found this Bible of Gordon’s in the house after we heard the news, and turned to the page he had bookmarked. What lovely, encouraging words to read, “Great peace have they which love thy law”
His family is mourning, but looking forward to seeing him again when our Savior returns.
“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18
Oh Susan, how absolutely awful. You must be frantic not knowing where he is. I’m so very sorry you are going through this and will keep you all in my prayers.
This is the second story I heard like this in as many days.
So nerve-wracking, so tragic.
It reminds me how hard it was for my good friend to commit his mom to assisted living because she would wander off in New Jersey. And, he lives in Virginia…
This is so scary…..my mother-in-law developed Alzheimer’s. Her husband and her lived in a rural area and this was always a fear,that she would go walking in the woods and get lost.
I hope your loved one is found safe…
I am very fond of Gordon. He volunteered several times to preach to our residents before his wife was a there as a patient. Gordon has a strong sense of faith. Your statements about this gentleman are on point. Praying for his well-being and many prayers to all who have been blessed to know this man that are concerned for him as well..
In God we trust,
Danielle
I’m so heartbroken about the outcome of the search for Gordon, but also grateful that he was found. So many prayers were happening this week, people were amazing. Grateful for our hope of seeing him in the Kingdom on this earth. Still praying for Barbara and all that loved him. <3